PSMIII - Reflections

The ‘Why’

For the sake of myself as well as those who kindly asked for my “preparation journey” to PSMIII, I have tried to put into words some of the thoughts, considerations and actions that led the way. I find that putting thoughts on paper make them stick better. Perhaps some of them might even prove useful to others.

As you will learn from reading this, I will not be providing any specific questions from the test, nor any hint-hint wink-wink’s at this and that framing of answers. Instead, the common theme will be the train of thought and the deeper level of everyday Scrum Master life. Thus, I dive in.

The Journey

I obtained my PSMI in 2017 to take the role as equal parts Scrum Master, full-stack developer and team leader on a Scrum Team of eight people. Those familiar with the recommendations will notice that this was indeed both a sub-optimal setup and not exactly aligned with what a Scrum Team should be. Nonetheless, my Scrum Master journey had begun. Staying in the three-part role for 18 months, I then moved on to a new company, dedicating myself to a focused, full-time role as Agile Coach. Put whatever words and thought to this role, as you like, the essence of it was acting Scrum Master for two teams and an organization of some 60 people. My professional growth from this role was immense and my broadened horizon led to a vital reflection as a Scrum Master, as has been cited many times before (by people way smarter/less knowing? than me): The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Undertaking an entire organization made clear the aspects of the Scrum Master’s services to the organization (okay, here is an actual hint at stuff you should know: Scrum Master Services to the [insert_answer_here]). I had of course read the Scrum Guide, but soon came to the realization that reading it is a completely different thing from understanding and applying its rules. Moving into the zone of Conscious Incompetence meant I “learned to learn” again. Engaging in conversations with both Scrum devotees and non-believers alike allowed for much deeper reflection than I had previously experienced, coming from a company where everybody were fresh out of the same PSMI course (thus very much in agreement of things ;-) ). As I dived further into these discussions, I was supported by some very experienced agile coaches and gradually gained proficiency in applying tools and techniques for various situations. I later learned the mantra of “see one, do one, teach one”, which very much started applying to me here.

I spent 18 months in this role, before moving on to my next (and current) employer, now engaging in a setup with two close Scrum Master colleagues and joining three small teams. For various reasons the team setup made sense, but obviously came with some drawbacks. Devoted time, team forming, team intimacy and unity were things that did not come easily, as I disrupted the existing setup of three teams while being only part-time on all of them. As is often discussed, the unavailability of resources and competences in a Scrum team negatively impact the team in a number of ways (“which ways” you might/should ask?). Time passed and teams changed/merged/dissolved and we lingered on, trying as best we could to servant-lead both teams and organization. What challenges we faced are most likely similar to other organizations. Neither more nor less interesting, complex or challenging, just our own unique kind.

In this new job, I was offered courses and accompanying exam attempts for both PAL-E and PSMII right out of the gates. This started the devoted focus on supporting literature (not everything is actually in the Scrum Guide, who would have thought…?). Attending PAL-E with colleagues from traditional business units again offered a great opportunity to see-do-teach as we all engaged in subsequent talks, formal sharing sessions and test preparation/follow-up. With every new conversation, the need to circle back to the pillars of Scrum proved stronger and required even more reflection. At this point, we were obviously beyond mechanical Scrum in our talks, but still needed to re-visit the basic motions, just to get the foundation in place. Building on that to help newcomers reflect on the aspects of agile leadership presented a great challenge, but also offered a great learning opportunity. See-Do-Teach.

By the time the PAL-E course was done, the exam attempts for PSMIII were already purchased. Motivation by peer pressure… Five colleagues and I started a structured meeting series to go through the six areas of the Scrum.org Scrum Master Learning Path. Each session serving to discuss key findings from the presented and supporting material, run questions and misunderstandings by each other and, to be honest, play some games (a plethora of Scrum games exist, the common denominator being that they serve as conversation starters).

Now, you might notice the “supporting material” part of the above. Many have wondered about, many have been frustrated with, and many have tried coming up with…. the definitive curriculum of PSMIII. You want the good news or the bad news first?

-         There is no definitive curriculum, so you cannot make sure you are reading the right thing (yes, that was the bad news).

-         Whatever related material you come across is beneficial to your PSMIII journey (yes, that was the good news)

Now, while refraining from providing any useful answers, what the above news intend to tell you is this: It is the constant and continuously evolving reflection and broadened perspective of Scrum that helps you get there. It is reading a book while constantly thinking “how does this ACTUALLY apply in a real-life context?” It is engaging with your team, your colleagues, the wonderful world of online fora and always seeking to tie your knowledge and discoveries back to the core of Scrum (remember those values, pillars, rules?). I do not think I will spoil too much, by saying that you will not get many questions on “time-box for Daily Scrum” or “roles in a Scrum team”.

The Test

Reading this, I imagine this is the part you are here for: What about that darned test? As (not) promised in the beginning, I will not be providing specific questions or answers. Instead, I leave you with this run-down of my personal setup before and during the test.

Knowing that it needed my full attention and focused energy, I picked out two particular days, any one of which would be suitable. I knew I had no other engagements, no straining meetings during the day, nor any other duties I should rather attend to. As my kids (age 3 and 7) do not always understand why daddy puts on noise cancellation headphones and sits quietly for 2 hours, I planned to take the test at my office. However, as my colleagues (age 30 to 50) also have a tendency to actually work, talk and interact during office hours, I decided on this timeline:

Work > Go home > Relax a bit > Eat light dinner > Head back to the office > Take the test.

Back at the office, nice and quiet, I laid out all the hard copies of books and guides I had been through, pen and paper by my side, toilet break sorted, coffee, water and snack bar served, and then I was ready! “Throw it at me, Scrum.org, I can look up any fact you need in no time!” Alas, hard facts are a thing of the past, as I learned from Question 1. What is very much a thing of the present, was the dialogue-like session, in which cases, dilemmas and facts were intertwined and presented for me to share my reflections on, in a free-flowing manner. Though I prefer spending more time on conversations, the test presented itself very much as a genuine interest in my take on the items presented. Do not be fooled by the colloquially sounding setting and test. This is a tough, stressful, time-pressured and brain-hurting endeavor. Look-ups were kept at a minimum, since time was short. I relied on the first things that came to mind (sort of), as this is where your experience kicks in: The past years of reflection, learning, evolving and uncovering what Scrum actually is should flow freely as you are faced with these questions.

I made it through, with a whopping 57 seconds to spare (3 minutes something before re-visiting my ‘questionables’ list) and a buzzing sensation in my brain. The message of “Don’t worry about not getting a score, we’ll get back to you” was fine, as my head probably could not process anything further. The following reply, a couple of weeks later, including the very valuable feedback, concluded yet another beginning of my Scrum Master journey. I now know even better, how little I know.

The Essence

Anyone entering the ring with PSMIII should know this: A matter of opinion will not last you long. Being capable of engaging in a meaningful and well-argued discussion on the topic will. The level of understanding and of being able to connect the dots and tying the loop back to Scrum make all the difference. It goes beyond books, courses and certifications. It all starts with living, breathing and embodying your Scrum and agile commitment and curiosity.

For those who made it this far, thank you for reading. Please share your questions and comments.

For those who plan to take on the PSMIII – Good luck and have fun.