Since the WelfareCSM program started in June 2009, 12 courses have taken place in 11 cities (3 countries) and over 170 people from many different industries have had the opportunity to learn Scrum and receive the Certified ScrumMaster certificate, despite financial difficulty and lack of employer support. The program continues to run, and these numbers continue to increase. — Tobias Mayer, 17 October 2009
We are in the midst of an economic downturn. People are losing jobs, losing money and having to rethink their priorities. In addition, the whole world of business is undergoing a profound change which is likely to affect the way we work for the remainder of this century, and beyond: mechanical systems are out, human systems are in. In this time of economic uncertainty and shifting paradigms some people will react with fear and panic, clinging on to old ideas and closing their hearts and minds. Others will respond with laughter and ingenuity, seeking and embracing the new opportunities that will arise from the current chaos.
It is this latter group that I wish to address. New ways of working require new thinking. Scrum —a simple software development framework— can offer a creative leap for people in any industry – or people in no industry at all: loners, thinkers, inventors, street corner philosophers, maybe you. Scrum is simple and effective. It can be taught in two days, and its essence will act as a springboard for your own ideas and ways of being in the world of work. Try it.
If you haven't come across Scrum before please read The Essence of Scrum for a general overview, and read What is Scrum? for the software development context.
WelfareCSM is a program designed by Tobias Mayer to embrace the change we are currently experiencing in the world. The aim of WelfareCSM is two-fold:
1. To offer low-cost or no-cost Scrum training, including Certified Scrum Master training to individuals in low-paid jobs, the unemployed, students and anyone working for a company that has cut its training budget in this time of crisis.
2. To spread the principles, practices and values of Scrum beyond the software world, by training people from other industries, and those involved in other kinds of work or community activities.
In keeping with the Statement of Intent, the aim is to keep the cost of these workshops as low as possible to attract the target group while still earning enough to justify their continuation. There is a requirement that the participants pay out of their own pocket, and are not sponsored by an employer. These workshops are not cheap alternatives for companies wanting to train their staff. This is a personal commitment, and should be acknowledged and embraced as such by all participants: real change begins within. Please only apply to join a WelfareCSM course if you are willing to accept this condition.
For genuinely unemployed people and students the price is # of which US$50* goes to the Scrum Alliance to pay for the CSM certificate. For independent consultants and paid professionals whose companies will not pay for Scrum training the price is #, which represents around one third the price of a regular CSM. Every IT person is expected to bring a non-IT guest. This may be your spouse, your financial advisor, your attorney, your pastor... another soccer mom or little league dad, an associate from the PTA, or a friend working in another industry, indeed anyone who is interested, and willing to give two full days of their time. The price for non-IT guests is # (or # if they want the CSM certificate).
The trainings will be held in low-cost spaces such as church halls, community centers or in donated spaces, which could be anywhere. Comfort is not a priority. Participants organize their own lunch. This may be a pot-luck, a pizza delivery, or a trip to a local restaurant. An essential element of each course is the building of community.
All participants will be signed up to a temporary Google group where they are expected to get to know one another before the training, share stories and discuss what they hope to get from the experience. After the training the participants will be invited to join the Scrum Collective to participate in discussion — and in action.
* The US$50 fee is correct at the time of writing. The Scrum Alliance is currently piloting a written test component for the CSM certificate, and when fully implemented this may carry a charge. You are advised to read the latest information of CSM costs on the Scrum Alliance website, here.
Most of the WelfareCSM workshops are taught by Tobias Mayer. That's me. I am an experienced Scrum practitioner and group facilitator. I have over 20 years experience as a coach and trainer, in many different environments, including community work. Over the past 14 years I have worked in the software industry – the last 6 years specifically in the Agile space. You can read more about me on my web site, and I encourage you to read my blog.
Partners: I occasionally partner with other skilled facilitators to run these courses, and some courses have been run solo by other CSTs. To date the facilitator list includes:
The Certified Scrum Master training is one of two entry-level certification courses offered by the Scrum Alliance and delivered by a number of different trainers. Each trainer adopts his or her own style to teach the same core set of principles and practices. An outline description of the course I currently teach can be found here.
"The Scrum Alliance is a nonprofit organization committed to delivering articles, resources, courses, and events that will help Scrum users be successful. [...] the Scrum Alliance's mission is to promote increased awareness and understanding of Scrum, provide resources to individuals and organizations using Scrum, and support the iterative improvement of the software development profession." — The Scrum Alliance
WelfareCSM supports the mission of the Scrum Alliance by making Scrum training more widely available, thus promoting awareness and understanding of Scrum.
Visit the workshop page to see specific dates and locations. To get a sense of what these classes are like, please read Joy and Chaos at the Hat Factory, which is a write up of the first WelfareCSM course, held in San Francisco. To understand the motivation behind the WelfareCSM program and learn more about how I view Scrum please watch the InfoQ video interview made during the Agile2009 conference in Chicago, August 2009.