This is a Certified ScrumMaster Training Workshop with Michael Vizdos, one of the premier Certified Scrum Trainers in the world today.

This is an immersive and interactive experiential workshop.

Over two days, you will experience what it is like to work on a Scrum Team from the perspective of a ScrumMaster.

Upon the successful completion of the Scrum training, you will be certified as a ScrumMaster and have an understanding of how the various roles and responsibilities can be applied in the real world to your current and future projects. You will receive a two year membership to the Scrum Alliance and have a solid understanding of the basics of Scrum and how it can be applied to real-world projects.

PMI members can claim up to 15 PDU's upon completion of this course.

Day One

You'll start the day meeting the other attendees in an informal environment at around 8:30 local time and spend some time networking and eating a provided breakfast.

We'll get started at 9:00 sharp.

We'll take breaks often, and I expect participation over the two days. So we ask that you do not bring computers and keep your cell phones on stun (silent). If you want to sleep, please go to another training workshop! Also, it's pretty infomal on the dress code (ask if you have any quesions about that -- I usually show up in jeans and a T-Shirt).

We'll spend most of the morning talking about basic Agile Principles and some of the fundamentals of Scrum. This workshop is geared toward software development teams, but we will not dig into any technical stuff during this event.

Scrum is all about people, and you'll experience what it is like to actually work on a Scrum Team and how to effectively create a high performing team. Since the workshop is generally filled with people at all experience levels, the interactions between all of us will be enhanced by many different simulations, exercises and group discussions about real world situations.

We'll break for lunch (provided -- let us know if you have any dietary restrictions) and then after that we'll start getting into more interesting topics. No post-lunch carb comas here.

The afternoon is spent exploring what it is like to work on a Scrum Team by actually using Scrum to work with your fellow attendees on a guided project.

We'll then complete a retrospective about what went on and then start discussions about the three roles in Scrum -- the ScrumMaster, Product Owner, and Team Member. These are all from the perspective of a ScrumMaster.

The day will finish with a Retrospective -- and some awesome techniques. And. It will end on time (plus or minus two minutes) because we use time boxing effectively to show this powerful aspect of Scrum.

Day 2

You'll see some noticable changes this morning.

We'll start out discussing any quesitons that have come up (overnight, while you were in the shower, or commuting to the training workshop). Then, we'll examine the important definition of DONE within a Sprint along with figuring out who is your real customer. Results here are usually very enlightening -- and important to move on with the rest of the day!

You'll then learn two very important techniques -- creating user stories and then figuring out how to do estimations as a team. Your customers may really want to know only two things -- when are you going to get done and how much will it cost? By early afternoon, you'll understand how to do this at the Sprint and Release Planning levels.

You still reading this? Cool. Thank you (I hope it is describing it in enough detail for you [smile].

We'll break for lunch. And, as with lunch day one and then during all the breaks, most people break out into small groups to discuss what can happen with all the things you have learned so far.

After lunch, we'll finish up the Sprint and Release planning, and then head into a simulation that throws real life situations using Scrum in the Real World. It is pretty intense. And Fun. And wow -- so many learnings come out of this!

When the simulation is completed, you'll have the chance to play the role of a ScrumMaster and -- guided by me -- see what it is like to walk through some effective retrospective techniques learned at the end of the first day (and, as you'll see, acutally used during the entire two days).

Coming out of the simulation, you should have some real steps that you can put into place the next working day with the techniques you have learned.

After the Scrum Training Workshop

You'll get all the information you need to get registered with the Scrum Alliance (the non-profit organization that issues the certification) and then take an online assessment. Don't worry about scoring 100% -- currently it is not a pass or fail thing. Based on the aggregate numbers from all my international attendees, this should not be something hard to finish.

Once you take the assessment with the Scrum Alliance online, you'll have a two year membership with the Scrum Alliance and you'll be a Certified ScrumMaster. The initial membership fee is ($50.00) is included in the cost of your workshop attendance, and we'll take care of processing all that with the Scrum Alliance for you.

Over time, you'll also have the opportunity to keep in touch with me. And if you don't want to hear from me again, it's OK too. I'll give you advice along the way and you'll have real life access to me even after the training is completed.

I want you to succeed.

I am here to help.

If you have any questions about this, please contact me.