Agile certification integrated services faq

PMI AAgile Certif
fied
Pr oner (P ACP)SM
ractitio PMI-A M

Practitioner Frequent Aske Quest
F tly ed tions (FA
AQ)
Last Updat 8 September 2011
ted r

What is Agile? Applic
cation Proce and Fees
ess
What is the PMI-AC SM?
CP Exam
mination Expe
ectations
Why is PMI launchi this Certi
P ing ification? Certif
fication Pilot Dates and I
t Information
Contin
nuing Certif
fication Requ
uirements
Agile, PMBOK® Guide and PMI Standards
P I
(CCR
R)
Eligibility Requirem
ments Summa
ary
Experien Eligibilit Requirem
nce ty ments
Educatio Eligibility Requireme
on y ents

What is Agi
t ile?
Agile is a philosophy that uses organizationa models ba
y o al ased on peop collaboration and sh
ple, hared
values. The Agile Manifesto outl
T M lines tenets of agile philo
o osophy. Agi uses rollin wave
ile ng
planning iterative an incremen delivery; rapid and f
g; nd ntal ; flexible respo
onse to chan and open
nge;
commun nication betw
ween teams, stakeholders and custom
s mers. There a many ag
are gile
methodo ologies that adhere to the tenets, su as Scrum XP, Lean and Test-dr
a ese uch m, riven
Developpment (TDD), etc.
 Agile principles and practice are topics of growing importance in project m
es management.
Proje managem practitio
ect ment oners can us agile princ
se ciples and pr
ractices to su
uccessfully
mana change, improve com
age mmunication reduce cost, increase e
n, efficiency an demonstr
nd rate
value to custome and stake
e ers eholders.
 Here are basic de
e efinitions for some comm terms a
mon associated with agile prin
nciples and
pract
tices:

Term
m Definition
A puublic declarattion of the p
philosophy an principle of agile
nd es
Agile Manifesto softw develop
ware pment, create in Februa 2001 in S
ed ary Snowbird,
Utah Visit http:
h. ://www.Agil lemanifesto.org/ to learn more.
n

©2011 Project Managem Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
ment I 1
IT.2011.009.5 8 Septtember 2011 12:00 P.M.
PMI-ACPSM Practitioner Frequently Asked Question
P r A ns

Term Definition
Frameworks and processes whose practices support the Agile
Manifesto principles. Examples include: Scrum, Extreme
Agile Methodologies
Programming (XP), Crystal, Dynamic Systems Development
Method (DSDM Atern), Feature Driven Development (FDD).
Agile Practices Activities that are the application of agile principles.
Fundamental truths and shared values that drive behavior in agile
Agile Principles
methodologies.
The approach of implementing a work product in successive
Iterative and
pieces (increments), while also gradually refining the work
Incremental
product through targeted improvements (iterations).

What are some examples of agile principles and practices?
 Agile principles and practices include:
o Early, measurable return on investment through defined, iterative delivery of product
increments.
o High visibility of project progress allows early identification and resolution or
monitoring of problems.
o Continuous involvement of the customer throughout the product development cycle.
o Empowerment of the business owner to make decisions needed to meet goals.
o Adaptation to changing business needs, giving more influence over requirement changes.
o Reduced product and process waste.

How are agile principles and practices different from waterfall principles and practices?
 Agile principles and practices seek to manage change through flexibility, adaptation and
direct communication. Waterfall principles and practices, often referred to simply as
“waterfall,” are sequential, phase-driven project management approaches where each phase
must be planned and completed before further work can progress-
o Agile principles and practices are suited to projects which require a nimble response to
change and continual communication to customers.
o Waterfall principles and practices are suited to projects where little to no change in
requirements is expected, and where requirements are clear and well-understood by all
team members.
o Agile principles and practices can be adapted to suit organizations and industries that
follow waterfall principles and practices. Agile and waterfall principles and practices are
not mutually exclusive - some organizations apply elements of both principles and
practices. However, it important to know that not all organizations lend themselves to
agile principles and practices.

©2011 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 2
IT.2011.009.5 8 September 2011 12:00 P.M.
PMI-ACPSM Practitioner Frequently Asked Questions

Where can you learn more about agile?
 Visit the PMI Agile Community of Practice at http://agile.vc.pmi.org/

What is the PMI-ACPSM?
What value does the PMI-ACPSM bring to a practitioner?
 The PMI-ACPSM validates a practitioner’s ability to understand and apply agile principles
and practices on basic projects. The PMI-ACPSM demonstrates that a practitioner can select
agile principles and practices as a project management approach based on the needs and
demands of a specific project. By earning the PMI-ACPSM, practitioners can:
o Demonstrate to employers their level of professionalism in agile practices of project
management.
o Increase their professional versatility in project management tools and techniques.
o Show they have the capacity to lead basic teams using agile principles and practices by
holding a certification that is more credible than existing offerings based only on exams
or training.

