Having certifications has become pivotal nowadays and when you are going to the product owner in scrum team, the certifications come with great value. So if you are looking to become a Product Owner, then there are two major certifications that you might have your eye on- CSPO and PSPO. So if you are also looking for pspo vs cspo certification then you have landed on the right page as here you are going to get a brief introduction about these two certifications and with that knowledge, you will be able to choose the right path for you. As we are already aware the product owner is one of the key stakeholders in the team and there are various responsibilities on his shoulder. There are various tasks that are needed to be completed by the PO. So by the time you are at the end of this article, you will know your responsibilities as a scrum product owner and will be able to find the right certification for your career goals. You can then become a certified PO and lead the team.
Responsibility of Product Owner in Scrum Team
Looking briefly at the roles and responsibilities that come with scrum PO before jumping to pspo vs cspo, some of them are mentioned below:
Having a clear vision is very much important and this is what the PO does. They communicate the goals and visions of the product with the team, business partners, and other stakeholders so that everyone is on the same page.
Along with having a time-to-time overview of the development of the product, the owner of the product is also responsible for giving priority to the product backlog.
Evaluation of the product in the developmental stage is very much important. So with this, the owner also makes sure that the communication is smooth between the teams.
Also, the product owner makes sure that the client’s needs are met. They have back and forth meetings with them to make sure that the team is working in the right direction.
You can learn more about the roles and responsibilities of the owner of the product when you join product owner training. Now in the coming paragraphs, we are going to know more about the certifications individually and then start with the differences between them so that you can get an idea of what to choose for your career.
What is CSPO Certification and Why it is Needed?
CSPO stands for Certified Scrum Product Owner. Wherever there is a high-functioning agile team in the organization, there is a need for a certified scrum product owner. It is the path of becoming a certified and trained PO which makes sure that you are a perfect fit for that team. One of the major reasons that the team needs a scrum PO is that they are able to make sure that the product needs are met and there is a high-quality product in the end. This is also ensured that the maximum return on the investment is achieved in the product. When you have certification as a certified scrum product owner, you will be able to make sure that you are defining the vision for the product, maintaining the product backlog, and also meeting the client’s needs. There are various reasons why you should go for this certification:
With the certified scrum PO experience, you will be able to evaluate the process as the development is being done in the team. There are ever changing needs and requirements in the product, but with your cspo certification and its experience, you will be able to meet the client’s needs and also make sure that the clients are getting good returns on their investment.
With the experience, you are going to develop a clear viewpoint that will help you make the process smoother and this will help the team to work in a streamlined way. This will make sure that the product is delivered at the right time and it also has a high quality. With this, you can have better control over the deliverables of the project.
The PO acts as a communicator between the teams. Not only this, they are the bridge between the consumers and the developmental team. The requirements are discussed very clearly with thePO who then makes sure that the team is also clear on what is needed to be developed. So, this helps the team overall.
Various teams in the project come along like the scrum master, the development team, the PO and make sure that the project is always on the right track. The PO plays a very important role in having communication across the project.
What is PSPO Certification and Why is it Needed?
PSPO stands for Professional Scrum Product Owner. When the team needs an owner of the product to give value to the team as well as the organization and also capitalize the software product, this certification plays an important role. The total costs need to be reduced along with increasing the quality of the product which will have a great impact on the organization, and this task falls under him. So if you are looking for this role, going for PSPO certification is your key. There are various reasons that this certification is in demand and some of them are:
We all know the importance of PO in the team and how all the important things like product backlog along with the maintenance of the teams and quality is needed in the project. The certificated professional scrum master will be able to make sure that they are prioritizing this at any cost.
Having the PSPO certification will help the person to understand more about scrum and then apply all the learning in the team. There are various concepts in the scrum framework and if the PO is not aware of them, then the high functioning team has no value. With this certification, various agile and scrum practices can be incorporated into the team.
Difference between CSPO and PSPO
Now that we have seen the basics of each of these certifications, it is time to know more about cspo vs pspo certification. Both certifications have high value and they are very much important in the team. There are some basic differences between these two certifications and those differences are needed to be acknowledged when you are going to decide which certification to give. There are various parameters in which we will show the difference between cspo and pspo:
Body of Accreditation
While CSPO is being offered by Scrum Alliance, PSPO is being offered by Scrum.org.
Training
If you are going to take the PSPO certification there is no mandate for taking the training. But if you are going for CSPO, you should have at least two days of training from the Certified Scrum Trainer from the Scrum Alliance.
Renewablilty of certifications
If you are going for PSPO certification, then you do not need to get a renewable for those credentials, they have value for your lifetime. But if you are going for CSPO, here you will need renewable. There is a continuous credential requirement for this certification and these are valid for two years. They are needed to be renewed with a USD 100 fees amount.
Price of Certification
Coming to the pricing of these two certifications, the PSPO certification costs around USD 200 and you will have to pay USD 500 for your CSPO certification.
Other parameters
If we talk about the passing score of these certifications, you need to have at least 85% to pass the PSPO certification. But CSPO there is no fixed percentage; it is totally at the trainer's discretion. Also, you are going to have multiple-choice questions and True/False type of questions for PSPO. Once you are going to have a PSPO certification, you will have your name listed on Scrum.org while, you will have a listed name on Scrum Alliance once you give your CSPO certification.
Final Words
As we can comprehend from the information given above, the CSPO is very beneficial when playing the role of POin the team and want to understand more about the role and give your best to the team. Whereas, the PSPO certification has the best benefit when you want to add value to the software product of the team and increase the revenue for the organization overall. Now you are aware of the roles and responsibilities of the PO and various things that you are going to learn from these certifications, you can make an informed decision. One of the main things that you should do when you are going to decide on these two certifications is you should connect with the team or the recruiters in the organization and see what is needed for the role that you are going to apply for. This is going to help you a lot and help in making a better decision.
Now with all the information in your hand, you should be clear on which certification between Certified Scrum Product Owner or Professional Scrum Product Owner to choose. You can choose StarAgile for your product owner certification, where you are going to get trained by the best of the professionals in their field. Not only will you cover the entire concept but also have hands- on training that is going to help a lot in your team. So choose wisely now and give wings to your career with this decision.
