TeamsFoundations

Applying Professional Scrum (APS) Certification Course

Build the confidence and capability to make better decisions in complex product development. Learn Scrum by doing it—through real team challenges, hands-on exercises, and practical techniques that work in your organisation from day one.

FoundationsScrum.orgTraditional (Full Day) · Traditional (Half Day) · Immersive

What changes for your team

  • Stop guessing, start adapting
  • Scrum that survives real work
  • Practical skill with recognised proof

Immersive training pays back differently to a two-day course. Sessions spread across several weeks mean each idea is applied in your real work before the next one lands — so capability builds instead of fading under a backlog. Why immersive produces better returns →  ·  Other formats available in the panel above.

Make Scrum work in practice

Shared working practice

You move beyond Scrum words into shared habits for uncertainty, Done, collaboration, and delivery.

Better decisions

You make better product decisions without trusting brittle upfront plans.

Proven capability

You build practical Scrum capability you can validate through PSM I.

Learn Scrum by practising it, not reciting it

Lecture-led Scrum can leave you fluent in terms while plans, Done, and collaboration stay broken.

APS puts you in Scrum Teams, working through Sprints, simulations, and uncertainty before PSM I validation.

Work in Scrum Teams across Sprints.
Simulate product delivery under uncertainty.
Debrief Done, collaboration, self-management pitfalls.

Who it’s for, what you’ll do

For Scrum Team members, managers, and adjacent professionals aligning on Professional Scrum in complex work.

Apply Scrum at work

You’ll turn Scrum fundamentals into usable team practices.

Plan amid uncertainty

You’ll forecast realistically when product work changes.

Spot common pitfalls

You’ll improve Done, collaboration, and self-management.

Validate your understanding

You’ll prepare for PSM I with two included attempts.

Practice Without Trade-offs

Sprint Simulations

You confront real Scrum problems through team simulations, including Minecraft-based exercises across Sprints.

PSM I Included

You get two PSM I attempts to validate practical Scrum understanding after class.

Two Formats

You choose Immersive or Traditional without changing the content or certification outcome.

How the course unfolds

Use the 10-session structure to show the learning journey from Scrum foundations into practical issues like planning under uncertainty, getting to Done, collaboration, and applying Scrum back at work.

Kickoff & Sprint 1

Participants are able to experience building complex products within a timebox, which emphasizes the challenges of self-management, team formation, and norming. Through this exercise, they gain insights into the importance of “Getting to Done,” the potential for self-management anywhere (with supportive guidelines), and how the Scrum framework aids in managing complex product development.

Fundamentals of Scrum

Students understand the concept of Agile and Scrum, its benefits for managing complexity, and being able to identify and explain how their organization could benefit from applying those principles.

Exploring the Scrum Framework

By analyzing the Scrum Framework, demonstrate an understanding of how each element serves a specific purpose, and apply this knowledge to create a practical implementation plan that fully utilizes the Scrum Framework.

Sprint Two

By understanding that self-management requires boundaries in the form of a minimal set of rules students will be able to improve their work by applying the Scrum Framework.

Deeper into the Scrum Framework

Being able to apply improvements to the conduct of Scrum Events by utilizing the transparency provided by Scrum Artifacts to enhance inspection and adaptation, demonstrating the ability to identify and implement changes that enable the team to work more effectively towards achieving their goals.

Sprint Three

Effective collaboration is enabled through positive behavior of team members and by living the Scrum Values. When these values are embodied by the Scrum Team and the people they work with, the empirical Scrum pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation come to life building trust. Teams that master collaboration are more likely to achieve their goals and deliver value to their customers. Great collaboration needs continuous attention of team members and courage and openness to hold each other accountable.

Planning With Scrum

Students will be able to evaluate their current process and assess how it affects their ability to work in an empirical way to develop a plan to enhance agile planning.

Sprint Four

Students will be able to analyze the interactions between their Scrum Team(s) and external individuals or groups, identify challenges at these interfaces, design and implement an improvement strategy, and evaluate its impact on the team’s ability to work empirically and achieve their goals.

Getting Started

Students will be able to assess their current implementation of Scrum, analyze potential improvements, and develop a vision for what it could look like in the future. Additionally, they will be able to plan first steps that bring them closer to this vision.