What value does a practitioner with the PMI-ACPSM bring to an organization?
 The PMI-ACPSM demonstrates a practitioner’s value to employers and level of
professionalism:
o The knowledge of both agile and waterfall practices gives the practitioner greater
breadth and depth as a project manager.
o The certification shows the practitioner’s ability to lead basic teams using agile
principles and practices.
o The certification appeals to a wide, rapidly growing audience as more organizations
adopt agile principles and practices.
What value do agile principles and practices bring to an organization?
 Organizations who use agile principles and practices have documented the value they see
from these techniques:
o Adaptive to changing business needs, giving the organization more influence over
adding, changing, or removing requirements.
o Early and continuous customer feedback— as the customer is involved throughout
development, they will end up with an end-product that they want and will use.
o Empowered business owner who can receive and review critical information necessary
to make decisions to steer the project toward the goal continually throughout the
development process.
o Early measurable return on investment –this allows for defined deliverables for each
iteration, early in the process.
IT.2011.009.5 8 September 2011 12:00 P.M.

o High visibility and influence over the project progress leading to early indications of
problems.
o Incremental delivery—rather than a single complete delivery at the end of the project.
o Reduces product and process waste.
o Agile principles and practices are disciplined and value driven.

How is the PMI-ACPSM different from the PMP® Credential?
 The PMI-ACPSM specifically validates a practitioner’s ability to understand and apply agile
principles and practices. The PMP® Credential recognizes demonstrated competence
leading and directing project teams.

Why is PMI launching this Certification?
Why is PMI launching the PMI-ACPSM?
 Agile is a topic of growing importance in project management. PMI market research shows
that project management practitioners are embracing agile principles and practices as a
technique for successfully managing projects. Additionally, the following points show the
increasing demand for an agile certification:
o PMI members, credential holders, and individuals who embrace agile principles and
practices are looking to PMI for certification, recognition and learning opportunities.
o Many project professionals experienced in traditional techniques are seeing the demand
for agile principles and practices in many industries and organizations. These
practitioners are eager to add agile principles and practices to their project management
“toolbox.”
o Organizations that use project management to serve both internal and external clients
are seeing value in agile principles and practices to deliver projects more quickly, with
less waste and cost due to misunderstood or poorly defined requirements.

Is a certification program sufficient to grow agile skills?
 PMI has helped grow the knowledge and skill of Agile practitioners over the last several
years. With the introduction of this program, PMI now has a full suite of resources available
to develop and recognize agile knowledge and skills:
o Professional Development: Whether attending dedicated agile trainings at PMI
SeminarsWorldSM and eSeminarsWorldSM, or Area of Focus presentations at Global
Congress, PMI has been offering high-quality learning programs for those interested in
Agile principles and practices. In addition, PMI chapters have been offering their own
training opportunities.
o Community: The Agile Community of Practice is a formal network of PMI members
interested in sharing their questions, concerns and successes with agile principles and
practices. Launched in the summer of 2009, the community has attracted over 8,000
subscribers submitting nearly 600 posts of knowledge sharing.
IT.2011.009.5 8 September 2011 12:00 P.M.

o Certification: The PMI-ACPSM recognizes practitioners for their understanding of agile
principles and practices. The certification represents an important facet of a
practitioner’s professional development.
o Key Thought Leaders: Key thought leaders in project management and the Agile
Community of Practice have advised PMI on the best way to offer an agile certification
to serve practitioners and organizations.

