Friday, October 16, 2026

Updates to RMP Live Lessons, RMP Contact Hours and I Want To Be A PMI-RMP Book

 

I’m pleased to announce that there has been a number of updates related to ManagementYogi's Risk Management Professional (RMP) certification courses and exam prep book. I believe it’ll help all customers (subscribers) of ManagementYogi.

These updates are free-of-charge for current subscribers of ManagementYogi's RMP courses and book. 

The updates happen over the years and this post informs the consolidation of all updates so far.

All of the followings have been updated:

These updates happened due to the following reasons, but are not limited to them:
  • Availability of new Standards and/or Guides: Risk management standards and guides are not static. New editions come out and aspirants have to follow them.
  • New question styles: New style of questions come in the exam for which the candidates have to be prepared. 
  • Feedback from exam takers and certified RMPs: This is another key area, which I emphasize. Few exam takers, including certified RMPs, call-back. And I learn from them. 
  • Updates on videos: The RMP Book, RMP Contact Hours and RMP Live Lessons course have seen continuous updates depending on the exam changes, customer feedback, new areas, new tools and techniques etc.
Important Note: I receive the below two questions frequently. Hence, I’m taking it here.

Question – 1: Does the RMP Exam have content from PMBOK Guide, 7th edition?
Answer: Yes. The PMBOK Guide, 7th edition is followed as of October 2026. It’s explicitly listed in the latest RMP-ECO. You can refer to the exam in this link. (Link for ECO). Hence, if you are preparing for the exam, you’ve to know the related areas – not all.

In fact, certified RMPs have faced questions from PMBOK7. Like CIPSA and CHAMP certifications, no two experiences are the same for the RMP exam and your experience may differ.

Question – 2: Does the RMP Exam have content from PMBOK Guide, 8th edition?
Answer: No. As of October 2026, in the exam content outline (ECO), there is no information at all with respect to the PMBOK Guide, 8th edition. To reiterate, RMP exam is primarily based on the ECO. And the emphasis is not on PMBOK, but specifically on risk management. 

***

With the above background, following are the updates.


1. A large number of NEW questions related to a variety of industries. 

This includes questions related to Energy, Software, Public(Govt.), Space, Education, Artificial Intelligence (AI), among others. The questions are not just skin-deep, but goes into the answers with sufficient background information the in the question.

To answer these questions you need not know all the industries. But your foundational and fundamental understanding with respect to risk management must be solid. 

2. Completely revamped question sets.
This is applicable for RMP Live Lessons (Guaranteed RMP) course. A number of question sets have been revamped considering the latest releases related to risk management.

In total, now there are 8 full-length question sets, i.e., 920 questions. With Smart Card questions and Lesson-End  practice questions, the number is over 1,200.  

This will give you sufficient practice to prepare for the exam. 

3. More emphasis on two exam domains.
The below two domains have been significantly enhanced with question bank updates:
  • Domain I: Risk Strategy and Planning
  • Domain II: Risk Identification 
This is applicable across, i.e., the I Want To Be A RMP book, the RMP 30/40 Contact hours and Guaranteed RMP course. 

4. New video sets for RMP application process.
A number of videos have been added to fill the RMP application form. These are exhaustive set of videos to guide you through.

In fact, aspiring RMPs have used these videos to fill-up and have their application approved. You have to careful while filling the form in order to avoid being rejected. 

This update is part of the RMP Live Lessons course.

5. RMP application templates and RMP sample applications.
Both RMP Application Templates and Sample Applications have been provided so that you can fill-up your forms. A number of associated videos are also added to enable you. 

This is update is part of the RMP Live Lessons course.

6. Updates for the software tools. 
For the RMP exam, you’ve to know a large of tools and techniques and have to answer them based on scenarios or situations in a short time. The software spreadsheet tools have been provided for this purpose. These tools enable faster and better learning. The tools have been updated.

This update is for RMP Live Lessons course.
 
7. Introduction of new tools and techniques.
This is not related to the PMBOK Guide, 8th edition, but related new releases from PMI related to risk management. Some new tools and techniques have been added based on the latest releases.

This update has happened across all as needed - RMP book, 30/40 contact hours and RMP Live Lessons course.

8. Addition of PowerPoint slides for easier navigability.
For easier navigability with respect to the video, the PowerPoint slides have been added. This is for each lesson. This will ensure you can revisit quickly, too.

This update is for both: RMP Contact Hours and RMP Live Lessons – Guaranteed Pass. 

9. Extensive coverage of Hybrid-Agile.
In the released risk management related standards and guides, hybrid is included across all – portfolios, programs and projects. There has been content additions and video updates related to hybrid. 

Some of the content have been taken from the CHAMP (Hybrid-Agile) to make your understanding clearer. However, the focus in the aforementioned courses and book is on risk management.

This update is applicable across all – I Want To Be A RMP book, RMP 30/40 Contact hours and Guaranteed RMP course. 

10. Content from Practical RMP.
To make risk management understandable and applicable in the field, I've updated/modified few snippets from real-world software tools such as Primavera Risk Management Analysis. Such content are taken from Practical RMP with Primavera Risk Analysis course.

This update is applicable across all – I Want To Be A RMP book, RMP 30/40 Contact hours and Guaranteed RMP course. 

Conclusion: Impact of Gen-AI – Little to None!
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are built with freely available data/data-set from the internet. The internet/web is filled with very rudimentary questions. It no way matches the real standard of questions in the RMP Exam.

With the emergence of AI, particulary generative AI tools, questions created by those tools are again fed back to them to create another! Imagine the quality of the questions.

The RMP exam is of high standard. The RMP credential is also a highly specialized certification like CIPSA (Scaled Agile) or CHAMP (Hybrid-Agile). 


More importantly, it’s time you invest, which cannot be recovered. I keep saying:

Time is more important than money. Money can be recovered, but time cannot.

Though useful in certain cases and situations, AI can’t help you understand complex risk management concepts. It can’t match human explanations with figures, flow diagrams, detailed exercises, interactions, among many others. AI can’t also answer your questions face-to-face in a human way, which needs emotional engagement and commitment. 

To succeed in the RMP exam, without any doubt, you have to prepare with the right content. 

Before purchasing, if you have any questions or need clarifications please contact: managementyogi@gmail.com


Practical RMP (Unique, Hands-on):

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Sunday, September 27, 2026

CHAMP vs. Leading Hybrid-Agile Certifications: An AI-Powered Comparison of Skills, Value and Impact


The CHAMP (Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional) certification is the world’s first practical, hands-on certification specifically for Hybrid-Agile management. It's also the only standard certification giving a variety of hybrid-agile approaches. CHAMP teaches the integration of Waterfall (Predictive) and Agile (Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban) approaches within a single project plan using MS Project. 

It is an intensely practical course featuring over 100 downloadable exercises. It guides you from traditional planning to full Hybrid-Scrum, Hybrid-Kanban, and Hybrid-Scrumban execution. The exam requires a 70% score and tests both theoretical understanding and the ability to configure hybrid timelines, baselines, and earned value reports in software.

There are really very few real hybrid-agile certifications. The below table shows the comparison of CHAMP with three others, which are relevant. 

The other three are: AHPP (Agile Hybrid Project Pro) and Project Management Profesional (PMP) from PMI and Agile v2 from PRINCE2. AHPP is specifically designed for hybrid-agile management. Prince2-Agilev2 informs  about its high suitability in hybrid environments.

PMI’s PMP also covers hybrid-agile management. A significant number of PMP questions will come from hybrid. To clear the PMP exam, you must know them. Hence, it's also taken into consideration. 

Comparative Analysis: CHAMP vs. AHPP vs. Prince2(Agile) vs. PMP

The star rating is as follows.

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Very high, 
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = High, 
  • ⭐⭐⭐ = Medium,
  • ⭐⭐ = Low, and
  • ⭐ = Very low.

You can do your own research to proceed with the course of your liking. You can also use the available Artificial Intelligence or Gen-AI tools to check. Their results will be quite close.

Inputs for comparison on hybrid have come from professionals who are multi-certified, such as CHAMP, PMP and/or others. In fact, few professionals who are both CHAMP and PMP certified have written their success stories on this website.

From the above table, CHAMP gives the best value for money with highest overall rating – followed by PRINCE2 Agile 2, PMI-AHPP and PMI-PMP, respectively.

Compare CHAMP with Others using Artificial Intelligence Tools

To compare all, I used multiple AI tools. I've given for the results from ChatGPT, which is perhaps the most widely used one. 

When I checked with ChatGPT, I used the prompt below:

"Compare CHAMP hybrid-agile certification with PMI-AHPP, PRINCE2 Agile 2, and PMI-PMP. Compare across the following factors. Give star rating for each and a final rating. 

