Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A‑CSM) Curriculum 2026

Learning Objectives:

Deepen understanding of Lean Thinking and its application to Scrum

Connect Agile values to daily ScrumMaster decisions

Explore the gap between “doing Agile” and “being Agile”

Key Topics:

Five Lean principles – Value, Value Stream, Flow, Pull, Perfection

Muda, Mura, Muri – waste, unevenness, overburden

How Scrum implements Lean principles in practice

Exercise: Mapping team value streams and identifying waste

Agile mindset at advanced level – fixed vs growth, abundance vs scarcity

Impact of ScrumMaster mindset on team culture

Revisiting Scrum values (Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, Courage)

Case discussion: Scrum values under organizational pressure

Learning Objectives:

Design and facilitate complex workshops for Scrum teams and stakeholders

Handle challenging group dynamics with confidence

Select facilitation techniques for different contexts and outcomes

Key Topics:

Neutral facilitator stance and separating process from content

Timeboxing, energy management and virtual vs in‑person facilitation

Five‑phase workshop structure – Open, Explore, Analyze, Decide, Close

Design challenge: Workshop for a real organizational problem

Working with silence – when to hold space vs intervene

Powerful questions – open vs closed, leading vs neutral, Socratic approach

Decision‑making techniques – Fist of Five, Dot Voting, Consent‑based decisions, Delegation Poker

Liberating Structures – 1‑2‑4‑All, Troika Consulting, 25/10, TRIZ

Managing dominant personalities, disengagement and conflict in workshops

Recovering from facilitation mistakes and real‑time adaptation

Learning Objectives:

Distinguish coaching from other ScrumMaster stances

Apply core professional coaching skills

Coach teams and individuals toward self‑organization

Key Topics:

Coaching as unlocking potential; overview of ICF core competencies

Coaching vs mentoring vs teaching vs facilitating – choosing the right stance

Active listening – levels of listening and listening for what is unsaid

Removing assumptions and filters; reflective listening

GROW coaching model – Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward

Asking powerful, non‑judgmental questions

Giving awareness‑building feedback vs judgment

Holding space – presence without agenda, trusting the coachee

Coaching teams as a system and observing patterns

Coaching for self‑organization and decision‑making

Coaching Product Owners, Developers and leaders

Learning Objectives:

Reframe conflict as a productive signal for improvement

Diagnose sources of conflict in Scrum teams

Apply conflict resolution strategies and facilitate difficult conversations

Key Topics:

Conflict as opportunity vs cost of avoidance

Common conflict sources – structural, interpersonal, process, goals, values

Thomas‑Kilmann Conflict Modes – competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, accommodating

Self‑assessment of default conflict mode

Facilitating conflict resolution – creating safety, surfacing perspectives, aligning on interests

Co‑creating agreements and next steps

Role‑plays: Navigating real‑world conflict scenarios

Learning Objectives:

Apply change management models to Agile transformations

Navigate resistance and support people through change

Influence without formal authority across the organization

Key Topics:

Kotter’s change model applied to Agile adoption

ADKAR model – Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement

Understanding resistance – Satir Change Model and emotional impact of change

Building influence – credibility, relationships, stakeholder priorities

Stakeholder mapping – power vs interest and engagement strategies

Persuasion techniques – storytelling, experiments, evidence, social proof

Managing up – coaching leaders and creating alignment

Identifying organizational impediments and sphere of influence

Learning Objectives:

Apply the Evidence‑Based Management (EBM) framework

Use Agile metrics responsibly to drive decisions

Avoid metric dysfunctions and misuse

Key Topics:

EBM key value areas – Current Value, Unrealized Value, Ability to Innovate, Time to Market

Hypothesis‑driven improvement and experimentation

Flow metrics – Cycle Time, Lead Time, Throughput, WIP

Quality metrics – defect rates and technical debt

Value metrics – business value, customer satisfaction, feature adoption

Team health metrics – morale and psychological safety

Metric anti‑patterns – velocity misuse, individual metrics, metrics as control

Learning Objectives:

Understand challenges of scaling Scrum

Learn major scaling frameworks and patterns

Manage cross‑team dependencies and coordination

Key Topics:

Why scaling is difficult – coordination, dependencies, structure

Overview: LeSS, Nexus, Scrum@Scale, SAFe, Spotify model

Working in multi‑team environments – Scrum of Scrums, Communities of Practice

ScrumMaster responsibilities in scaling contexts

Learning Objectives:

Diagnose team maturity and stage of development

Build psychological safety in Scrum teams

Address common team dysfunctions

Key Topics:

Tuckman’s stages – Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning

ScrumMaster interventions at each team stage

Psychological safety – research foundation and impact on performance

Four stages – Inclusion, Learner, Contributor, Challenger safety

Building safety – modeling vulnerability, encouraging dissent, learning from failure

Assessing safety – surveys, observation, safety retrospectives

Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions and interventions

Learning Objectives:

Assess your ScrumMaster competencies

Build a practical development plan

Understand long‑term growth pathways

Key Topics:

Competency assessment – Scrum knowledge, facilitation, coaching, teaching, leadership

Feedback and self‑awareness – team, peer and 360‑degree feedback

Reflection practices – journaling and identifying blind spots

Creating a development plan – goals, learning strategies, certification pathways

Building your Agile network and communities of practice

Learning Objectives:

Apply learning through real practice with peers

Give and receive structured feedback

Build ongoing peer support systems

Key Topics:

Peer coaching rounds – triads, roles and structure

Mini‑workshop design and live facilitation practice

Structured feedback models and reflection

Action planning, commitments and accountability partnerships