Every enterprise has its own set of projects and a team dedicated to cater to them. Each project, regardless of the enterprise it belongs to, its magnitude or scope, is unique. Thus, the way to tackle it must be unique too. The same solution or framework cannot apply to each project. Disciplined Agile highlights this very freedom to choose and tweak solutions depending on your project. If you’ve been in the agile field for some time now, it’s time to brush up on your skills with the new addition to the PMI course list – The Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master or DASSM certification.
This guide covers everything right from the root – What is DASSM, to the eligibility criteria, application procedure, renewal process, and more!
What Is Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) Certification?
The Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) is a senior-level certification amongst the range of Disciplined Agile certifications offered by PMI. This course succeeds the Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) certification. The DASSM certification focuses on the DA toolkit and elaborates on how agile software development, DevOps, value streams, and business teams function in enterprises. The accreditation gives you information on improving value delivery for your customers by empowering your team and nurturing emotional intelligence in your enterprise. It works on improving your Way Of Working (WoW) by leveraging and enhancing the existing infrastructure by addressing and mitigating risks for the best outputs out of the projects.
What Does The DASSM Course Cover?
The DASSM Course covers the details of the disciplined agile toolkit. There are over a hundred methods, processes, and ways of working listed that you will learn about in your DASSM Training. The DASSM certification enables you to lead agile teams through extensive planning, strategizing, coordinating, organizing, and reporting. It also helps you make amends and improvements in areas where your organization struggles.
All the questions on the DASSM examination are written and extensively reviewed by subject matter experts and can be found in at least two references. PMI makes sure to align these questions with the DASSM ECO so that the paper maintains the integrity of the outline, and the weightage of the questions is mapped as per the document. The DASSM ECO lists the following seven domains for the DASSM certification examination:
- Team Development for high-performance teams
- Emotional intelligence for high-performance teams
- Tactical scaling in complex situations
- Removing Impediments
- Coordinating and collaborating across teams
- Conflict management for high-performance teams
- Pragmatic Planning and Reporting
At ProThoughts, we cover the entire curriculum for DASSM in the two-day training workshop. If you’re unfamiliar with agile principles and still want to start your journey towards agility, we also offer a Disciplined Agile foundation elearning course. ProThoughts is the top player across the globe for Disciplined Agile with happy candidates from over 40 countries.
What Are The Prerequisites For DASSM In India?
To appear for the certification exam, you must fulfill certain eligibility criteria involving two years of experience working in an agile team, ideally in a leadership role. Your position could be scrum master, team leader, product owner, or architecture owner. You must also have knowledge of the fundamentals of the DA toolkit and also check off one or more of the following list-
- Undergo Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) course training by ProThoughts and furnish a course certificate from PMI
- Taken The Foundations of Disciplined Agile course by ProThoughts
- Read section 1, or more, of Choose Your WoW book offered by ProThoughts as a part of the DASSM Training.
For further clarification about whether you qualify for the DASSM exam, you can cross-verify by filling out our questionnaire. The form poses questions about our experiential, educational, and knowledge-based factors to assess your eligibility for the test. This DASSM eligibility calculator has been curated for practitioners by certified agile practitioners.
How To Apply For DASSM Certification In India?
Meet The Eligibility Criteria For DASSM
Since the DASSM is a senior-level certification, it requires some prior agile knowledge and experience. All the candidates for DASSM certification must have two years of experience working on projects. It is preferable if you were leading those projects. The DASSM certification demands no formal education as a hard and fast rule but does require two days of DASSM training from a Disciplined Agile partner of PMI. You can get this DASSM training from ProThoughts, the premier Disciplined Agile Partner of PMI. At ProThoughts, we provide DASSM training through instructors who themselves are Certified Disciplined Agile Coach and Value Stream Consultant and have the knowledge and ability to guide you through their personal experience and exam insights. Our instructors have more than 15 years of industry experience and usually share their case studies as practical examples.
Enroll For The DASSM Certification Test Through Your Training Organization.
For the DASSM certification, you must undergo two days of DASSM training from a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP). Your certification fees are included in your training fees. Applications for the DASSM certification are processed within five business days by PMI. Your training institute will let you know the details for the same as well. This processing timeframe does not apply if your application has been selected for PMI’s audit process, for which an application is selected at random.
KEY POINT TO NOTE: Training fees include One Free Attempt for examination (You must take the test within 60 days post the two days of training)
Post the workshop, review the resources provided by the institute, and familiarize yourself with common agile concepts and terminology covered in the workshop. You will also have to review the key areas highlighted in the “Choose Your WoW!” book. In your DASSM training and post the sessions, try to get a deeper understanding of the DA process goals. There are, in total, twenty-four process goals in disciplined agile. Go through the description of each process goal to understand where its focus lies, and review each diagram to understand the range of techniques that each goal encompasses. You can also participate in group study sessions to get a firm hold on the subject with your peers.
