Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM®) Certification Training

Objective: Strengthen your Scrum Mastery with advanced facilitation, coaching, impediment removal, and stakeholder engagement to deliver higher team performance and organizational agility. Earn the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM®) credential from Scrum Alliance.

Total Duration of the training: 16 hours (live, instructor-led).

Master advanced Scrum Master skills

Deepen your stance and toolbox as a Scrum Master: apply advanced facilitation and coaching techniques, improve team flow with metrics and visualization, resolve conflicts constructively, and support Product Owners and stakeholders across the value stream.

Module 1: Welcome & Foundations of Advanced ScrumMastery

• Practitioner mindset: From ScrumMaster to Agile Leader
• Servant Leadership vs. Stances of a ScrumMaster
• Coaching vs. Mentoring vs. Teaching vs. Facilitating
• Self-assessment & growth path toward CSP-SM



Activity:

• ScrumMaster Skills Self-Assessment



Module 2: Professional Facilitation Skills

• Role of a Facilitator
• Designing Effective Meetings & Workshops
• Facilitation Techniques:
• Liberating Structures
• Divergent/Convergent Thinking
• Neutrality & Inclusiveness
• Advanced Techniques for Scrum Events
• De-boring the Daily Scrum
• High-Value Sprint Retrospectives
• Powerful Sprint Review Conversations



Activities:

• Facilitation Fishbowl
• Mini-retrospective using advanced frameworks



Module 3: Advanced Coaching Techniques for Teams

• Growth mindset in teams
• Introduction to Professional Coaching
• Coaching Stances & Active Listening
• Powerful Questions & Mirroring
• Coaching Individuals vs Coaching Teams
• Coaching toward self-management



Activity:

• Coaching Triads (Coach, Coachee, Observer)



Module 4: Team Dynamics, Team Development & Conflict Resolution (3 hours)

• Stages of High-Performing Teams (Tuckman, Lencioni)
• Psychological Safety & Trust Building
• Conflict Types & Healthy Conflict
• Conflict Resolution Models (Interest-Based Negotiation, Thomas-Kilmann)
• Dealing with Difficult Team Behaviors
• Working with Distributed / Hybrid Teams



Activities:

• Conflict Scenario Role-Play
• Team Maturity Assessment Exercise



Module 5: Scrum Mastery in the Organization

• How organizations adopt Agile
• Organizational impediments and how to address them
• Influencing without authority
• Change management models (Kotter, ADKAR)
• Enabling organizational agility
• Working with leadership and stakeholders



Activities:

• Impediment Busting Workshop
• Mapping Organizational Change Readiness



Module 6: Scaling Scrum & Complex Product Environments

• (Not for certification in scaling, but to build awareness)
• Why scaling? Symptoms vs real problems
• Overview of major scaling frameworks:
• Scrum@Scale
• LeSS
• SAFe
• ScrumMaster responsibilities in scaled environments
• Managing multiple teams & dependencies



Activity:

• Multi-team planning simulation



Module 7: Advanced Product Backlog Facilitation & Delivery Flow

• Supporting Product Owners as a strategic partner
• Backlog refinement with distributed teams
• Story splitting at an advanced level
• Flow metrics: throughput, WIP, cycle time
• Improving predictability and flow



Activity:

• Advanced backlog refinement simulation



Module 8: Quantitative & Qualitative Metrics for Agile Teams

• Metrics that matter vs vanity metrics
• Measuring team health & effectiveness
• Forecasting responsibly
• Evidence-based management (EBM)
• Using metrics without weaponizing them



Activity:

• Building a healthy metrics dashboard



Module 9: Improving Scrum Values in the Team

• Embedding Commitment, Focus, Courage, Openness, Respect
• Techniques to strengthen value-driven behaviors
• Coaching toward a value-based culture



Activity:

• Scrum Values Reflection Workshop



Module 10: Personal Growth Plan & Certification Steps

• What you need to complete A-CSM certification (Scrum Alliance requirements)
• Path toward CSP-SM
• Continuous learning plan
• Q&A and course closure

• You must hold an active CSM (Certified ScrumMaster) certification.
• You must have at least 12 months of work experience as a Scrum Master within the last 5 years.
• You must complete an approved A-CSM training course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) or Certified Agile Coach (CAC) - Our course will help you with this requirement.
• You must have a Scrum Alliance account to upload your work experience and activate the certification.
• A solid understanding of Scrum principles, Scrum roles, and team facilitation is required.
• Active participation in all course activities and exercises is required for certification eligibility.

• Certified ScrumMasters seeking to advance their skills and knowledge.
• Scrum Masters with at least 1 year of practical experience.
• Agile Coaches or team facilitators who support multiple Scrum teams.
• Project Managers transitioning to Scrum Master or Agile leadership roles.
• Team leads or managers responsible for improving Scrum team performance and collaboration.
• Professionals aiming to deepen their understanding of advanced Scrum practices, servant leadership, and team dynamics.

• The A-CSM® certification does not require an exam; certification is awarded upon successful completion of the A-CSM® course.
• The course is taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST®) or Certified Agile Coach (CAC) - Our training covers this requirement.
• Training includes interactive exercises, case studies, group discussions, and real-world Scrum challenges.
• Certification must be activated through your Scrum Alliance account after completing the course.
• Certification is valid for two years and requires renewal through Scrum Alliance.
• Renewal includes paying a fee (typically USD 100) and earning Scrum Education Units (SEUs).
• The A-CSM® designation demonstrates advanced Scrum knowledge, team facilitation expertise, and ability to coach Scrum teams effectively.

The Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A‑CSM) certification, offered by Scrum Alliance, is a next‑level credential for experienced Scrum Masters who want to deepen their Agile expertise and take on more leadership and coaching responsibilities. It builds on the foundational CSM certification and equips you with advanced skills to handle complex team dynamics, foster cross‑team collaboration, and support Agile transformations.

A‑CSM focuses on topics such as advanced facilitation, coaching approaches, Agile metrics, conflict resolution, and servant leadership — preparing you for roles such as Senior Scrum Master, Agile Coach, or Agile Program Lead.

A‑CSM certification offers strong career and salary benefits in the United States and globally. Certified professionals with advanced Scrum and Agile expertise are highly valued in organisations that undertake large‑scale Agile adoptions and continuous delivery initiatives:

• 1. In the U.S., Advanced Certified ScrumMasters typically earn in the range of $120,000 to $150,000 per year, depending on experience, industry, and location.
• 2. Many Agile professionals with advanced certifications — including roles such as Senior Scrum Master or Agile Coach — can see total compensation go above $150,000 per year as they lead larger teams, multiple teams, or scaled Agile initiatives.
• 3. A‑CSM holders often earn higher salaries compared with basic Scrum Masters due to their expanded skills in coaching, organisational change, and team performance improvement.

Beyond salary, A‑CSM certification enhances your professional credibility, demonstrating your ability to drive Agile adoption, mentor peers, and help organisations build high‑performing teams. Certified professionals are better positioned for leadership paths including Agile Coach, Delivery Manager, and Agile Transformation Lead.

By earning your Advanced Certified ScrumMaster certification, you advance beyond the fundamentals of Scrum and position yourself as an expert Agile practitioner capable of creating meaningful impact in teams and organisations — accelerating your career growth in today’s competitive Agile job market.

Certified Scrum Trainers (CST®) with extensive industry experience in coaching, facilitation and organizational change.

By the end of this 16-hour program, learners will be able to: