Detailed Review Of Preparation

 I did a lot of research while preparing for PSM-II but to my disappointment there wasn’t much guidance available on how to prepare apart from the reading suggestions mentioned in Scrum.org which directs you towards Scrum guide and Nexus guide. So, I decided to pen down my journey for PSM-II preparation.

My Recommendations

1.     First and foremost, have a read at Overview of PSM-II provided by Scrum.org. It will provide you an insight on what to expect from the certificate.

2.     It is most important to get your basics right, so I would highly suggest starting with Scrum Guide and the Nexus Guide thoroughly. Don’t just know the concepts but try to understand them.

3.     Next step would be to validate your understanding of these guides by going through Scrum and Nexus Open Assessments. Make sure you practice them until you get 100% in back to back exams a couple of times.

4.     Understanding the importance of Scrum Values is a key. There’s value in the Scrum Values is a great article that explains the scrum values in a way that makes them relatable.

5.     To get a deep dive into role of a Scrum Master and the myths corresponding it, I would highly recommend having a go at The 8 Stances of a Scrum Master and Scrum Master anti-patterns.

6.     Questions related to Coaching & Facilitation form a big part of the assessment and therefore, I would recommend having a read at Scrum Master: The Master of the Art of Facilitation, The Scrum Master as a Facilitator , The Scrum Master as a coach and Scrum Master is the Master of Coaching

7.     I had to google a lot to find some practice test and here is my list of limited free test repository

a. Mikhail Lapshin offers 80 questions that would help you with your PMS-I concepts. Remember, you cannot pass PSM-II without having a strong Scrum foundation

b. Certbus offers 6 free PSM-II tests that are on similar lines with actual test

c. Dumpsout also lets you download a demo test that would give you a taster of what to expect in the main exam

d. Udemy ‘s PSM-II exam similar costs only £30 but gives you a feel of what real exam would look like. I would highly recommend doing it as this will help you identify your areas of improvement

8.     Personally, I would suggest taking this exam only if you have hands-on experience of Scrum Master role as no amount of reading can make-up for the working experience. If you still don’t feel ready enough to take the test attend one of the PMS-II training classes. I am afraid that I cannot recommend any as I did not attend one.

Hope these recommendations provides you with enough clarity to prepare for the exam.

I wish you good luck for your journey

All the best!