Is It Worth Getting Certified?

Let's dive deeper and discuss which Agile method certifications are worth it and for whom. The debate stems from two main points: which institution has the authority to issue the certification and how the individual's goals align with the certification.

April/01/2022 - 5 minutes reading

Recognition

The first thing to note is that the job market recognizes certifications. Certifications validate the knowledge you've acquired and, along with professional experience, make your resume more robust.

Those who benefit the most from this are team leaders, project managers, product managers, Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and anyone looking to take on roles of this nature.

However, don't underestimate professional experience. Applying the knowledge gained from the certification carries its weight. The main Agile methods benefit significantly from this, as they are applicable in various contexts.

Authority Is the Key

The most important aspect is the quality of the content and the course behind the certification. It is where the authority and recognition of the certification come from.

With this in mind, seek certifications from institutions with the most authority. This way, you are guaranteed a baseline level of quality, and it's worth evaluating which of the certifications from that institution has the most suitable content for you.

Let's start with Kanban institutions, as Kanban is the easiest method to apply in any context you might find yourself in.

Kanban

The most authoritative Kanban certifications are those from Kanban University. The institution was founded by David Anderson, the author of the method, making it the highest possible authority on the subject. Additionally, Kanban University continues introducing new content, updating its methods, and delineating the topic. Currently, Kanban University has diversified its content by offering materials on the Kanban Maturity Model and a product and business perspective with Fit-For-Purpose.

https://kanban.university/

To learn more about Kanban certifications, read our article Everything About Kanban Certifications.

You can also check out the upcoming classes here: courses.

Scrum

The two most authoritative institutions for Scrum certification are Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org, as they were founded by the creators of the method and highly qualified experts in the field. Additionally, both institutions are responsible for updating the Scrum Guide, the well-known ScrumGuide.org.

Scrum Alliance was founded in 2001 by Mike Cohn (currently one of the most prominent figures in Scrum), Esther Derby (author of books on the subject), and Ken Schwaber (co-creator of the Scrum method alongside Jeff Sutherland and a signatory of the Agile Manifesto)—a powerhouse team. Additionally, Mike Beedle (another signatory of the Agile Manifesto) supported Scrum Alliance and helped to develop advancements in the method.

https://www.scrumalliance.org/

After founding Scrum Alliance, Ken Schwaber (co-creator of the Scrum method with Jeff Sutherland and a signatory of the Agile Manifesto) created Scrum.org in 2009, stating that he wanted to "do the right thing." This led to the initiative of the Scrum Guide, where both institutions came together to maintain a single, unified direction for the method.

https://www.scrum.org/

At Synergyc, we offer a comprehensive Scrum training that prepares you for the Scrum.org certification, providing complete content and practice questions to help you prepare for the exam.

Lean

For Lean, we have the Lean Institute Brasil, a highly authoritative institution on the subject, founded in 1998 and hosting Lean events since 1999. It offers various courses and is the only institution with significant authority in the field. However, many other institutions use the term "Lean" freely due to the lack of patent restrictions.

https://www.lean.org.br/

XP - Extreme Programming

The author of XP, Kent Beck, never intended to create an institution to support the method, so there is no authoritative reference similar to the others.