Take The Test And Ace It
In the mail that you will be receiving, as mentioned above, you will receive a PDF that will have the test link for the exam. The candidates will have 60 days from the time they receive the link to attempt the DASSM certification exam. Also, before starting the test, there is a requirement to have your pop-up blocker turned off for your browser. The test for DASSM is carried out on the Pearson VUE platform. The exam consists of 50 questions, for which you have 90 minutes to answer. There is also an additional initial 30 minutes of introduction to the exam interface and a tutorial on how to work with it. The DASSM exam deals with more complex situational questions, which is why it is a tough exam to crack.
You can prepare yourself beforehand for your DASSM exam using our ProMock Platform. It closely resembles the actual Pearson VUE testing platform. The simulated mock tests on the ProMock platform pose questions that are similar to those that appear on the real test. Moreover, the DASSM mock test simulator gives you a detailed analysis of your results. The ProMock analysis helps you understand the subjects you need to rework so that you can gear up well for the actual exam. Taking the mock test quite a few times before the exam will ensure you are well-rounded with the syllabus. Moreover, it ensures you are all set to clear the DASSM exam on your first attempt right away.
What Is The Cost For Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master Certification?
The cost of your DASSM certification depends on the institute you choose for your DASSM Training. Since the course is on a higher seniority level, it demands a higher fee as compared to other project management courses in India. The training course includes your first attempt exam fee as well. You cannot pay the fee separately through PMI. This is because the 2-day workshop is mandatory for all candidates to be eligible to take the DASSM test. Our team of consultants will be happy to assist you with the pricing and training details for the DASSM certification course.
What Are The Perks Of Completing The DASSM Course?
The DASSM is a certification of higher seniority level, which we discussed earlier. But with this seniority level, it all brings certain exclusive perks to the table. The DASSM is a certification offered by PMI, the Project Management Institute, which sets a globally accepted standard for project management. Moreover, for scrum masters across the globe, the DASSM certification serves as a stepping stone to becoming senior scrum masters. The course discusses process goals and frameworks in the disciplined agile toolkit. Moreover, it prepares you for two new courses at an advanced level, that is, the Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC) and the Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC). Both of these courses are the benchmark and the golden badges of honor in the disciplined agile community. You can also become a member in the Certified Membership Directory displayed on the PMI website.
FAQs
1. What is the eligibility period for the DASSM Certification?
You must attempt the DASSM certification exam within 60 days after the two days of coaching. If your first attempt isn’t successful, you must enroll for another attempt for an exam retake cost of ₹8,109.00. You can pay this fee directly via their myPMI dashboard. After the fee payment is complete, you can use the link shared with you to retake the exam. At ProThoughts, we will be happy to assist you with the exam retake process if required, although most of our DASSM candidates clear the exam on the first try itself.
2. Is reading the Choose Your WoW book necessary for DASSM?
Project Management Institute (PMI) gives the Choose Your WoW book as a recommended read. PMI suggests the book for all current and aspiring scrum masters in disciplined agile. The first section of the book deals with hundreds of agile, lean, and hybrid methodologies that you can apply to your real-life projects and teams. PMI recommends reading the first section prior to taking the exam in its prerequisites. In addition, PMI provides you with the eBook on registration. At ProThoughts, we provide training that is aligned with the pedagogies listed in the book and even give you the best and the latest resources in 2023 to crack your DASSM certification exam.
3. For how long is your DASSM Certification valid after taking the exam?
The DASSM Certification is valid for one year after you successfully pass the examination. After this one year, you will have to renew the certification to maintain its validity. The renewal fee is ₹2,703.00, which you must pay to PMI while also producing 7 PDUs for renewal.
4. How does one renew the DASSM Certification?
All candidates will have to earn 7 PDUs in agile topics per one-year cycle to maintain their respective certifications. In addition, you must pay ₹2,703.00 as a renewal fee to PMI. You can earn PDUs by attending webinars and seminars. Candidates can also engage in structured discussions, or volunteer and give back to the profession to earn these seven PDUs. You must report these PDUs via the CCRs on the PMI website throughout the course of your renewal journey. ProThoughts consistently hosts webinars and offers PDU plans for you to choose from so that you can renew your DASSM certification with ease.
Conclusion
We hope this guide covered all you need to know about your upcoming DASSM certification. If you have any more queries or if we missed out on anything, you can reach out to our team of consultants. They will be happy to support and assist you. The Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) is a tough exam to crack, and with just the right training, you will be sure to ace it! Enroll in the DASSM training from ProThoughts at the earliest. You will get access to exclusive resources and the best-in-class DASSM training with ProThoughts. See you on the other side!
