INTRODUCTION!
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The!Scrum!Alliance!is!a!not`for`profit!professional!membership!organization!created!to!share!
the!Scrum!framework!and!transform!the!world!of!work.!!!
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Scrum!Alliance's!mission!is!to!introduce!Scrum!as!an!effective!solution!to!business!problems.
We!serve!the!community!as!the!trusted!source!of!knowledge!for!those!who!want!to!!
learn!Scrum,!those!who!want!to!improve!their!understanding!of!Scrum,!and!those!who!want!to!
share!their!knowledge!and!experience!with!Scrum.!Scrum!Alliance!hosts!Scrum!Gatherings!and!
supports!Scrum!User!Groups,!providing!a!forum!for!interactive!learning!throughout!the!world.!
We!value:!
Individuals!and!interactions!over!processes!and!tools,!!!
Completed!functionality!over!comprehensive!documentation,!!
Customer!collaboration!over!contract!negotiation,!and!!
Responding!to!change!over!following!a!plan.!!
True!success!with!the!Scrum!framework!comes!from!teams!and!organizations!that!understand!
these!values!and!the!principles!that!form!the!foundation!of!all!agile!processes.!
The!Scrum!Alliance!has!partnered!with!Castle!Worldwide,!Inc.!(Castle),!a!leading!certification!
and!licensure!firm,!to!develop!the!Certified!Scrum!Professional!(CSP)!certification!examination.!!
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Please!use!this!candidate!handbook!to!understand!our!processes!of!application!and!
registration.!If!you!have!questions!about!the!processes!described!here,!please!contact!the!
Scrum!Alliance!at!certification@scrumalliance.org!!or!contact!Castle!at!(919)!572`6880!at!
ibt@castleworldwide.com.!!
CREDENTIAL!DESIGNATION!!
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The!Certified!Scrum!Professional!(CSP)!has!proven!experience!and!expertise!in!the!art!of!Scrum.!
CSP!is!the!level!of!certification!that!all!practitioners!should!strive!to!attain.!!
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The!CSP!is!an!effective!practitioner!of!Scrum!and!knowledgeable!about!other!Agile!frameworks.!
The!CSP!has!responsibility!for!challenging!a!Scrum!team!to!improve!the!manner!in!which!all!
aspects!of!the!method!are!implemented!for!every!product.!As!a!prerequisite,!the!CSP!possesses!
skill!in!applying!Scrum!and!other!Agile!methods!to!a!wide!variety!of!products!and!services.!
Candidates!for!the!CSP!designation!have!relevant!work!experience.!
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Becoming!a!Certified!Scrum!Professional!is!not!easy.!You!will!need!to!demonstrate!that!you!
have!at!least!one!year!of!actual!experience!using!Scrum!in!the!workplace,!that!you!know!how!to!
apply!Scrum!concepts,!practices,!and!principles,!and!that!you!understand!how!and!why!Scrum!
works.!Potential!employers!can!be!assured!that!when!someone!is!a!CSP,!they!have!taken!Scrum!Alliance!Candidate!Handbook!!
©!2011,!The!Scrum!Alliance.!All!rights!reserved.!
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initiative!beyond!a!foundation`level!understanding!to!achieve!a!depth!of!knowledge!and!
experience!in!the!Scrum!process.!
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EXAMINATION!REGISTRATION!
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Eligibility!!
You!must!satisfy!three!eligibility!criteria!to!apply!for!the!CSP!credential:!!(1)!hold!a!current!Certified!
ScrumMaster!(CSM),!Certified!Scrum!Product!Owner!(CSPO),!or!Certified!Scrum!Developer!(CSD)!
credential;!(2)!have!a!minimum!of!2000!hours!of!Scrum`related!work!in!the!past!two!years;!(3)!hold!a!
current!Scrum!Alliance!membership.!!!
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Please!note:!You!do!not!have!to!be!a!CSM,!CSD!or!CSPO!for!an!entire!year!before!applying.!
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Fees!
Upon!approval!of!your!application!for!candidacy,!you!will!be!required!to!pay!a!$300!
certification!fee.!!
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Eligibility!Audits!
A!percentage!of!candidate!applications!will!be!audited!to!ensure!compliance!with!the!eligibility!
criteria.!Applications!for!audit!will!be!selected!randomly.!If!your!application!is!selected!for!
audit,!you!will!be!provided!with!instructions!on!how!to!supply!satisfactory!documentation!that!
supports!your!compliance!with!the!eligibility!criteria!before!your!certification!scores!are!
released.!
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Scheduling!!
Applications!for!candidacy!are!accepted!on!a!continual!basis.!Upon!approval!of!an!application,!
Castle!will!send!notification!of!eligibility!to!sit!for!the!examination!and!will!provide!a!Notice!to!
Schedule!(NTS)!with!a!username,!password,!and!directions!on!how!to!schedule!a!testing!
session.!Most!test!sites!will!have!morning!and!afternoon!testing!sessions!available.!Castle!will!
do!its!best!to!accommodate!the!requested!test!site!and!date.!Seats!are!filled!on!a!first`come,!
first`served!basis,!based!on!test!center!availability.!Candidates!must!submit!their!testing!
scheduling!request!at!least!seven!(7)!days!prior!their!preferred!test!date.!!
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Candidates!will!receive!confirmation!of!the!exact!test!location,!date,!and!time!via!email,!which!
must!be!printed!and!taken!to!the!site!on!the!test!date.!The!candidate!must!take!this!document!
to!the!site!on!the!test!date.!
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Deadlines!
Candidates!are!strongly!encouraged!to!complete!their!CSP!examination!within!90!days!of!
receiving!their!Invitation!to!Schedule!from!Castle.!!!