1. Practical/Hands-on Focus

2. Tool Integration (e.g., MS Project or Others)

3. Hybrid Depth (Waterfall + Agile)

4. Governance and Structure

5. Market Recognition

6. Cost Effectiveness

7. Exam Format and Difficulty

8. Suitability for Hybrid Industries

9. Flexibility in Tailoring

10. Prerequisites

11. Value for Money"

The response was similar to the above table. You can try it too and it'd give similar ratings with a few variations, because exact match doesn't happen in the responses. 

Next, considering the above table, ChatGPT gave the  final overall rating with primary strength as shown in the table below.


The formula for the calculation is the following one. 

= Final Rating (%) 

= (Sum of 11 parameter scores ÷ 55) × 100

For example, for CHAMP:

= Total Points

= 5 + 5 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 5 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 

= 50

So, for CHAMP, it's: 

= (50 ÷ 55) × 100 

= 4.55 / 5

= 90.91% (each parameter is scored out of 5  and there are 11 parameters, hence this calculation)

You can also ask independently with the above parameters from a learner's point of view. CHAMP will emerge as a top choice.


Next, I gave the following prompt:

"Give a short summary on above four hybrid-agile certifications: Management Yogi's CHAMP, PMI-AHPP, PRINCE2 Agile v2, PMI-PMP. Inform the final and most preferred one."

The exact final summary from ChatGPT was as follows:

"Management Yogi's CHAMP, PRINCE2 Agile 2, PMI-AHPP, and PMI-PMP all support hybrid project environments, but with different strengths: CHAMP (Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional) is the most hands-on and specifically focused on combining Waterfall, Scrum and Kanban, with practical MS Project Agile application; PMI-AHPP (Agile Hybrid Project Pro) provides a concise PMI-backed introduction to Agile and Hybrid practices; PRINCE2 Agile v2 combines Agile delivery with strong governance, structure and tailoring; and PMP (Project Management Professional) offers the broadest project-management coverage and by far the strongest market recognition. Considering the overall balance of practical application, hybrid depth, tool integration, flexibility, cost and value for money, 🏆CHAMP is the most preferred choice for someone whose primary objective is to develop practical Hybrid-Agile management capability."

Note: Parameters can change. However, as interacted with hybrid-agile learners and practitioners the most important aspects are practical applicability, return on investment (or value for money and time), cost effectiveness, quick learnability (simplicity) as well real-world applicability. Hence, I chose the above parameters.

An input by professionals who are both CHAMP and PMP certified was this: 

"Be both – CHAMP and PMP. It's the best combination."

    
Further Breakdown

1. Practical/Hands-on Focus: CHAMP leads with a dedicated 80% practical curriculum using real software tools. Others are predominantly theoretical.

2. Tool Integration: CHAMP again is unique in explicitly training on MS Project Agile for hybrid-agile management. Any other tool with hybrid capability can be taken. Prince 2 Agile v2 has understanding of tools usage such as Gantt Charting, dependency management, baselines etc., but there is no specific tool demonstration.

3. Market Recognition: Here PMI-PMP is the most visible one. Both AHPP and PRINCE2 are too visible. CHAMP was launched a few years ago and has much increased visibility since then. 

4. Cost Effectiveness: CHAMP, followed by PMI-AHPP, offer the best value for your invested money. Again, as informed by many CHAMPs – the certified ones – it’s the best ever certification with best value for your money.

5. Renewal Cost: Like CIPSA, the CHAMP certification also has no renewal cost. PMI-AHPP also has no renewal cost. However, both PMP and PRINCE2 have renewal cost.

6. Flexibility: CHAMP is most flexible one and you can have a variety of Hybrid-Scrum, Hybrid-Kanban and Hybrid-ScrumBan approaches. It’s followed by AHPP and PRINCE2 Agile v2. 

7. Learning Curve: CHAMP has the minimal learning curve. Basic understanding of traditional and agile will set you up. PMP will have the longest learning curve. 

Video: Top 10 Reasons to be a CHAMP

You can watch the following video to learn the top reasons to with the CHAMP certification.

 

Conclusion

CHAMP is the definitive choice for project and program managers who need to execute hybrid strategies rather than just understand them. While other certifications like AHPP provides theoretical knowledge and PRINCE2 Agile v2 provides good governance frameworks, neither matches CHAMP’s depth in tool-based implementation. The PMP certification is well-known, but it's mostly theoretical.

Its unique focus on MS Project Agile ensures that certified professionals can immediately translate hybrid concepts into actionable plans. CHAMP is industry agnostic and can be used across – be it construction, government, education, manufacturing, software, healthcare, or others.

CHAMP’s rigorous, exercise-driven approach positions it as the premier credential for doers seeking to master the complexities of modern hybrid project delivery. 