Agile, PMBOK® Guide and PMI Standards
What is the difference between A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK® Guide) and agile principles and practices?
 The PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition contains principles of project management and
project management processes. These processes describe "what should be done during the
management of a project." Agile methodologies are different in that they describe "how to
do the things that should be done" – in short, “what” versus “how.” The approaches defined
in the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition and in agile are compatible. Agile can be used
together with the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition because the “how” can be layered on top
of the “what”.
 The PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition is an American National Standard that is developed
and approved by PMI under an ANSI-accredited standards process. There is no
standardized collection of agile methodologies, principles or practices.
Do the best practices in the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition support agile principles and
practices?
 The PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition does not specifically mention agile or any specific
agile methodologies. However, most all of the recommendations in the PMBOK® Guide—
Fourth Edition can be applied to projects managed according to agile principles and
practices, and do not contradict agile methodologies. It is up to the project manager to
determine which principles and practices to apply to any specific project.
How do agile principles and practices compare to PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition
process groups?
 The project management principles recommended by the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition
starts with processes associated with Initiating the project, followed by process groups for
Planning, then a recursive cycle of processes for Executing and Controlling & Monitoring
while revisiting Planning as necessary. At the end of the project are processes for Closing.
 Agile methodologies start with developing a Product Vision (which corresponds with
Initiating); followed by development and prioritization of user stories (which correspond to
Planning); followed by a series of sprint or iterative cycles and reviews (which corresponds
to Executing, Control & Monitoring, and Planning); followed by Product Delivery (which
corresponds to project Closing).
 While the phases of the agile model correspond well to the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth
Edition process groups, the difference is that each agile sprint or iteration cycle includes the
creation of a limited number of product features or components which are completed before
proceeding to the next iteration. Therefore, a project managed according to agile principles
IT.2011.009.5 8 September 2011 12:00 P.M.

and practices will have multiple iterations while a project based on the PMBOK® Guide—
Fourth Edition has only one.

Eligibility Requirements Summary
What are the eligibility requirements for the PMI-ACPSM?

Eligibility Requirement Description
Secondary degree (high school or equivalent) or
Educational Level
higher
2,000 hours (minimum of 12 months) working on
project teams. These hours must be earned within
the last 5 years. Note: for those holding a PMP®
General Project Management
or PgMP® credential, PMI has already verified
Experience
that the candidate has met these requirements. A
PMP or PgMP will not need to enter these
requirements on the application.
1,500 hours (minimum of 8 months) working on
agile project teams or in agile methodologies.
Agile Project Management These hours are in addition to the 2,000 hours
Experience required in general project management
experience. These hours must be earned within
the last 2 years.
Agile Project Management 21 contact hours; hours must be earned in agile
Education project management topics
Tests knowledge of agile fundamentals and
Examination
ability to apply to basic projects
30 PDUs/3 CEUs every 3 years in agile principles
and practices
Maintenance Note: these hours would count toward fulfilling
PMP requirements, if the individual holds both
certifications

Experience Eligibility Requirements
What are some examples of work experience that applicants can claim for eligibility?
 Review the Examination Content Outline to learn about tasks that typify an agile
practitioner.

Is the two-year experience period affective from the date of my application?
 The two-year experience period is affective from the date you submit the application.

IT.2011.009.5 8 September 2011 12:00 P.M.

Why does the experience requirement only cover a two-year period?
 The experience requirement is based on a study of agile practitioners and their skills, tools
and techniques. Due to the fast pace of agile practices, the limit is in place to ensure
practitioner knowledge is current.

Education Eligibility Requirements
How can I determine if an agile course that meets the education eligibility requirement?
 Review the Examination Content Outline and compare it to the content of the agile course.
Only hours in agile project management education will meet the certification eligibility
requirements. One hour of education equals one contact hour of education eligibility.

Where can I find agile project management education courses to meet the training
eligibility requirements?
 Visit CCRS (http://www.pmi.org/ccrs) to search for education activities in your location.

Do Scrum Alliance® Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) courses quality for the education
eligibility requirement?
 Yes, Scrum Alliance® courses qualify for the education eligibility requirements. Only hours
in agile project management education will meet the certification eligibility requirements.
One hour of education equals one contact hour of education eligibility.

I teach agile methodologies and/or develop course work for agile education. How can I
find out of the courses are applicable for the PMI-ACPSM?
 Review the Examination Content Outline to ensure that the course content is relevant for
those seeking certification. You can also investigate becoming a PMI Registered Education
Provider (R.E.P.).

Are there any books that I can read to study for the agile certification exam?
 You can find a reference list of suggesting reading for agile principles and practices on
http://www.pmi.org/en/Certification/New-PMI-Agile-Certification.aspx in the Resources
list.

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Application Process and Fees
What is the application fee for the PMI-ACPSM?

Exam Administration Type PMI Member Status and Cost (US Dollars)
Member $435
Computer-based testing (CBT)
Nonmember $495
Member $335
Reexamination CBT
Nonmember $395
Member $90
CCR credential renewal
Nonmember $130

After completing the application, how much time do I have to complete the examination?
 A candidate has one year to pay the certification fee and take the examination after his or
her application is approved.

Once I apply for the certification, how long do I have to meet the eligibility requirements?
 Candidates must complete the education eligibility requirements before taking the exam.

Examination Expectations
When does the examination eligibility period begin?
 The examination eligibility period for the pilot begins on the first day the examination is
available to schedule during September 2011. After the pilot, the eligibility period for each
candidate begins on the day his or her application is approved.

Where will PMI offer the certification examination?
 PMI will offer the PMI-ACPSM examination globally at computer-based testing centers. A
candidate cannot schedule his or her examination appointment until eligibility notification is
received and payment is submitted.

If I am a pilot participant, and sit for the examination, when will I receive my score?
 Pilot participants will receive scores in December 2011, approximately 10-12 weeks after
the launch of the pilot.

Will the examination be available in translations?
 The examination will be available in English during the pilot. PMI will consider adding
translations at a future date.

Will special accommodations be available for the pilot exam?
 Special accommodations will be available for the pilot exam following the special
accommodations policy stated in the certification handbook.

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Will paper-based testing (PBT) be available during the pilot?
 No, PMI will not offer a PBT exam option during the pilot.

If I fail the examination, can I take it again? If so, when can I retake the examination?
How many times can I retake the examination?
 You may only take the examination once during the pilot. The examination retake policies
are the same as those followed for other PMI certifications. Candidates have three
opportunities to take the examination within their one-year eligibility period. Each retake
requires an additional payment.

How many questions are in the examination?
 There are a total of 120 questions on the examination. Of the 120 questions, 20 are
considered pretest questions. Pretest questions do not affect the score and are used in
examinations as an effective and legitimate way to test the validity of future examination
questions. All questions are randomly placed throughout the examination.

How much time do I receive to complete the examination?
 The allotted time to complete the examination is three hours.

Is the exam based primarily on any one agile methodology? For example, if I am
knowledgeable about Scrum, will I to study XP or TDD to pass the exam?
 The exam is not based on a specific agile methodology. Review the Examination Content
Outline to learn more about the contents of the exam.

How can I find a list of testing centers before applying for the certification?
 There are several thousand computer-based testing centers located across the globe. A list of
testing centers will be available when the PMI-ACPSM is launched. Customer Care agents
can look up locations based on your location.

Why do I still see “Eligible to take the Exam” on my certification status after completing
the PMI-ACPSM exam?
 Your certification status will not change until PMI-ACPSM pilot exam results are
communicated to all pilot participants during December 2011. During the PMI-ACPSM pilot,
your certification status will not change immediately after completing the exam. Do not
schedule a second exam until after you receive your results in December 2011.

Certification Pilot Schedule and Payment Information
Who may participate in the pilot?
 The PMI-ACPSM pilot is open to the public. An invitation is not necessary to participate.
Any project management practitioner who meets the eligibility requirements may
participate.

IT.2011.009.5 8 September 2011 12:00 P.M.

Why should a project practitioner participate in the Agile Certification pilot?
 Participation in the pilot is an excellent way for a practitioner to demonstrate his or her
knowledge and skills in the application of agile principles and practices. Pilot participants
will be among the first to hold the PMI-ACPSM certification.

Will pilot participants receive a discount?
 Pilot participants will receive a 20 percent rebate after taking the examination. The rebate
will be issued as a credit to the participant’s method of payment within 60 days of the
examination. Pilot participants will receive the rebate if they apply, are approved, pay and
take the exam by or on 30 November 2011.

What actions must I take to request the pilot participant rebate?
 No action is required to receive your rebate. PMI will automatically issue the rebate as a
credit to your method of payment within 60 days of sitting for the examination.

When will the examination be available for scheduling?
 PMI-ACPSM applicants may begin scheduling examinations on 21 July 2011.

When may applicants take the exam?
 PMI-ACPSM applicants may take the examination beginning September 2011. Pilot
participants will receive scores approximately December 2011.

How many times can I take the exam during the pilot?
 Each applicant may only take the examination once during the pilot. For candidates that
fail, there will be two opportunities to retake during the eligibility period.

Will pilot applications be subject to review?
 PMI-ACPSM pilot applications are subject to current PMI application review and audit
policies.
.

Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR)
What are the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) for this certification?
 PMI-ACPSM holders are required to earn 30 professional development units (PDUs) in agile
topics during each three-year renewal cycle.

Can PMI-ACPSM PDUs count toward the maintenance of other PMI credentials?
 The 30 PDUs in agile topics can also count towards the maintenance of the PMP® or
PgMP® certification(s). If an agile practitioner is taking general project management classes,
only the hours that pertain to agile topics can be applied towards the PMI-ACPSM.

IT.2011.009.5 8 September 2011 12:00 P.M.

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