Scrum has revolutionized the software development industry, helping companies to release more reliable products in less time and at less cost than ever before. There are many different training and certification options available, so it can be confusing to choose which one is right for you. Scrum Alliance has created the Certified Scrum Product Owner(CSPO® )certification to meet the specific needs of product owners and allow them to pursue the training they need to succeed in their role. Here are seven reasons why you should become a Certified Scrum Product Owner

You Are Your Boss

As a product owner, you are your boss. Although you have one or more teams that you oversee, their managers do not report to you. If they need anything, they can come to you directly. They will work through you and make decisions with your guidance rather than being told what to do. The same is true for other stakeholders like salespeople or support representatives who interact with your team regularly.

Self-Management

According to management guru Stephen Covey, self-management is a sign of maturity. Self-managing teams can make decisions on their own and generally don’t need direct oversight or intervention. Many high-performing companies are self-managed; they treat employees as individuals and partners, not as pawns.

Build an Organization with Collective Commitment

Whether you’re leading a team of five or 500, empowering each individual to do their best work requires commitment and collaboration. A simple but effective way to ensure that everyone is on board? Schedule regular check-ins with your team members, at which you discuss their progress in detail. Empowerment starts at home. 

The more time you spend getting to know your employees—their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations—the better equipped you are to help them succeed. In addition to being more knowledgeable about what makes them tick, taking an interest in their personal lives will go a long way toward building trust and rapport. 

Understand the Inner Workings of Your Product

One of the most important aspects of being a CSPO course is to deeply understand your product. Without knowing how it works and how users interact with it, you won’t be able to successfully communicate and negotiate issues with your team. The scrum master will ultimately create reports for upper management based on what you’ve learned about your product—so understanding every aspect is key. By becoming proficient in your field, you’ll also find yourself more confident in decision-making.

Learn About Customer Needs, Pain Points, and Business Goals

Anyone who works with technology needs to take a long, hard look at what their customers are trying to accomplish and be able to answer questions such as Why would they need my product or service? As a certified Scrum product owner, you can learn how to do just that. It can be difficult to know exactly what your customers want when they come in all shapes and sizes.

Easy to & Apply to Other Products in Your Life

Some of my favorite things about Agile, when it’s done well, is that it’s easy to understand and apply to other areas of your life. It also makes you realize how inescapable project management is from daily life. 

There are so many small projects we do on an ongoing basis—setting up a date with someone, saving for something you want, or just picking out your outfit for tomorrow—that having an understanding of project management will make those tasks easier. And if you take away anything from certifying as a scrum product owner: have fun! When done right, agile can bring that extra dash of excitement and joy to your day-to-day routine.

Develop Skills That Last a Lifetime

Certification is more than just a piece of paper. It can offer you a competitive edge in your current job and set you apart from other candidates in future jobs. If you’re looking to expand or elevate your career, it’s worth your time and effort to become certified as an agile product owner. Your chances for success depend on your commitment to continuous learning.

Conclusion

Many people decide to become scrum masters or agile coaches so that they can help others learn about agile project management and how to apply it in real-world situations. Another reason you might want to become a scrum master or an agile coach is because of the personal growth and skill development involved in those roles.