Scrum.org Launches New Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills (PSFS) Training Course

September 13, 2022

Strong facilitation skills enable better problem-solving, more effective Scrum events and greater team collaboration, all leading to better outcomes

PSFS LogoBoston, September 13, 2022 - Scrum.org, The Home of Scrum, today announced its new Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills™ (PSFS) training course. This interactive skills-based course is designed to help Scrum Team members develop a proficiency in facilitation skills and learn when and how to select effective techniques for different circumstances.

“Based on feedback we have received from the Scrum community and trends we have seen over time, we realized there is a need for training focused on specific skills in Scrum,” said Dave West, CEO, Scrum.org. “We created the PSFS course to begin to address the need for more specific training to help people grow and improve their skills. Facilitation is a critical skill to help teams move to their desired outcomes and overcome challenges within their team and with stakeholders. We are excited for participants to experience this course so they can develop and strengthen this very important skill.”

In this course, participants learn how to become better facilitators to improve interactions with their Scrum Teams, stakeholders and customers. They will learn how to adopt facilitation as a stance and enable the Scrum Values. Participants get the opportunity to address a series of common Scrum-related scenarios by applying several facilitation techniques that they can add to their collection of agile practices. They leave the course with their own facilitation “plan” to improve future discussions, personal interactions and Scrum events.

“With remote working on the rise, this course covered a variety of techniques to enhance facilitation as well as skills for collaborative working in a Scrum environment. The course itself was well prepared and gave us the opportunity to try out the techniques immediately. Since doing this course I have added many of the techniques to my own toolkit which I use frequently.” - Isabel Shea, PSFS beta student

This course is ideal for Scrum Masters and any Scrum Team member interested in learning how to use facilitation techniques to enhance their team’s success. Scrum Coaches, Agile Coaches and Consultants can also benefit from the skills and techniques learned in the PSFS class. This course is only recommended for professionals with Scrum knowledge and experience.

“I loved this course because I learned about other tools to use for facilitation and different approaches to different scenarios. Hearing about other people’s experiences, how they handled the situation and how they would possibly do it differently is also a great learning experience. Overall, I loved this course as it was interactive and informative. I walked away feeling like I had gained a world of knowledge that I could use practically day-to-day.” Nicole Grobler, PSFS beta student

Upon taking the PSFS course, participants will:

  • Develop new facilitation skills and a facilitator’s mindset 
  • Learn the facilitation principles that experienced facilitators fall back on when interactions are difficult 
  • Understand the roles that facilitation principles and the Scrum Values enhance healthy collaboration in Scrum Teams
  • Explore how good facilitation techniques can help to address challenging scenarios
  • Apply facilitation skills and techniques to improve Scrum events and other interactions
  • Understand how to encourage diverse perspectives, while bringing the team together to reach decisions 
  • Experience the elements of group dynamics and how they influence the decision-making process 
  • Leave class with a toolbox of facilitation techniques and understand how to apply them 

“Very good course. I learned facilitation techniques that drive effective communication, while encouraging collaboration and practical solutions. The course also provided good scenarios to discuss, which I found very valuable and relatable. The Scrum element activity was very interesting and engaging as well.” - Edward Yadua, PSFS beta student

Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills classes are currently open for registration and we will continue to list more as they become available over the coming weeks. Private classes for organizations are always available by contacting a Professional Scrum Trainer near you. When offered in-person, this course is generally delivered in one full day, however, when offered as a Live Virtual Class, the course may be broken up into multiple, shorter days. All participants completing this course will receive a password to attempt the Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills™ (PSFS) certification test.

To provide an opportunity to ask questions on the topic of facilitation, there is a live Ask a Professional Scrum Trainer webcast focused on facilitation for Scrum events scheduled for October 19, 2022. 

About Scrum.org 
Scrum.org, the Home of Scrum, was founded by Scrum co-creator Ken Schwaber as a mission-based organization to help people and teams solve complex problems. We do this by enabling people to apply Professional Scrum through hands-on training courses, globally recognized certifications and ongoing learning all based on a common competency model. Scrum.org supports people wherever they are on their learning journey from beginner to highly experienced practitioner, helping them to grow over time with ongoing learning opportunities and resources. Community members share knowledge and gain new insights from each other leveraging forums, blogs and more.

Press Contact:

Lindsay Velecina
Marketing Communications Manager
Scrum.org
lindsay.velecina@scrum.org