Closing

As we conclude the Applying Professional Scrum course, this final session is designed to reflect on your learning journey, consolidate key concepts, and prepare you to apply your new skills confidently within your team. We’ll revisit the course highlights, address any remaining questions, and provide guidance on the next steps to continue your growth as a Scrum Master.
Ready to make Scrum practical? Join an APS class for shared team alignment, PSM I validation, and learning you can apply immediately. View upcoming APS classes

Frequently Asked Questions

The APS course is for anyone involved with or considering Scrum—team members new or old, managers, or anyone wanting a practical understanding of Scrum in action. It’s ideal if you’re joining or already working on a Scrum Team, support teams, or are an organisation aiming to adopt Scrum. APS isn’t suited for experienced Scrum professionals looking for advanced topics or for those expecting industry-specific content like software development; it’s designed as a broad, practical introduction or refresher.

Upon completing APS, you get two free attempts at the globally recognised Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) assessment. If you don’t pass on the first go, you can try again at no extra cost; two attempts are included, and passing the assessment earns you certification.

APS is highly practical and hands-on, with the bulk of your learning coming from real team exercises, Sprints, and simulations rather than lectures. You’ll work in teams to solve problems and experience Scrum by doing it, supported by discussion and targeted theory.

You don’t need any previous Scrum experience or specific qualifications to take APS—just a willingness to engage in practical learning. It’s designed for Scrum newcomers, those seeking a refresher, or anyone evaluating Scrum for their team.

APS runs either as a two-day intensive in-person or virtual class, or as an eight-week immersive with one session per week plus offline exercises between. Both formats cover the same content and certification.

Syllabus

Here is exactly what your team will cover, and how we deliver it. Every format teaches the same modules; what changes is how the time is spread and what happens between sessions:

Delivered by Martin Hinshelwood.
Immersive RecommendedTraditional (Full Day)Traditional (Half Day)
Sessions 10 sessions 2 days 4 half-days
Each session 4h: 2h reflect + 2h learn 8h incl. breaks and lunch 4h incl. breaks
Total time with an expert 40h 16h 16h
New concept and practice
incl. breaks		 20h 16h 16h
Facilitated reflection
what happened when you tried it		 20h — —
~Expert time per topic
breaks removed		 ~3h20
1h40 reflect + 1h40 learn		 ~1h10 ~1h20
Time to apply between sessions 1–2 working weeks (≈36–72h) Overnight Half a working day (≈4h)

Each immersive session follows a learning cycle: reflect on what happened when you applied the last concept, learn the next one and practise it, then take it back to work as an outcome-based assignment. It is designed for triple-loop learning, so participants do not just change what they do; they question why they do it and how they see their organisation.

Need more support? The immersive experience can be combined with additional coaching, consulting or mentoring to create a Mentor Program for your team.

Choose a format above to see how the modules group into sessions.

Session 1 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Kickoff & Sprint 1

Module 1

Learn a new concept

Participants are able to experience building complex products within a timebox, which emphasizes the challenges of self-management, team formation, and norming. Through this exercise, they gain insights into the importance of “Getting to Done,” the potential for self-management anywhere (with supportive guidelines), and how the Scrum framework aids in managing complex product development.

Outcome-based assignment: Understand how we work · Immersive only

Ask Facilitate a discussion within your organization about your current process and practices used for product development and create an explicit description of them.
For example, you might:
  • Have a conversation with people from your organization about the current challenges you are experiencing in your team.
  • Have a conversation with people from your organization and create a visualization of your value stream from requirements gathering to product delivery.
  • Have a conversation with people from your organization and create a visualization of various teams and groups involved in the steps for building the product.
  • Describe the different roles/accountabilities in your current team.
  • Describe how you currently decide what should be built next in the context of your product.
  • Describe which meetings / events people involved in the product development process will typically attend.
  • Describe how you currently ensure building the right quality of your product.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 2: Fundamentals of Scrum

Session 2 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Fundamentals of Scrum

Module 2

Facilitated reflection: Understand how we work · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Understand how we work

Learn a new concept

Students understand the concept of Agile and Scrum, its benefits for managing complexity, and being able to identify and explain how their organization could benefit from applying those principles.

Outcome-based assignment: Becoming more agile · Immersive only

Ask Identify improvement in your current process based on your understanding on how the principles of Agile and Scrum can benefit the team in addressing complexities in product development and apply at least one change to validate its feasibility.
For example, you might:
  • Have a conversation with people in your organization about problems and challenges with product development with your current process.
  • Have a conversation with people in your organization about the benefits of Agile and Scrum and how the principles and values can be applied to improve the way of working in your current team.
  • Discuss with others how the Scrum values could enable or inhibit empiricism
  • Try to identify in which areas on the Stacey Chart, the Cynefin Framework or another model explaining complexity most of your activities fall.
  • Describe what is the product your team is working on.
  • Review the values and principles of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development and identify areas where you would improve regarding your current product development.
  • Visualize your current process in regards of Visibility, Ability to Change, Business Value and risk over time and compare it to Scrum and describe the impact on your team.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 3: Exploring the Scrum Framework

Session 3 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Exploring the Scrum Framework

Module 3

Facilitated reflection: Becoming more agile · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Becoming more agile

Learn a new concept

By analyzing the Scrum Framework, demonstrate an understanding of how each element serves a specific purpose, and apply this knowledge to create a practical implementation plan that fully utilizes the Scrum Framework.