Such a certification with skills acquired will help you the next Monday morning. You don't have to wait for months or years to apply.

In fact, as you can see most of the CHAMP Success Stories and Reviews so far are diverse:

  • Education,
  • Government, 
  • Software, and others.

This is often highlighted by professionals who are CHAMPs and have received value out of it. 

Check out the latest CHAMP Success Story 👉: Bridging Predictive and Agile Worlds with Hybrid-Agile Mastery


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Monday, September 14, 2026

Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA Certification): CIPSA Sprint Goal – What It Is and What It’s Not!


Earlier in this article, I articulated about Product Goal, which is part of the Product Backlog – be it CIPSA Scaled Scrum or CIPSA Scaled Kanban. 

While Product Goal is a key goal, another key goal is the CIPSA Sprint Goal. 

As the Product Goal is part of the Product Backlog, the CIPSA Sprint Goal is part of the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. It’s different from the Sprint Goal that you’d have learned from typical team-level Scrum framework.

At scale, the goal for the entire CIPSA team will is not equivalent to the individual Scrum Team’s Sprint Goal. 

In this article, we will know what a CIPSA Sprint Goal means for a large scaled Scrum team and clarify common misconceptions about this goal. 

Among many, I’ve outlined the following points. Detailed understanding will be part of the CIPSA Certification Course. 

CIPSA Sprint Goal – What It’s and What It’s Not! 

1 # Not Long-Term, but Short-Term

Unlike the Product Goal, the CIPSA Sprint Goal is not long-term. It is a short-term objective for the current CIPSA Sprint, helping the CIPSA Team make progress toward the Product Goal! 

As it’s specific to the CIPSA Sprint, it has to be achieved by the end of the CIPSA Sprint, which is of short duration. 

2 # Not Individual Team Goals, but One Shared Goal

The CIPSA Sprint Goal is not a collection of separate Team Sprint Goals. It is one shared goal for the entire CIPSA Team. The individual Scrum Teams will still have their own Team Sprint Goals, which will be part of their individual Team Sprint Backlogs. 

The CIPSA Sprint Goal provides a common direction across those teams, rather than allowing every team to optimize only for its own work. Local optimization, while ignoring the entire CIPSA team, is a big NO. With that attitude and behavior, CIPSA is not going to work. 

3 # Not Independent of Product Goal, but Aligned with Product Goal

The CIPSA Sprint Goal does not exist in isolation. It should contribute toward achieving the Product Goal. This goal provides the longer-term direction for the product. Again, if you’ve read the Product Goal article, read to know the differences. 

4 # Not Task-Focused, but Value-Focused

The CIPSA Sprint Goal is not about completing a list of tasks. It describes why the Sprint is valuable and provides a common purpose for the work undertaken by multiple and individual Scrum teams. 

5 # Not Outside, but Inside 

The CIPSA Sprint Goal is inside the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. Similarly, the CIPSA Kanban Goal will be part of the CIPSA Kanban Backlog. It’s clear and visible to the entire CIPSA team. 

6 # Not a Replacement for Team Sprint Goals, but an Overarching Goal!

This is another area I want to emphasize. The CIPSA Sprint Goal is overarching goal for the entire CIPSA team. 

The CIPSA Sprint Goal does not eliminate individual Team Sprint Goals. Rather, the CIPSA Sprint Goal sits at the scaled level, with individual Team Sprint Goals supporting it. 

7 # Not the Final Destination, but a Step Toward the Product Goal

The CIPSA Sprint Goal is not the ultimate goal of the CIPSA Team. It represents one step toward the Product Goal. Multiple CIPSA Sprint Goals can therefore contribute to achieving the Product Goal over successive Sprints.

8 # Not CIPSA Sprint Backlog Driving, but CIPSA Sprint Backlog Driven

This another area where team makes mistakes. You first decide on the CIPSA Sprint Goal. This goal should drive the items to be taken for the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. It’s not the other way around. 

9 # Not Strategic, but Tactical

As we have seen before, the Product Goal is strategic in nature. It’s there to meet an organization’s strategy. CIPSA Sprint Goal, on the other hand, is tactical nature.  

CIPSA Sprint Goal – Summary Table

In summary, CIPSA Goal is another indispensable as this article has clearly informed. The CIPSA Sprint Goals are taken one at a time to achieve the Product Goal. 

The above points that we just learned is summarized in the table below.

Conclusion

To put it very simply, you can have this one line.

Product Goal →👉 CIPSA Sprint Goals →👉 Team Sprint Goals →👉 Work Done →👉 CIPSA Integrated Increment

This hierarchy is particularly important for CIPSA. As you would have noticed by this time, one Product Goal can be supported by multiple CIPSA Sprint Goals. And each CIPSA Sprint Goal can be supported by multiple Team Sprint Goals.


CIPSA – What It's and What It's Not Series:

All Articles in What It's and What It's Not - CIPSA


CIPSA Certification:



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Sunday, August 30, 2026

CIPSA vs. Other Certifications: An AI-Powered Comparison of Scaled Agile Certifications and Skills


The CIPSA (Certified In Practical Scaled Agile) certification is a specialized credential designed for Agile practitioners who need to scale Scrum or Kanban across multiple teams. It removes heavy overhead of traditional and theoretical frameworks. 

CIPSA distinguishes itself through a 70% practical, 30% theoretical curriculum that emphasizes hands-on tool usage. Though MS Project Agile is used for all the use cases and practicals, any other software tool with scaling capability can be used. Because the fundamentals will remain the same.

The software should support both Scaled Scrum and Scaled Kanban. Otherwise, it must allow customizations to do the needed scaling. MS Project Agile allows that and hence used.

The CIPSA Framework Guide is free to download and use. Detailed explaination is part of the course.  

CIPSA is hands-on, heads-on and hearts-on. Such learning builds skills, minds, and emotions with respect to Scrum at Scale and Kanban at Scale.

Next, let's see the comparsion with star ratings. 

Comparative Analysis: CIPSA vs. SAFe vs. Scrum@Scale vs. LeSS

 The star ratings, used in the below table, are as follows:

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Very high, 
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = High, 
  • ⭐⭐⭐ = Medium,
  • ⭐⭐ = Low, and
  • ⭐ = Very low.

The below comparison table is prepared by taking extensive inputs from many Scaled Agile practitioners, including CIPSA, SAFe, and other certified ones. You can also use any Artificial Intelligence (AI) – specifically Gen-AI tools to check. 


As shown above, CIPSA gets high rankings on many parameters. 

Compare CIPSA with Others using GenAI tools


In fact, I checked with ChatGPT and used the prompt below:

"Compare CIPSA with SAFe, Scrum@Scale and LeSS. Compare across the following parameters. Give star rating for each and a final rating. 

1. Practical, Hands-on Focus

2. Tool Integration (e.g., MS Project or Others)

3. Ease of Implementation

4. Role Clarity and Definition

5. Market Recognition 

6. Cost Effectiveness

7. Flexibility and Adaptability

8. Suitability Across Industries

9. Exam Difficulty

10. Value for Money"

CIPSA came on top as the preferred practical, tool-based Scaled Agile scaling. The star ratings were quite similar to the above table with a few variations.

Considering the above comparison table, following is the final ranking given by ChatGPT.
  • 🥇 CIPSA — 42/50 = 84%
  • 🥈 Scrum@Scale — 36/50 = 72%
  • 🥉 LeSS — 34/50 = 68%
  • SAFe — 33/50 = 66%

The formula for the calculation is the following one. 

= Final Rating (%) 

= (Sum of 10 parameter scores ÷ 50) × 100

For example, for CIPSA:

= Totol Points

= 5 + 5 + 4 + 5 + 2 + 5 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 5  

= 42

So, for CIPSA, it's: 

= (42 ÷ 50) × 100 

= 84% (each parameter is scored out of 5  and there are 10 parameters, hence this calculation)

With only numbers and stars, the final ratings are these.

1. CIPSA — 4.20/5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

2. Scrum@Scale — 3.60/5 ⭐⭐⭐½

3. LeSS — 3.40/5 ⭐⭐⭐⅖

4. SAFe — 3.30/5 ⭐⭐⭐⅓


Next, I gave the following prompt:

"Give a short summary paragraph on all the above scaled agile certifications, which clearly informs on all four. Inform the final and most preferred one - just one."

The response from ChatGPT was exactly as follows:

"CIPSA, SAFe, Scrum@Scale, and LeSS are four approaches to scaling Agile, each with a different emphasis: CIPSA (Certified In Practical Scaled Agile) focuses on practical, hands-on implementation and tool integration; SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) provides the strongest enterprise structure and market recognition; Scrum@Scale (Scrum at Scale) offers a flexible, lightweight approach to coordinating multiple Scrum teams; and LeSS (Large-Scale Scrum) emphasizes simplicity and minimal additional roles and processes. Considering the overall criteria—including practicality, ease of implementation, flexibility, cost effectiveness, tool integration, and value for money—CIPSA is the most preferred overall, particularly for professionals seeking practical, implementation-focused scaled Agile capability."

You can try it on your own to evaluate by using the above prompts in ChatGPT. You can also check with any AI tool, worldwide. CIPSA will emerge as a top choice.

Further Breakdown

1. Practical/Hands-on Focus: CIPSA leads with a dedicated 70% practical curriculum using real tools. Few others follow with strong experiential learning via "whiteboard" exercises. Rest of them are mostly theoretical, focusing on framework rules and roles rather than tool-based execution. 

2. Tool Integration: CIPSA is unique in explicitly training on MS Project Agile for scaled agile management. Others have broad vendor support (e.g., Jira or Rally in SAFe) but they teach theoretical concepts rather than specific tool mechanics. Few others are have no tool support. 

3. Market Recognition: Here SAFe leads in the enterprise market with a number of certified practitioners, ranking it higher. CIPSA is a specialized certification with growing global footprint. 

4. Cost Effectiveness: CIPSA, followed by Scrum@Scale and LeSS, offer the best value for your invested money.  Some certifications demand US $800–$1,500 or more for training. 

As informed by all certified CIPSAs, the certification gives the highest value for money. CIPSA certification also has no renewal cost.

5. Flexibility: LeSS is typically considered to be the most flexible, stripping away unnecessary roles to rely on pure Scrum. SAFe is considered to be the most rigid, requiring significant process adoption, for example ARTs, PI Planning etc. CIPSA balances this by offering a structured yet tool-driven approach that adapts to existing workflows. 

CIPSA certification is also one of the few scaled frameworks which supports Kanban at Scale. In other words, you will know both: Scrum at Scale and Kanban at Scale. 

Video: Top 10 Reasons to be a CIPSA

You can watch the following video to learn the top reasons to with the CIPSA certification.


Conclusion

In conclusion, CIPSA serves as a high-value, yet highly economical alternative for organizations and individuals seeking immediate, actionable scaling skills. CIPSA is not just theoretical knowledge, which is of little to no use in the real-world. It's thoroughly practical and hands-on with deep explanations of theories. 

CIPSA is a growing certification and focuses on simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and tool-based execution. It's uniquely suited for teams that need to deliver complex products or solutions quickly.

By bridging the gap between team-level Agile and enterprise scaling through practical application, CIPSA equips practitioners in a world which is dominated by theoretical understanding but little practical applicability. 


CIPSA Certification – In-depth, Practical, and Economical

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Sunday, August 23, 2026

Practical Scrum at Scale with CIPSA: Key Roles and Goals (Part - 2)


This is second part of the series. You can read the earlier post in the link below. 

[Part - 1]

In this part, we will learn to use MS Project Agile to have a practical demonstration. It's not mandatory to use this software to scale as any other software with scaling capabilities for Scrum and Kanban can be used. 

I've extensively used this software as it provides capabilities for both Scrum and Kanban. In addition, the traditional aspects of project management are also available. This makes a powerful combination. 

Practical, Hands-on Demonstration

Now, let’s see how MS Project Agile can be used to have all the roles (resources). MS Project comes with a very simple, yet effective view – the Resource Sheet view. This view will be used to add the necessary resources, who play the desired roles.

After you add the resources for all the Scrum teams, the view will come as shown below.

As shown:

  • We have 18 resources across multiple Scrum teams.
  • Various resource related fields are populated by default.
  • For your Scaled Scrum work, you can also add other resources such as material and/or cost.

Next, to differentiate among the teams, we need to have a new custom field, i.e., Team custom field. This field can be added by going to Resource Sheet Tools > Format tab > Columns group > Custom Fields command.

Next, you can add the teams separately, but it’s better to have a look-up for the custom field. This can be done by using the “Lookup …” button highlighted in the above figure.

As shown above, for the Team Custom Field, we have five values:

  • Team A, B and C for resources of Team A, B and C.
  • Unassigned for unassigned resources.
  • All Teams will be resources used across the teams. For roles such as CPO and PSM, it will be an apt choice.
  • Unassigned has been set as the default one and hence the blue color coding.

Ensure that the Lookup radio button is enabled so that the values can take effect and will be available in the drop-down list. Next, we can populate this new Team custom field in our Resource Sheet view with the respective team values. The Team column has to be added into the existing list of columns in the view. Post population, it’ll come as shown below.

In addition, we can also associate the resources to the roles being played. The role can be added into the Group field, available by default or one can add a separate custom field. This is shown in the below figure.

As you’d have noticed, three resources are part of the entire CIPSA team (informed as “All Teams”):

  • John Robinson, a work resource, is the Chief Product Owner.
  • Satya Dash, a work resource, is the Principal Scrum Master.
  • Other resources have team specific roles and accountabilities.

Goals in Scaled Scrum *** UPDATED ***

Roles and goals are intricately related. Without clear roles and responsibilities (accountabilities), you won’t have clear goals.

As a matter of fact, I’ve interacted with many Scrum Masters and Product Owners, who don’t have any goal at all for their Sprints. It’s like getting into a train or bus, but without any end destination in mind! Ever travelled like that in any seriousness?

So, who will set the Goals and where? The goals are associated with the artifacts – Product Backlog, CIPSA Sprint Backlog and Team Sprint Backlog.

  • Goal for the product will be set by the Chief Product Owner. The Product Goal is part of the Product Backlog. The CPO also prepares the Product Goal and presents it to the CIPSA Team in the CIPSA Sprint Planning meeting.
  • Goal for the upcoming CIPSA Sprint meta-event will be set by the CIPSA Team. The CIPSA Sprint Goal is part of the CIPSA Sprint Backlog.

You can know more about the Product Goal in the following article:

Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA) Certification: Product Goal – What It Is and What It’s Not!

Goals for the upcoming Team Sprint events will be set by the individual and respective Team Product Owners. The Team Sprint Goal is part of the Team Sprint Backlog.

Video – Key Points Recap

Now, it’s a good time to recap what we have learned so far with the help of MS Project Agile software tool. To support this, I’ve provided the following video [duration: 4 minutes approx.]. For the best experience, you may want to go full-screen with HD mode and plug-in your earphones.


Conclusion *** UPDATED ***

In the beginning, I wrote: 

Simple is beautiful. Simple things are followed. And simplicity is sticky. 

It is applicable to many aspects of our lives, too. For example, as a kid, did you like the simple game of baseball, cricket, and/or badminton, or the complex game of synchronized swimming with eight or ten people and rules? I’m not saying synchronized swimming is not good, but which one did you mostly follow? You know the answer!

The CIPSA framework is intended to be simple, so that it can be followed easily. More importantly, it’s hands-on and practical. This can be used with any software tool, which provides Agile at Scale capability. MS Project Agile does that and hence it’s used. Of course, it can be used with any other software tool providing proper scaling capabilities.

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This article was first published by MPUG on March 11, 2025. This an updated version. 


References

[1] Certification Course: Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA), by ManagementYogi.com

[2] Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - CIPSA Certification

[3] The CIPSA Framework – A Simple Clock View

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Friday, August 21, 2026

Practical Scrum at Scale with CIPSA: Key Roles and Goals (Part - 1)



Scaling frameworks should be simple but will be used to deliver complex work. 

Scaled roles should be small in number, but will be used to deliver big solutions. 

Scaled events should be minimal, but the productivity should be maximal. 

I believe in it because simple is beautiful. Simple things scale well. Simple things are memorable. In fact, simplicity sticks. 

See here –10 scaling mistakes to avoid.

Indeed, some of the most beautiful things in the world are simple, yet powerful. The Sydney Opera House, when seen from outside, looks like nested flower petals. It’s simple, yet a beautiful architecture and projects a powerful image of Sydney harbor.

Microsoft’s Bing is a powerful search engine and now loaded with gen-AI search, yet has a very simple user interface (UI). It’s only a textbox to do your search. That’s it! Think about it for a moment. Can it be simpler than that?

Agile at Scale is no different.

Let me also inform you, to make things simple is not that simple! It’s actually very hard. It takes enormous time and effort, practice, a number of iterations with feedback.

The Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA) – pronounced 'sip-sa' – framework strives to be a simple one. It extends both team-level Scrum and team-level Kanban, in a minimal way in all aspects – be it events, roles, artifacts or others.

In this article, we are going to follow the CIPSA Scrum Framework. Here it’s specifically about scaling of roles and goals for Scrum at Scale. To understand the basics of this Practical Scaled Agile framework, you can check this article, specifically the first video in brief. You can also download the CIPSA Framework Guide for free here.

Two Key Roles in Scaled Scrum

Considering Scrum, the CIPSA Scrum framework adds only two new roles at scale:

  • Chief Product Owner (CPO)
  • Principal Scrum Master (PSM)

The CPO role is unique to CIPSA. The CPO is accountable for the Product Backlog. The CPO may be a dedicated individual or someone from the Product Owner Team (i.e., team of Product Owners from the individual teams) can play this role. The CPO creates a single, ordered backlog. The items from the backlog will be the deliverables by all teams.

The CIPSA Cross-Team Backlog Refinement and CIPSA Sprint Review meta-events are led by the CPO, with other product owners and needed representatives from the individual teams.

The PSM role is also unique to CIPSA. The PSM is accountable for the entire CISPA process. He or she focuses on the progress and helps in prioritization as well as removal of cross-team impediments. The PSM is also responsible for continuously improving the effectiveness of CIPSA processes. The PSM may be a dedicated individual or someone from the Scrum Master Team, i.e., a team of Scrum Masters from the individual Scrum teams.

The CIPSA Sprint Planning and CIPSA Sprint Retrospective meta-events are led by the PSM, with other Scrum Masters (SM) and the needed representatives from the individual Scrum teams.

As the role of CPO and PSM can be confusing for aspiring CIPSA certified professionals, the best way to know these roles is with the next two sections – what it is and what it’s not.

The Role of CPO – What it is and is Not *** UPDATED ***

The CPO sets the product vision, which is strategic and is aligned with organizational vision, mission and strategic objectives. The CPO is accountable for creating a single, ordered product backlog, which will be worked-upon by individual Scrum teams.

Now, the following differentiations inform what a CPO is not and what a CPO truly is for Scrum at scale:

  1. The Chief Product Owner does not get the product vision from the top executive team. The Chief Product Owner sets the product vision.
  2. The Chief Product Owner is not a portfolio or program manager. The Chief Product Owner is the visionary for the Product.
  3. The Chief Product Owner is not a backlog maintenance person. The Chief Product Owner is the main backlog strategist.
  4. The Chief Product Owner is not a lone-wolf. The Chief Product Owner works with other Team Product Owners, stakeholders and customers.
  5. The Chief Product Owner does not have a management mindset. The Chief Product Owner has an ownership mindset.

You can know more about the role of the CPO in the following article:

CIPSA Certification: The Chief Product Owner (CPO) – What It Is and What It’s Not!

The above article also has an accompanying video explanation. 

The Role of PSM – What it is and is Not *** UPDATED ***

The PSM ensures (i.e., accountable) the CIPSA meta-events take place, conducted in the right way and within a timebox. After all, the PSM is accountable for the CIPSA process. The PSM also improves the effectiveness of the Scaled Scrum, such as higher quality, lesser number of bugs and lower cost.

To make this role clearer, the following differentiations outlines what a PSM is not and what a PSM actually is for Scrum at scale:

  1. The Principal Scrum Master is not the manager of the CIPSA team. A Principal Scrum is a true leader who serves the team and organization.
  2. The Principal Scrum Master is not concerned about intra-team dependencies. The Principal Scrum Master focusses on inter-team dependencies.
  3. The Principal Scrum Master does not track the individual Team Increments. The Principal Scrum Master tracks the overall product work and progress.
  4. The Principal Scrum Master is not concerned about individual risks arising from individual teams. The Principal Scrum Master is concerned about the cross-team risks.
  5. The Principal Scrum Master is not a replacement for individual Team Scrum Masters. The Principal Scrum Master complements the individual Team Scrum Masters!

You can know more about the role of the PSM in the following article:

CIPSA Certification: The Principal Scrum Master (PSM) – What It Is and What It’s Not!

The above article also has an accompanying video explanation for the PSM role. 

Figurative Representations – Scaled Scrum Key Roles

Let’s see how the CPO and PSM are part of the entire CIPSA team. The below figure represents these rolls within the team.

As shown above:

  • We have three Scrum Teams: Scrum Team A, B and C. Each team has its own individual team members.
  • At scale, the CIPSA team has the Chief Product Owner (CPO).
  • At scale, the CIPSA team also has the Principal Scrum Master (PSM).
  • The CIPSA team is considered to be a single entity and there is no throw-over-the-wall mentality.

You might be wondering about the individual Scrum teams’ roles. The below figure shows a high-level view.

As shown above:

  • Each Scrum team will have roles such as Product Owner (PO), Scrum Master (SM) and developers or team members.
  • There can be some specialized roles, but then also do remember that the team members are generalizing specialists with broken-comb skill sets.
  • While the individual Scrum teams have their own goals and deliverables, they have to integrate for the entire CIPSA team.

At scale, I’ll be not focusing on the individual roles, as the focus is on the entire CIPSA team, CIPSA integrated increment, cross-team risks, cross-team dependencies etc.

Use the below link to read the second part.



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