Certifications are essential for confirming knowledge and opening doors to new prospects to develop into highly competent product owners. There are many certifications, but two stand out: Certified Scrum Product Owner®(CSPO) and SAFe® Product Owner / Product Manager (POPM).
Knowledgeable about Scrum and Agile operations, Scrum Masters and other professionals try to maintain their position in the industry. Obtaining certification is one of the things that all project managers, product owners, and advocates do! A professional has a wide range of certification alternatives, from basic to advanced, and may witness firsthand how dramatically it advances their career.
What is SAFe POPM Certification?
Professionals who wish to comprehend the roles of a Product Owner and Project manager inside a SAFe company might consider pursuing the SAFe® POPM (Scaled Agile Framework Product Owner/Product Manager) certification.
The primary objectives of this certification course are to examine the roles and duties of Product Owners and Product Managers, plan and participate in Program Increment (PI) planning, and ensure that Team Backlog and Program execute efficiently to produce maximum business value at scale.
What is CSPO Certification?
CSPO® Certification is best suited for individuals who feel at ease managing the "business side" of projects. Working directly with the Scrum Team, you will help them understand and use Scrum methods as a CSPO.
Developing the product vision, setting priorities for the product backlog, and ensuring that work is most efficient to satisfy clients are all part of the duties of the CSPO.
Roles And Responsibilities Of A SAFe POPM & CSPO
Let’s understand the roles and responsibilities of a SAFe Product Owner/Product manager.
SAFe POPM Roles and Responsibilities:
- Planning PI
As a vital component of the broader Product Management team, the PO is to participate in the activities during Program Increment (PI) planning. The process of refining the program backlog also necessitates the active involvement of each PO. In addition to helping to create the vision and sketch the roadmap, the PO will update the team backlog before the event.
- When the Program Executes
To guarantee seamless work progress without interruptions, the PO will communicate with other POs during each PI to verify and arrange other dependencies. Weekly events are when they will synchronize.
- Examining and modifying
The Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshop addresses significant obstacles to smooth progress. Throughout the event, the PO collaborates with several teams to determine the most effective ways to enhance procedures and boost team output. The PO conducts the PI system demo for program stakeholders during the I&A workshop, in which they also participate.
CSPO Roles and Responsibilities:
- Innovative Executive
Within the product development process, the CSPO is the creative leader. The stakeholders' vision and goals are the basis for articulating and prioritizing the product backlog. Understanding client wants, industry trends, and corporate objectives is essential.
- Master of Value Maximization
Maximizing the value produced by the development team is one of the main objectives of a CSPO. Users' stories and features are prioritized according to their business value to accomplish this. The team has constantly worked on the most valuable activities since the CSPO reassessed and modified priorities.
- Communication Stakeholder
A vital component of the CSPO job is effective communication. To keep everyone in the development team and stakeholders informed about the project's objectives and advancement, the CSPO serves as a collaboration. Effective teamwork necessitates consistent communication via Sprint Reviews and backlog refinement meetings.
Also check:Certified Scrum Product Owner®(CSPO) Roles & Responsibilities
Similarities Between The SAFe POPM Vs CSPO® Certification
Despite being founded on separate frameworks (SAFe and Scrum, respectively), SAFe POPM and CSPO® Certification have several things in common:
- Product Ownership Focus: The emphasis of both certifications is on the duties of a Product Owner, including managing the product backlog, setting feature priorities, working with stakeholders, and maximizing value delivery.
- Agile concepts: The iterative and incremental development, adaptive planning, customer collaboration, and adapting to change aspects of SAFe POPM and CSPO are in line with agile concepts. They give professionals the mentality they need to succeed in agile workplaces.
- Stakeholder Engagement: The significance of successful stakeholder engagement is by both certificates. Throughout the product development lifecycle, they offer methods and approaches for obtaining requirements, soliciting comments, and guaranteeing constant communication with stakeholders.
- Value Delivery: Delivering value to customers is the primary goal of both CSPO and SAFe POPM. Experts trained to make data-driven judgments, adjust to shifting market conditions and identify and rank the aspects that optimize a product's worth.
