Exciting updates are slated for the Scrum Alliance CSM® Exam in January 2019.
Here are the Scrum Alliance’s latest CSM® Test FAQs:
Why did you update the test?
Scrum Alliance wanted to increase the rigor of the CSM certification by determining, based on validation from active practitioners in the field, the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for the CSM certification. We also wanted to involve our community to validate what is important in the Scrum Master role and to then test on those various key areas.
How did you update the test?
We partnered with Prometric, a leading test development company, as well as subject matter experts from the Scrum Alliance community. We surveyed over 300,000 Scrum Alliance certificants and had five in-person meetings with over 40 Scrum Alliance SMEs who held a CSP®, CTC, CEC, or CST®. More details on what transpired at each meeting may be found on our Education Blog.
How long is the test and what is the passing score?
Each of the four versions of the test will contain 50 questions and candidates will have one hour to complete it. The passing score is 74%. This was determined by subject matter experts (SMEs) from the Scrum Alliance community working in partnership with Scrum Alliance and Prometric, an industry leader in test development.
Are any of the current guidelines changing?
None of the guidelines related to retaking the CSM test will change. Currently, if a person fails his or her first attempt to pass the CSM test, they are given one free retake opportunity. Subsequent attempts incur a $25 charge to cover administrative expenses. The retake must be taken within 90 days of the initial attempt. On the new test, individuals will not be able to see which question(s) they answered wrong or the correct answer. Instead, they will receive general results at the end of the test as to which areas they excelled or need to improve in. This is to protect the integrity of the test.
How will the students be able to take the test?
Students will be able to take the test online from any computer in the world from the comfort of their home, work, or other location. The test will not be proctored.
Will the CSM test be translated into other languages?
Yes, the CSM test will be translated into the following languages: Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Czech, Danish, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. The translation process will be completed by the end of January 2019, so the English test will be launched before other languages.
What is the test blueprint, and does it match with the LOs?
The test blueprint may be found on our Education Blog and on the main CSM page. The test blueprint matches with the most current version of the 2018 LOs which were updated in December 2018. Additionally, the 2018 CSM LOs are aligned with the November 2017 Scrum Guide. The current LOs can be found on the Scrum Alliance CSM certification webpage and also on Trainer and Coach dashboards under “Resources.”
When will the CSPO® test launch?
We anticipate inspecting and adapting the launch of the CSM test and learning from the experience. We plan on launching the CSPO test in the 2nd quarter of 2019.
Read more about CSM Certification at ScrumAlliance.org.
You can also view the CSM Test Content outline going into effect in January at this Scrum Alliance link.
