Like other PSTs, I was recently approached by few agilists to help them with PSPO-I certification. Here is one such conversation -
LinkedIn Connection: Hi Sumeet, I came across your profile on LinkedIn when looking for help with PSPO-I certification.
Me: Sure, how can I help you?
LinkedIn Connection: I have been practicing agile for the past 6 years. I want to build a career in Product Ownership. After my research, I concluded that scrum.org PSPO track was the path that aligns with my vision.
I have gone through the online tutorial, free trainings, the scrum guide and a few books. I then purchased the PSPO-I assessment at scrum.org by investing USD 200 and then did the assessment but unfortunately, I was not able to score the required score in order to gain the PSPO-I credentials.
So, I was back at my desk slogging, poured through more books, studied and took the assessment again by putting USD 200 for the assessment code but I was not lucky to get through second time also.
Now, I don’t want to waste more money and need your help.
Me: Sure, but how can I help you? What are you expecting from me?
LinkedIn Connection: I would like to enroll for your next PSPO class, but can you ensure that I will clear the PSPO-I assessment? I have already lost USD 400 and don’t want to waste more money.
Me: Why didn’t you attend the training in the first place?
LinkedIn Connection: The training cost was INR 23K (USD 300) but the assessment was only USD 200 and I thought I would save around USD 100 i.e. INR 7.5K
Me: Were you aware of the benefits of attending a scrum.org training from a PST that tt included 2 free attempts (in case you miss the required score in 1st attempt then second attempt is free) and 40% additional discount on the PSPO-II assessment?
So the maths goes like this -
- 1st free attempt: USD 200
- 2nd free attempt: USD 200 (if the candidate is not able to get the required score for PSPO-I credentials)
- 40% discount for the PSPO-II assessment (40% of USD 250): USD 100
Total gain of attending PSPO-I with Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) from scrum.org: USD 500 (INR 38K)
Not sure if one needs a special degree in mathematics to understand this simple math.
LinkedIn Connection: Yes, I knew it but I thought I have the knowledge and confidence to crack the assessment.
Me: I am by no means doubting your knowledge or your confidence, but I am struggling to understand the way you did your math of saving USD 100, and interestingly I also noticed the change in your language when referring to the money that you spent. You started with investment than putting to wasting money.
LinkedIn Connection: I had purchased online sample exams and few of the practice tests, a lot of people referred to those and cleared, but I was not lucky and now I don’t want to take any chance and I want to attend the training. I am however really low on confidence plus I am not having much funds to put, so if you can give me some discount and also if you can give me a 100% pass guarantee? Please?
Me:
NOTE: I am not trying to put down people who have gained knowledge from their experience and then did the self-study and cleared many exams without any formal training. In fact, I really appreciate their knowledge, but we still have people who still go with penny wise pound foolish approach...