Comparison Between SAFe POPM & CSPO Courses
Feature | SAFe POPM | CSPO |
Focus | Enterprise-level product management and ownership using the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) | Project ownership at the team level using the Scrum framework |
Target Audience | Scrum masters, Agile coaches, program or project managers, business analysts, and SAFe® practice consultants | Anyone interested in learning about or utilizing Scrum product ownership |
Prerequisite Knowledge | Basic understanding of agile principles and Scrum (recommended) | No prior knowledge of Agile or Scrum is required |
Course Length | 2-3 days | Two days |
Certification Exam | Forty-five multiple-choice questions, 73% to pass, retake every 12 months. | No test is needed; just complete all the activities, and the certificate is good for two years. |
Content | Value streams, Agile Release Trains (ARTs), program increments, product backlogs, Kanban, user stories, system demos, budgeting, and portfolio management are some of the SAFe elements considered. | The duties and responsibilities of Scrum Product backlogs are stakeholder management, backlog refining, sprint planning, user stories, and product increments. |
Benefits: | A thorough understanding of SAFe is necessary for more productive product management in large-scale agile organizations, better teamwork and communication, faster delivery of product value, and better career opportunities. | Enhanced agility and team performance, a solid basis in Scrum product ownership, enhanced capacity to manage product backlogs, lead sprints, and deliver functional software. |
Cost | Varies according to the provider. Still, it is generally greater than CSPO. | Varies on the institution but is often less than SAFe POPM. |
Difference Between SAFe® POPM and CSPO® Certifications
Experience
Scrum experience is required of the individual applying for the SAFe® POPM certification. You should also have five years of expertise in project management, business analysis, testing, or software development. The candidate needs to finish the two days of CST training to become certified as a CSPO.
Salary Trends
Depending on your industry, region, and experience level, it may affect your earning potential differently.
With stated median salaries in the US between $90,000 and $120,000, the CSPO® certification, which focuses more broadly on Scrum, typically displays a more comprehensive compensation range. This range may be more extensive for seasoned experts or those employed in IT hubs.
Because SAFe POPM is tailored to large-scale agile environments, it frequently results in more excellent remuneration in firms where median pay may approach $130,000. Nevertheless, compared to CSPO, the demand for SAFe POPM expertise may be more confined to specific sectors, such as financial services or enterprise software.
Factors Influencing Salary
SAFe POPM-
- Expertise: Years of SAFe, Agile and product management expertise greatly impact pay.
- Industry: Different sectors have different demands for SAFe POPM expertise. For SAFe knowledge, enterprise software, finance, and healthcare tend to pay better compensation.
- Location: Geographic proximity is important; major tech centres like New York or San Francisco typically have greater earnings than smaller cities.
CSPO-
- Soft Skills: Effective negotiation, leadership, stakeholder management, and communication abilities are highly regarded and have a direct bearing on a CSPO's pay.
- Education & Training: Getting a graduate degree or receiving specialized instruction in business analysis, product management, or a particular technology stack can be helpful.
- Negotiation Skills: Your ultimate salary may depend on how well you can boldly haggle over your pay package when you receive employment offers.
The Bottom line
With the Certified Scrum Product Owner® (CSPO) and SAFe® Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) certifications, you may extend your product ownership journey. Value delivery, stakeholder interaction, and Scrum principles are highlighted by CSPO, which is perfect for team-level product ownership. SAFe POPM, on the other hand, covers SAFe principles, Agile Release Trains, and program increments and is aimed at enterprise-level product management within the Scaled Agile Framework.
In large-scale Agile environments, SAFe POPM shines, but CSPO offers a wider wage range and serves many businesses. Make your choice based on your desired certification framework, industry specialization, and career aspirations. Advance your professional career. For thorough CSPO® certification training, enroll with Simpliaxis right now!
FAQs
What makes CSPO certification superior to SAFe POPM?
Each certification has advantages of its own. For Scrum experts who have previously mastered Scrum, SAFe POPM is ideal. However, if you want to learn Scrum from the ground up, CSPO is preferable. Which is therefore better depends on your objectives.
What certification comes after CSPO?
You can pursue the Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner® (A-CSPO®) course offered by Scrum Alliance to obtain CSPO® certification at the advanced level after completing the CSPO certification.
Are CSM and CSPO both necessary?
Remember that the CSPO and CSM do not preclude one another. We advise you to enroll in both courses to broaden your understanding of the Scrum methodology and boost your value as a Scrum team member.
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