The Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills™ (PSFS) exam challenges Scrum practitioners to validate their competencies in facilitation and their ability to support Scrum Teams in effectively solving problems. Preparing for this exam requires a strong understanding of core facilitation principles, techniques for handling difficult situations, and integrating Scrum Values into the daily work of a team.
Below, you’ll find an overview of essential materials to aid your preparation, including:
- Recommended articles on facilitation and Scrum,
- Guides to overcoming common team challenges,
- Tips for effectively managing group dynamics.
Learn what to focus on to successfully pass the exam and become a better facilitator, contributing to your Scrum Team’s efficiency.
Scrum Guide – The Fundamental Scrum Framework
The Scrum Guide, available at ScrumGuides.org, is the official and foundational document describing the Scrum framework. Authored by the creators of Scrum, Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, it is regarded as the most important knowledge source for anyone looking to understand and practice Scrum.
Facilitation Skills Open: A Practical Tool for Assessing Facilitation Skills
Facilitation Skills Open is a free online assessment available on Scrum.org, designed to help users test and expand their knowledge of facilitation in the context of Scrum. It serves as an educational tool to support Scrum practitioners in refining their skills for running effective meetings and fostering team collaboration.
What is Facilitation Skills Open?
- An open testing tool: No registration or payment required, making it accessible to everyone.
- Self-assessment of skills: The test evaluates your understanding of key facilitation techniques essential for Scrum Masters and team leaders.
- An educational element: Each question includes explanations, enabling learning in real-time.
Why Take This Assessment?
- Identify areas for improvement in leading meetings and supporting effective team collaboration.
- An excellent resource for participants of the Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills course or those preparing for similar training and certifications.
- Through practical questions, participants gain better insights into applying facilitation in real-world team scenarios.
What Does Facilitation Skills Open Include?
- Multiple-choice questions:
- Focused on common facilitation challenges in Scrum.
- Cover practical situations, such as managing conflict during a Sprint Retrospective or engaging participants in a Daily Scrum.
- Practical scenarios:
- Assess how participants use facilitation tools and techniques in various Scrum events (e.g., Sprint Planning, Sprint Review).
- Provide a better understanding of the facilitator’s role as a servant leader.
- Explanations of answers:
- After each question, users receive an explanation of the correct answer, supporting the learning process.
How to Use Facilitation Skills Open?
- Preparation:
- Read the Scrum Guide and familiarize yourself with basic facilitation techniques (e.g., Liberating Structures, visual tools) before starting the test.
- Taking the test:
- Complete the test in a calm environment, focusing on analyzing each question.
- Note down areas of difficulty to revisit later.
- Learning from mistakes:
- After completing the test, carefully review questions answered incorrectly. Use materials recommended by Scrum.org to deepen your knowledge in these areas.
Who Should Use This Test?
- Scrum Masters: To assess their facilitation skills and better support their teams.
- Agile Team Leaders: Individuals leading meetings in Agile organizations.
- Participants of Scrum.org training: Particularly the Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills course.
- Anyone interested in facilitation: Including those outside the IT industry, seeking to improve their team leadership skills.
Preparing for the Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills™ Certification: Suggested Resources Page
The Suggested Resources for Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills page on Scrum.org offers a collection of recommended materials to support individuals preparing for the Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills™ (PSFS) certification. It provides an overview of key resources, tools, and tips to help develop facilitation skills in the context of Scrum.
"Successful Facilitation" Playlist on YouTube
Successful Facilitation is a new video series available on YouTube, created as part of a facilitation training course. The playlist is dedicated to individuals who want to improve their facilitation skills, both in Scrum contexts and other team environments. The videos provide practical tips, techniques, and scenarios to help conduct effective and engaging meetings.
Scrum.org Facilitation Learning Series: Comprehensive Facilitation Learning Resource
The Facilitation Learning Series section on Scrum.org offers a collection of educational materials to support the development of facilitation skills. These resources are tailored to the needs of Scrum Masters, Agile team leaders, and anyone interested in improving their ability to lead effective meetings and support teams in achieving their goals.
Facilitation Techniques for Scrum Events Page
The Facilitation Techniques for Scrum Events page on Scrum.org is a collection of practical facilitation techniques designed to help Scrum Masters and Agile team leaders run effective and engaging Scrum events. These techniques are tailored to the specific characteristics of each Scrum event, aiming to support teams in achieving their goals.
Five Ways to Build Consensus – Article
The blog article "Five Ways to Build Consensus" on Scrum.org outlines five effective strategies for building consensus in Scrum Teams and other groups. Building team agreement is a key aspect of facilitation, helping to make better decisions that involve all stakeholders.
Trumpeting for All Voices to Be Heard – The White Elephant of Facilitating Participation – Article
The article "Trumpeting for All Voices to Be Heard – The White Elephant of Facilitating Participation" on Scrum.org addresses the critical topic of facilitation from the perspective of ensuring equal participation among all team members during decision-making and discussions. The author highlights challenges associated with uneven participant engagement and offers practical solutions for more inclusive and effective meetings.
What’s Next?
The Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills™ exam is an excellent opportunity to validate your facilitation skills and demonstrate your ability to support Scrum Teams in solving everyday challenges. The key to success is not only theoretical knowledge but also a practical understanding of how facilitation can help in real-world team situations. Regular practice with facilitation techniques and continuous skill development will help you not only pass the exam but also effectively support your team in daily work. Facilitation delivers tangible results—both in the exam and in practice.
