today's world, companies are increasingly seeking agility in their processes. As a result, the Product Owner certification has become highly sought after by professionals who want to enter the digital products market.
Very similar to the role of Product Manager , the Product Owner is usually more common in companies that adopt Scrum . Therefore, before reading this article, it is worth understanding the difference between PM and PO .
If you've already decided that you want to take the next step as a Product Owner, I'll share some useful information here about the main certifications on the market , how they work, and what impact they have on your career in the field. Let's go!
There are several certifications on the market, but the most renowned are from Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org .
The main difference between the two is that the Scrum Alli why you should take our service ance CSPO does not require a test ; you just need to take a 16-hour course and receive this certificate at the end. It is important to note, however, that it is valid for 2 years , meaning that you will have to renew it after that period.
The Scrum.org PSPO certification requires a test , in which you need to prove your knowledge. On the other hand, its biggest advantage is that it is valid for life.
How do these certifications work?
The scrum.org PSPO has three levels and is entirely in English , but you can use the Google translation plugin if you are not very proficient in the language. Thinking about the format and level of each assessment, you should know that:
PSPO I: corresponds to the first level and requires theoretical knowledge . 80 multiple choice questions of which you have to get 80% correct;
PSPO II: is an intermediate level , requires theoretical and practical knowledge . 40 multiple choice questions, of which you have to get 85% right;
PSPO III: This is for a more advanced level and requires theoretical and practical knowledge . There are 35 multiple choice and essay questions in total, and you need to get 85% correct and write your answers in English in an essay format.
In the case of the Scrum Alliance, there are only two certifications: CSPO and CSPO A. Both are training courses with classes , last 2 days and at the end you receive the certificate valid for 2 years.
The CSPO certification is at an intermediate level and the CSPO A certification is at an advanced level . Neither requires a test, only attendance at the training, which can be a negative point. A very positive point is the interaction and networking during this training.
What is the market's perception of these certifications?
Before investing your time and effort in a Product Owner certification, it is important to understand how important they are to the market.
In this sense, what I can share here is that many vacancies ask for at least a theoretical level certification.
However, those who really know the agility market consider starting with the second certification. This is because the Scrum.org Level I certification has many simulations available and many people end up passing just by memorizing the simulations, not by real knowledge.
Therefore, the second certification is really considered a differentiator and the third is practically a rarity.
In short, to be a Product Owner it is not necessary to have these certifications , but they certainly make a difference in the market.
What is the difference between Scrum Master and Product Owner?
The Scrum Master is the professional who leads the Scrum ceremonies and instructs the team on Agile practices . The Product Owner, in turn, focuses directly on the product and the value delivery it can achieve. For this reason, both roles complement each other, applying theory into practice and helping developers build the best product more quickly.
What changed in my career after the certifications?
Speaking a little about my experience, after many conversations and research, I obtained the PSPO I, II and III certifications with little time between them. This way, I was able to take advantage of the fact that my memory about the subjects was still fresh, and, like the Scrum Guide , which is the basis, its content covers all the certifications.
I talked to many people before deciding to take the PSPO and I decided to take it, because my goal was to take all 3 levels . In my opinion, getting the advanced level certification is a differentiator in the market, despite being a high investment. Another factor that helped me decide was the fact that it is for life and does not need to be renewed for validity reasons.
This entire process that I have mentioned so far has helped me to have a clearer understanding of product management and agility . From there, I began to understand the importance of incremental deliveries, the sense of “product ownership”, and the delivery of value. And I also understood the need to really listen to the customer , to maximize ROI , and so on.
With this clear vision of product management, I had a major change in my attitude and positioning. All the exchanges made me gain a broad knowledge and many companies approached me after these certificates. Many people also invited me to teach classes and mentoring, and this made it very clear to me the opportunities and market gaps in this subject. We have many POs in the market today, but the vast majority are not developed in terms of their role or acting in a clear and efficient way.
The knowledge and networking you gain by obtaining these certifications is very valuable and develops you as a professional, in addition to bringing you recognition in the market.
Another important point to bring up is that I noticed that companies outside of Brazil place a lot of value on certifications, becoming a gateway for those seeking opportunities in other countries.
How to get the Product Owner certification?
Here are some observations and tips that I consider important and useful for you who have decided to continue pursuing certification.
CSPO
For CSPO, you just need to sign up for the course. In this case, I recommend that you study and buy the test . You can also buy the course from Scrum.Org partner companies and get 2 attempts at the test, but the investment is higher and, if you like to study, I suggest that you study at home , because I believe that the investment of the course vs. the return is not worth it. There are much cheaper courses that help you gain knowledge for the test.
For Level I certification, I recommend that you read the Scrum Guide several times, search for practice tests , and also take the practice test available on the Scrum.org website. After a few attempts with 100% approval, you can consider yourself ready for the test.
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