Outcome-based assignment: Scrum exists only in its entirety · Immersive only

Ask Identify deviations of your current process from Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and apply at least one change that reduces the differences.
For example, you might:
  • Have a conversation with people in your organization on how the elements of the Scrum Framework serve transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your peers on validating if you are using all Scrum Events and if you follow the rules related to these.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your peers on validating if you are using all Scrum Artifacts and if you follow the rules related to these.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your peers on validating if you are using all Scrum Commitments and if you follow the rules related to these.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your peers on validating if all Scrum Accountabilities are present in the team and if they provide the services described in the Scrum Guide.
  • Have a conversation with people in your organization whether there is enough transparency created by the Scrum elements to support inspection and adaptation for all relevant stakeholders.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 4: Sprint Two

Session 4 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Sprint Two

Module 4

Facilitated reflection: Scrum exists only in its entirety · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Scrum exists only in its entirety

Learn a new concept

By understanding that self-management requires boundaries in the form of a minimal set of rules students will be able to improve their work by applying the Scrum Framework.

Outcome-based assignment: Boundaries are important for self-management · Immersive only

Ask Through an evaluation of the current Scrum implementation, identify opportunities for improvement, demonstrate how establishing boundaries aligned with the Scrum Framework can enhance self-management, and implement changes that enable the team to work more empirically and achieve their goals more effectively.
For example, you might:
  • Have a conversation with people in your organization on how the Scrum Framework can help to create more clarity about accountabilities, artifacts and events.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your peers about how well self-management works in your team(s) and how this can be improved.
  • Apply at least one additional element from the Scrum Framework to your current process and evaluate if this increases the ability of the team to self-manage.
  • Have a conversation with your peers on how you can use goals for creating focus in product development.
  • Facilitate a discussion about clarity of goals and how to improve them to help the team(s) to work towards these goals more effectively.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) about how the current planning approach is supporting empirical development and what could be improved.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) if they are managing the future value and vision of the work enough to be prepared for the upcoming Sprint.
  • Facilitate a discussion about the value the Scrum Master is adding currently to the team(s) and how you could improve the way how the Scrum Master supports the team(s) in achieving their goals and in growing self-management.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 5: Deeper into the Scrum Framework

Session 5 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Deeper into the Scrum Framework

Module 5

Facilitated reflection: Boundaries are important for self-management · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Boundaries are important for self-management

Learn a new concept

Being able to apply improvements to the conduct of Scrum Events by utilizing the transparency provided by Scrum Artifacts to enhance inspection and adaptation, demonstrating the ability to identify and implement changes that enable the team to work more effectively towards achieving their goals.

Outcome-based assignment: Improving the conduct of Scrum Events · Immersive only

Ask Evaluate how you are currently using transparency in your Scrum Events to inspect and adapt and apply at least one improvement to increase transparency or improve the flow of the Scrum Event.
For example, you might:
  • Have a conversation with your team to discuss the desired outcome of each event and evaluate if your team is achieving it.
  • Identify and apply improvements to create transparency in one of the Scrum Events to help better achieve the desired outcome.
  • Identify and apply improvements to the flow of one of the Scrum Events to achieve the desired outcome.
  • Have a conversation with your team(s) if during their Sprint Planning they are actively creating the plan on what the team will work on during the Sprint and how they plan on achieving the Sprint Goal.
  • Have a conversation with the developers in your team(s) if during the Daily Scrum they are actively inspecting and adapting the plan for Sprint to help them achieve the Sprint Goal.
  • Have a conversation with the stakeholders and your team(s) if during their Sprint Review they are actively inspecting the outcome of the Sprint and adapting the Product Backlog based on feedback and insights shared to improve the value of the product.
  • Have a conversation with people in your organization on action items identified at the Sprint Retrospective and assess if the team is actively adapting towards the identified improvements.
  • Demonstrate a course of action on a challenge that your team experienced this week.
  • Talk with your colleagues / team members about the impediments that get in the way of being a self-managing team, identify a few actions that you could take to remove these impediments and proactively reach out to stakeholders who can take action that creates an environment where self-managing teams are feasible.
  • Have a conversation with your team and find out how frequently they are not able to complete the forecasted Product Backlog Items, and if they should adapt their forecasting approach for the succeeding Sprints.
  • Have a conversation with your team(s) if there are challenges related to dependencies to people outside the team and identify points for improvement.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 6: Sprint Three

