PSM 1 First attempt passed (78/80) 97.5 %
Hi All
First a brief background, a Project Manager Profile 8 years experience (Manufacturing Auto mobile + Textile), currently in process of migration to Canada.
Had a limited experience with Agile and scrum till a couple of months, implemented a software project in my domain.So came across the term, so decide to go ahead with the certification. To be honest, was nervous and really not sure. Took about 30 days (Only last 2 weeks were serious)
Following is my experience and tips.
Before Test
1. Go through scrum guide (Multiple times, In the last phase of your preparation strongly suggest to make notes in your own handwriting based on your current understanding)
2. Do Mikhail Lapshin tests (Until you get 95 %) repeatedly
3. Strongly (VERY VERY IMPORTANT) suggest to read "Scrum Narrative and PSM Exam Guide By Mohammed Musthafa Soukath Ali"
Gone at least 3 times
This is available on scribd and you can avail free 30 days to go through it legally :) (again apply 95 % rule to all the questions )
4. Management Plaza is good resource (at least free part which is available freely) but do not tried the paid version of 250 exams
5. MUST ABSOLUTE MUST, Go through the entire open assessments (SCRUM, NEXUS, Product & Developer)
It reinforces your understanding and some questions are repeatable from scrum open and Product, but mostly it gives you feel about the scrum and thought process behind it and it seeps through your subconscious level
6. Good to have, read couple of books by Ken Schwaber , I personally read "Agile Project Management with Scrum" and give me a sense of practical experience and expanded my perception
7. NEVER REFER ANY OTHER SOURCE, IT WILL CONFUSE YOU, Tried it myself but only waste of time
During Test (BTW I am a nervous test taker)
My net was Airtel 4G, Location INDIA and gave it in the evening at 7:30 PM , and it took forever to download the next questions (Took easily about 15 minutes in total just the updating of questions), was initially quite nervous about it during test, Strongly suggest to maintain cool and if such problem occurs just be patient. So, for eg in first 5 min could only managed to do 5 questions and 70 % of time at least was spend in the updation, (the same problem was occuring when i was giving scrum open but choose to ignore it at my peril). But in the end it escalated my senses and was giving entire focus :) (So blessing in disguise :)
LEARNING : MAKE SURE THE NET IS FINE, TEST IT IN SCRUM OPEN, BELIEVE ME IT TAKES FOREVER TO LOAD QUESTIONS AND TIMER TICKING IS NERVOUS & YOU NEVER WANT TO COMMIT THE SILLY MSITAKE BECAUSE OF THIS
2. Suggest Scrum.org to change their interface for test, it is not user friendly , Please look into the same (PMP conducted by prometric was by far the best)
3. Never had the chance to consult the notes, but I doubt that these will help you
4. Please understand scrum in depth, they will test you on borderlines in difficult questions
5. Book mark the doubtful questions (I marked 14 but did not change any answers and removed in second going :P ), just pure nerves
FINALLY IF YOU ARE REALLY NERVOUS IN MIDDLE, THINK WHAT IS WORST WILL HAPPEN $150 down the drain !!!!
So please please try to live in the moment
For any other advice please contact me
Cheers
Achlesh
Congrats !!!