Please note that any practice assessments offered on this site are neither created nor endorsed by Scrum.org.
The Professional Scrum Master III (PSM III) assessment is one of the hardest Scrum assessments in the world. There is no way to debate this; fewer than 1500 people have ever passed it. It is designed to validate your deep understanding of how to apply Scrum, its practices and the Scrum Values. It forms part of the Scrum.org trainer validation process and is incredibly challenging to pass. Bearing that in mind, you wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t interested in finding out more, so let’s continue.
The PSM III contains 24 questions in 150 minutes. It is a combined essay-based and multiple-choice examination which you can access online in your browser. We recommend that you do not attempt this assessment without scoring 90% on both the PSM I and PSM II. Alongside this, having at least two years practicing as a Scrum Master is vital. All of the questions are presented in English and must be answered in English. The assessment is submitted for grading at the end of the timebox and typically takes 4-6 weeks to receive a result.
Unlike the PSM I and PSM II, there is no equivalent training class that is associated with the PSM III. Why? Well, simply because this assessment is about applying experience and context to scenarios and theory that would vary from individual to individual.
When you purchase an assessment code directly from Scrum.org, it does not expire and you can take it whenever you choose. There is no requirement for this examination to be proctored, nor no requirement for a webcam to record you whilst taking it.
Now, you’re obviously here because you are trying (or considering) to pass the Professional Scrum Master III and we want to provide you with our top tips to improve your chance of success:
Some of these tips above might resonate with you, and some might not – that’s okay. Everyone learns in different ways. Whenever you feel ready to attempt the assessment, we recommend you follow the link provided in the Scrum.org email that contains the code (there will be a link straight to the assessment). Ensure you have a quiet space, a stable internet connection, a drink and a pen and paper ready. Even though on average you might calculate that you will have 5-7 minutes per question, remember that even within the variety of essay vs. multiple-choice, some of the essay questions are short, and some are long.
The best advice we can give you is ‘don’t talk yourself out of a good, precise answer’ – the more words you use, the more likely you are to bring in ambiguity. Utilise the ‘flag’ tool in the top right to highlight any questions you aren’t sure about because at the end, you can view any questions flagged to return to them quickly. One quick additional piece of advice is to not overthink every question – that is a fast way to waste the assessment timebox. Remember that the questions aren’t designed to ‘trick’, but rather to assess your understanding of the principles behind the question.
Our final piece of advice is to remember that this examination can only assess Professional Scrum as written in the Scrum Guide. The context at your organisation and any ‘realities’ you think might impact your answer should be put to one side, allowing you to provide an answer that is in-keeping with Scrum theory.
We wish you the best of luck with this assessment, and look forward to supporting your journey towards becoming PSM III accredited however we can. If you have any additional needs with respect to taking online assessments, we recommend you contact support@scrum.org regarding your circumstances so that they can examine your individual case and make adjustments accordingly.
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