Session 6 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Sprint Three

Module 6

Facilitated reflection: Improving the conduct of Scrum Events · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Improving the conduct of Scrum Events

Learn a new concept

Effective collaboration is enabled through positive behavior of team members and by living the Scrum Values. When these values are embodied by the Scrum Team and the people they work with, the empirical Scrum pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation come to life building trust. Teams that master collaboration are more likely to achieve their goals and deliver value to their customers. Great collaboration needs continuous attention of team members and courage and openness to hold each other accountable.

Outcome-based assignment: Collaboration is key in a self-managing team · Immersive only

Ask Evaluate together with your team(s) how good they are collaborating and if there are any behaviors in the team that are impacting their ability to achieve their goals. Identify and apply at least one improvement that helps the team to collaborate better and acquire feedback on the impact of this change.
For example, you might:
  • Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) to evaluate the current level of collaboration, to identify challenging behaviors and their impact and how the team(s) can improve.
  • Observe the conversation of your team(s) during the Daily Scrum evaluate if they are interested in the work of other team members.
  • Lean into the courage value to help the team navigate through an impediment that is outside their control.
  • Have a conversation with your team to evaluate how they collaborate towards achieving their Sprint Goal during the Scrum Events and even outside the formal Scrum Events.
  • Approach a random team member and ask about the team’s current progress towards the Sprint Goal. If they can only explain their own progress, facilitate a discussion how collaboration and transparency could be improved so every team member is aware of the progress of the whole team.
  • Evaluate if communication happens between all team members and facilitate a discussion if the size of the team is supporting communication.
  • Evaluate how frequently the Product Owner is collaborating with the team(s) and if developers are frequently sharing and collecting feedback of their progress. Facilitate a discussion on how the team(s) could benefit from a more intense collaboration with the Product Owner and if that would impact the Product Owner’s ability to collaborate with stakeholders.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your team to discuss how your team(s) could benefit from the Scrum values to deal with challenging situations that your team(s) experienced recently.
  • Facilitate a discussion to identify situations where team members could have held each other accountable to solve a challenging situation earlier instead of waiting for someone else to step in.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 7: Planning With Scrum

Session 7 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Planning With Scrum

Module 7

Facilitated reflection: Collaboration is key in a self-managing team · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Collaboration is key in a self-managing team

Learn a new concept

Students will be able to evaluate their current process and assess how it affects their ability to work in an empirical way to develop a plan to enhance agile planning.

Outcome-based assignment: Agile planning in working empirically · Immersive only

Ask By evaluating your team’s current process, identify how it affects the ability to work in an empirical way and develop a plan to apply at least one improvement to enhance agile planning to assess the impact of this change.
For example, you might:
  • Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) to evaluate how much everyone is aligned on “Why?”, “What?” and “How?” by the end of each Sprint Planning.
  • Have a conversation with your team(s) to assess how the Daily Scrum helps create transparency on the progress towards achieving your goals .
  • Facilitate a discussion within your team(s) about how much Developers feel empowered to make suggestions about the Product Backlog and how to deliver value to your customers (Product Owner still will have the final say about the Product Backlog).
  • Have a conversation with your team(s) to discuss how you could improve the way you describe Product Backlog Items by either adding, improving, or removing information.
  • Work with your colleagues to refine PBIs that would help move you closer to achieving your goal(s) and determine which 2-3 items might be at the top of your ordered Product Backlog.
  • Explore Product Backlog sizing techniques and experiment with the developers in your teams and assess with the team if it feels differently compared to how you normally do sizing.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your stakeholders and Product Owner to assess relative business value for several Product Backlog Items to see if it is helpful in increasing the value of your product.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your Product Owner to describe the aspects that are currently considered for ordering the Product Backlog and discuss how the order of your Product Backlog could be improved to maximize the value of your product.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 8: Sprint Four

Session 8 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Sprint Four

Module 8

Facilitated reflection: Agile planning in working empirically · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Agile planning in working empirically

Learn a new concept

Students will be able to analyze the interactions between their Scrum Team(s) and external individuals or groups, identify challenges at these interfaces, design and implement an improvement strategy, and evaluate its impact on the team’s ability to work empirically and achieve their goals.

