A product owner is a leader responsible for maximizing the value of the products created by a scrum development team.
Both CSPO and PSPO relate to the expertise of a product owner in Scrum framework. As Mike Cohn puts it:
“The Scrum product owner is typically a project's key stakeholder. Part of the product owner responsibilities is to have a vision of what he or she wishes to build and convey that vision to the scrum team. This is key to successfully starting any agile software development project. The agile product owner does this in part through the product backlog, which is a prioritized features list for the product.”
The expertise of a Product Owner is centred around the following:
- It’s about the product
- It’s about understanding product benefits
- It’s about customer experience
- It’s about design thinking
- It’s about collaboration
CSPO and PSPO both relate to product ownership which in turn requires business acumen and competency on product vision and roadmap aspects.
What is CSPO?
As defined by the Scrum Alliance, a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) is someone who has been taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer about the Scrum terminology, practices, and principles that will enable them to fulfil the role of Scrum Product Owner.
What is PSPO?
PSPO stands for Professional Scrum Product Owner, a course and certification offered by Scrum.org. The Scrum.org mission is “To Improve the profession of Software Development”.
Differences between CSPO and PSPO
CSPO is an abbreviation that stands for Certified Scrum Product Owner. This is a certification offered by the Scrum Alliance, specifically for the Product Owner role.
PSPO is an abbreviation that stands for Profession Scrum Product Owner. This is a certification offered by scrum.org, specifically for the Product Owner role.
Accreditation Body
The accreditation body of the CSPO and PSPO certifications are as follows:
- PSPO: Scrum.org
- CSPO: Scrum Alliance
Renewal of CSPO and PSPO Certifications
- PSPO: once earned, the credential does not expire and does not require renewal.
- CSPO: once earned, credential valid for two years. Starting Feb 2019, renewal would require 20 Scrum educational units(earned in last 2 years only) and a renewal fee of USD 100
Price
- PSPO: 200 USD for certification license only. Attending the workshop could cost around 500 USD.
- CSPO: 500 USD. The cost varies based on the location from which you attend the workshop.
After Exam Certification
Once you pass the PSPO exam, you will get an industry-recognised "PSPO I" certification, along with a PSPO I logo that you can use to identify your achievement. Similarly, on clearing the CSPO certification exam, you will get a certificate from Scrum Alliance.
Which Certification Should I Choose?
The main aim of the CSPO certification is to understand the working of Scrum and the role of the Product Owner playing in a Scrum team. While the objective of the Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) certification is to develop a solid understanding of the Product Owner to maximize the value of the software products and systems.
PSPO has a level of difficulty associated with it. The things which I like about PSPO certification is that the certification does not mandatorily require you to attend an in-person workshop. You can prepare all on your own and directly proceed to the examination. Also, PSPO has a lifetime validity once acquired, no need to renew the certificate.
To evaluate the value of any certification we need to consider:
How knowledge or competency in a subject is evaluated and how rigorous is the assessment process. The cost involved with attaining the certification and the validity also play an important role.
Before reaching any conclusion on which Scrum certification is better-CSPO or PSPO to choose, you must have heard somewhere that simply earning a skill is not enough, you need to prove your potentiality to the employers. Certification is just a way to reach the recruiters. To get noticed by the potential employer, start looking for the various certifications options available to steer your success.
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FAQ's
- Which certification should I choose: CSPO or PSPO?
The choice between CSPO and PSPO depends on your goals. CSPO focuses on understanding Scrum and the Product Owner role within a Scrum team, while PSPO emphasizes maximizing the value of software products and systems. Consider factors like certification cost, renewal requirements, and learning preferences when making your decision.
- What is a CSPO certification?
CSPO stands for Certified Scrum Product Owner. This certification, offered by the Scrum Alliance, educates individuals on Scrum terminology, practices, and principles to effectively fulfill the role of a Product Owner in a Scrum team.
- What is a PSPO certification?
PSPO stands for Professional Scrum Product Owner. This certification, provided by Scrum.org, focuses on maximizing the value of software products and systems by developing a deep understanding of the Product Owner role within the Scrum framework.
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