SAFe® POPM Vs. CSPO
Regarding advancing your career in the Agile and Scrum domains, certifications play a crucial role. Two popular certifications that professionals often consider are SAFe® POPM (Scaled Agile Framework Product Owner/Product Manager) and CSPO (Certified Scrum Product Owner).
In this article, we will compare these two certifications to help you understand whether it is worth pursuing both courses or choosing one to accelerate your career growth.
What is SAFe® POPM?
SAFe® POPM (Scaled Agile Framework Product Owner/Product Manager) certification is ideal for professionals who want to understand the role of a Product Owner and Project Management within a SAFe enterprise.
This certification course focuses on exploring the responsibilities of Product Owners and Product Managers, organizing and participating in PI (Program Increment) planning, and ensuring the smooth execution of Team Backlogs and Programs to deliver optimal business value at scale.
Key Competency Areas of SAFe® POPM include:
- Applying SAFe practices and principles with a Lean-Agile Mindset.
- Identifying customer needs.
- Writing Epics, Features, Capabilities, and Stories.
- Configuring work to deliver value to the company.
What is CSPO?
CSPO certification, on the other hand, is suitable for professionals who are comfortable operating on the "business side" of projects. As a CSPO, you will work closely with the Scrum Team, guiding them in learning and implementing Scrum practices.
The CSPO's responsibilities include creating the product vision, prioritizing the product backlog, and ensuring that the work is done in the best possible way to satisfy customers.
Who Should Pursue SAFe® POPM?
If you aspire to understand the roles of Product Owners and Project Management within a SAFe enterprise, the SAFe® POPM certification is an excellent choice.
This certification equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in PI planning, effectively collaborate with product management, and ensure the successful execution of Team Backlogs and Programs to deliver business value at scale.
SAFe® POPM focuses on the following aspects:
- The role of the Product Owner in PI planning meetings.
- Preparation is required for attending PI planning meetings.
- Content creation and intake process during PI planning.
- The responsibilities of the Product Owner in PI planning meetings.
- Implementation of inputs and their interactions.
Professionals with SAFe® POPM certification are well-versed in working collaboratively with product management, recognizing areas of overlap, and fostering effective teamwork.
Who Should Become a CSPO?
CSPO certification suits professionals who want to kickstart their Scrum or Agile careers by working with small Agile teams on valuable product development. This certification provides a comprehensive understanding of product vision development, backlog prioritization, and optimizing value to delight customers.
CSPO certification is beneficial for professionals who:
- Have a solid understanding of how Scrum works and the role of the Product Owner.
- Want to specialize in incremental requirements.
- Desire to work closely with development teams.
- Are skilled at breaking down large items into smaller ones.
- Prefer accomplishing tasks using iterative and incremental approaches.
CSPO professionals learn how to prioritize the product backlog and effectively communicate those priorities to others. Suppose you are not specifically working in the SAFe domain and are interested in understanding the role of the Product Owner, product vision, customer understanding, acceptance criteria, user stories, and backlog prioritization. In that case, CSPO certification is a suitable choice.
Differences Between SAFe® POPM and CSPO
- Roles and Focus:
Product Management: A planned function at the Program Management level in the SAFe framework, focused on customer needs and the market.
Product Owner: A professional role within an Agile team of 5-10 individuals, responsible for creating, testing, and delivering results quickly.
CSPO, on the other hand, primarily focuses on the Product Owner's role within the Scrum Team, which typically comprises 3-9 individuals. The Product Owner is responsible for quickly creating, testing, and delivering results.
- Work Divisions:
Product Management: Customer-focused work related to the market.
Product Owner: Collaborating with stakeholders, including customers, Product Management, and Business Owners.
In CSPO, the Product Owner collaborates with stakeholders and focuses on customer needs and the market.
- The extent of Involvement:
SAFe® POPM provides opportunities to work at the broader level of Scrum Teams, including involvement in activities such as System Demo, Program Increment Planning, and Solution Demos. This allows for enterprise-level design reasoning.
CSPO focuses on maximizing the product's value resulting from the Development Team's work, with a more narrow focus on the team level.
- Ownership of Product Roadmap:
Product Management: Possesses the roadmap and vision of the product.
Product Owner: Supports the roadmap and vision.
In CSPO, the Product Owner exclusively owns the product roadmap and vision within a Scrum Team.
- Management of Backlogs:
Program Backlog: Both Product and Program Increment backlogs are managed by Product Management at this level.
Team Backlog: The Product Owner for Agile teams authorizes and approves the stories in the Team Backlog.
CSPO focuses solely on the product backlog, with the Product Owner acting as its content authority.
Conclusion
Both SAFe® POPM and CSPO certifications offer valuable insights and skills for professionals in the Agile and Scrum domains. While SAFe® POPM focuses on the broader context of Product Management and Product Ownership within a SAFe enterprise, CSPO delves deeper into the specific role of the Product Owner within a Scrum Team.
Reference
https://www.metaltoad.com/blog/safe-popm-vs-cspo-which-product-owner-certification-best
https://shrilearning.com/safe-popm-or-cspo-which-one-is-suitable-for-you/