Outcome-based assignment: Continuous improvement in a Scrum Team · Immersive only

Ask Assess the interactions between your Scrum Team(s) and external individuals or groups to pinpoint any challenges at these interfaces. Then, implement at least one improvement and measure its impact on the team’s ability to work empirically and achieve their goals.
For example, you might:
  • Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) to identify impediments, and categorize them based on whether they can be resolved internally within the Scrum Team or require involvement from external individuals or groups.
  • Facilitate a conversation with people in your organization on how they can support the Scrum Team in creating an environment where teams can grow.
  • Assess the amount of unplanned work and distractions for members of your team(s) and identify improvements that allow team members to better focus.
  • Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) to assess how much team(s) can focus on collaborating on a Sprint Goal and Product Goal and apply one improvement to assess how this helps increasing the focus.
  • Have a conversation with your team(s) to identify one improvement point to enhance their ability to plan and improve the value delivered to customers.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 9: Getting Started

Session 9 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Getting Started

Module 9

Facilitated reflection: Continuous improvement in a Scrum Team · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Continuous improvement in a Scrum Team

Learn a new concept

Students will be able to assess their current implementation of Scrum, analyze potential improvements, and develop a vision for what it could look like in the future. Additionally, they will be able to plan first steps that bring them closer to this vision.

Outcome-based assignment: Applying Professional Scrum as the next step · Immersive only

Ask Assess your current implementation of Scrum, and develop a vision for what it could look like six months from now. Create a 15% solution to start the journey towards this vision.
For example, you might:
  • Have a discussion with your team and envision how the future would look like in the next 6 months as you apply the mindset of agility and Professional Scrum.
  • Facilitate a conversation to create / continue an Agile Transition Backlog where you can manage potential improvements and define a Product Owner who will be accountable for managing this Product Backlog as well as people involved in implementing those changes.
  • Define regular inspection opportunities in your journey towards organizational agility that span a broader perspective than you cover in your Sprint Retrospectives.
  • Facilitate a discussion with people in your organization and identify first steps in introducing organizational change to a more empirical way of delivering value.
  • Facilitate a community of agile enthusiasts within your organization to share ideas and collectively continue your agile transition journey.
  • Create a reading / watch list, try to connect with a community of agile practitioners outside your organization and identify other ways to get inspiration and to reenergize your agile mindset.
  • Take assessments on Scrum and Agile to inspect and adapt your theoretical knowledge.
→ Reflected on at the start of Module 10: Closing

Session 10 · 2h facilitated reflection + 2h new concept and practice · 10m break each hour

Closing

Module 10

Facilitated reflection: Applying Professional Scrum as the next step · Immersive only

Facilitated reflection: Applying Professional Scrum as the next step

Learn a new concept

As we conclude the Applying Professional Scrum course, this final session is designed to reflect on your learning journey, consolidate key concepts, and prepare you to apply your new skills confidently within your team. We’ll revisit the course highlights, address any remaining questions, and provide guidance on the next steps to continue your growth as a Scrum Master.

Outcome-based assignment: Take the PSM I assessment. · Immersive only

  • Passing score: 85%
  • Time limit: 60 minutes
  • Number of Questions: 80
  • Format: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer, True/False
  • Language:
  • Free Credly digital credential included
  • Practice assignmentScrum Open
  • Passwords have no expiration date, but are valid for one attempt only
  • Lifetime certification - no annual renewal fee required
→ Reflected on at the start of Catchup & After

Catchup & After · Immersive only

Catchup & After

Facilitated reflection: Take the PSM I assessment.

Facilitated reflection: Take the PSM I assessment.

Two weeks after completion, participants are invited to join a follow-up catch-up session designed to address any remaining questions, ideas, or challenges that have emerged since the training. This session provides an opportunity to reflect on your experiences applying the concepts learned in the course, share insights, and receive additional support.

* Assignments are part of our Immersive Training Programs, encouraging participants to apply their learning practically between sessions for a more hands-on experience.

What people who took this course said

Enjoyable days

I really like the class. The 2 days are packed with information, exercises and discussion. Martin is an easy-going and knowledgeable trainer that will spend his free time answering any questions you still have after the course even if they are not 100% about the course topic and would be a different course topic.

Tomas Komarek Attended

Ready to bring this to your team?

Private delivery, fixed price, money-back guarantee. Tell us what you need and we'll put together a proposal.

Bring this in-house

If this isn't quite right for where you are

Not sure what would actually move the needle?

Most organisations don't need a course catalogue. They need a diagnosis. Tell me what's not working, who is involved, and what you've already tried. I'll tell you honestly whether training will help, and if so, what.

Start a conversation Browse programmes