PSM II Certification

[IMAGE: PSM II Certification Badge/Logo]

Here’s something that might surprise you: only around 5% of PSM I holders ever attempt the PSM II certification.

That’s not because they don’t want to advance their careers. It’s because PSM II represents a fundamental shift from memorizing Scrum concepts to applying them in messy, real-world situations. And that’s what makes it so valuable.

But if you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering whether PSM II is worth the investment. Or maybe you’ve already decided and need a roadmap to success. Either way, you’re in the right place.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the Professional Scrum Master II certification. From understanding what makes it fundamentally different from PSM I to developing the advanced competencies that separate good Scrum Masters from great ones.

“The journey from PSM I to PSM II mirrors the evolution from knowing Scrum to living Scrum. You cannot fake the experience component, it shows in every answer.” – Ken Schwaber, Co-founder of Scrum

[Link opportunity: PSM I certification guide, PSM III certification, PSM Certifications overview]

PSM II: Fundamental Differences

To start off, PSM II isn’t just a harder version of PSM I.

It’s a different beast.

While PSM I tests your knowledge of Scrum mechanics: roles, events, artifacts.

PSM II evaluates your ability to navigate complex organizational challenges using Scrum principles. The exam consists of 30 scenario-based questions that must be completed in 90 minutes, with an 85% passing score required.

Here’s what that means in practice.

PSM I question

“Who is responsible for managing the Product Backlog?“

PSM II question

“Your organization has five products managed by separate teams. Stakeholders are demanding faster delivery across all products. The executives want to combine teams for efficiency. How should you, as a Scrum Master, respond to this situation?“

[VIDEO: “PSM II vs PSM I: What’s Really Different”]

Know what I’m sayin’?

PSM II questions don’t have obvious answers sitting in the Scrum Guide.

They require you to apply Scrum values and principles to solve real organizational problems.

The exam costs $250 USD per attempt, and unlike some certifications that award points for attendance, Scrum.org requires you to actually demonstrate knowledge through testing.

The biggest mistake I see from experienced Scrum Masters is approaching PSM II like an advanced knowledge test. It’s not. It’s a situational judgment assessment. You need to think like a coach, not like someone reciting from a manual.

Advanced Scrum Master Competency Framework

[IMAGE: Competency Framework Diagram – Visual breakdown of four core competency areas with percentages]

PSM II evaluates four core competency areas, each representing roughly 20-30% of the exam content.

Let’s break down what each area really means for your day-to-day work as a Scrum Master.

“PSM II certification validates that you understand not just what to do as a Scrum Master, but when and how to apply different approaches based on context and organizational maturity.” – Scrum.org Official Statement

Evolving the agile organization

This takes up about 25-30% of the exam, and isn’t about convincing your team to do daily stand-ups. It’s about helping entire organizations embrace empiricism and self-management.

You need to understand how to:

• Guide organizational transformation without forcing change
• Help leadership understand the difference between predictive and empirical approaches
• Navigate political resistance to Scrum adoption
• Scale Scrum practices across multiple teams while maintaining agility

Real scenario you might face: Your company’s executives want detailed project timelines six months in advance. How do you help them understand empirical planning while still meeting their need for visibility?

Facilitation & coaching

This is another 25-30% of the test, and is where many Scrum Masters struggle. Facilitation isn’t just running meetings, it’s creating environments where teams can solve complex problems together.

Advanced facilitation includes:

• Coaching through conflict – Coaching team members through conflict without taking sides
• Having tough conversations – Facilitating difficult conversations about team dysfunction
• Mentoring – Serving as a mentor to other Scrum Masters in your organization
• Being an educator – Teaching Scrum concepts through experiential learning rather than lectures

[VIDEO: “Advanced Scrum Master Facilitation Techniques”]

The coaching aspect goes deeper. You’re not fixing problems for teams… You’re helping them develop the capability to fix problems themselves.

Product value & stakeholder management

Coming in hot at about 20-25%, this is something that surprises many Scrum Masters – you need to understand product management, even though you’re not the Product Owner!

This competency covers:

• Helping Product Owners maximize value delivery
• Managing stakeholder expectations when requirements change
• Understanding how business metrics connect to team activities
• Facilitating alignment between development teams and business objectives

Scrum mastery & team development

And finally, landing around the last 20-25% mark, this is advanced team dynamics. You’re dealing with high-performing teams that face complex challenges, not just teams learning the basics of Scrum.

• Building psychological safety in challenging environments
• Supporting team members through difficult organizational changes
• Developing other Scrum Masters and agile coaches

Most people underestimate the facilitation and coaching portion. They think it’s about knowing techniques. It’s actually about reading group dynamics and knowing when to intervene, and when not to.

PSM I vs PSM II

[IMAGE: PSM I vs PSM II Comparison Infographic – Side-by-side visual showing differences in exam format, question types, and focus areas]

If you’ve passed PSM I, you already know you can study hard and pass tests. PSM II requires a different approach entirely.

Knowledge depth requirements

PSM I	PSM II
Focus: Framework knowledge	Focus: Principle application
Questions: Direct, fact-based	Questions: Scenario-based, interpretive
Study approach: Memorization + understanding	Study approach: Experience + pattern recognition
Time pressure: Manageable (80 questions, 60 minutes)	Time pressure: Intense (30 questions, 90 minutes)

The time pressure deserves special attention. You have about 3 minutes per question, but if you’re well-prepared, you’ll answer most questions quickly, giving you time to consider the challenging ones.

Question style transformation

PSM I questions test your knowledge of what the Scrum Guide says.

PSM II questions test your understanding of what the Scrum Guide means in complex situations.

PSM II questions are longer than PSM I ones and present situations that require reflection rather than immediate answers. You won’t find example answers through AI or search engines because these scenarios require deep understanding and judgment – often times from lived experiences.

Real-world Experience

Since you can’t study your way to PSM II success, you’ll need to build practical experience applying Scrum in complex situations.

For current Scrum Masters

Document complex scenarios you encounter.

Start keeping a journal of challenging situations and how you handled them. Use the Situation / Action /Result format:

• Situation – What difficult challenge did your team/organization face?
• Action – What specific steps did you take and why?
• Result – What happened and what did you learn?

Pay attention to cross-team facilitation opportunities.

Volunteer to facilitate discussions between teams with dependencies. These situations will teach you stakeholder management and organizational dynamics that PSM II tests.

Practice advanced coaching techniques.

Look for opportunities to mentor new Scrum Masters or help struggling team members. The exam heavily emphasizes coaching scenarios.

For aspiring advanced practitioners

Get involved in organizational transformation efforts.

Even if you’re not leading them, observe how change happens in your organization. Volunteer for agile transformation committees or pilot programs.

Join the broader Scrum community.

Attend local Scrum events, participate in online discussions, and engage with other practitioners. PSM II tests your understanding of Scrum principles that go beyond basic framework knowledge.

Practice facilitation in non-work settings.

Run retrospectives for volunteer organizations or help community groups solve problems. The skills transfer directly.

[VIDEO: “Real Scrum Master Scenarios: How to Think Through Complex Problems”]

Document your experience

Keep detailed notes so that you can create a repository of material to look back on and pull out when you face the exam.

• Times when Scrum values conflicted with organizational pressures
• Situations where you had to coach someone through a difficult transition
• Moments when you helped teams solve problems without giving them the answer
• Examples of how you helped stakeholders understand empirical approaches

The exam scenarios reflect challenges you only encounter after working with multiple teams in different organizational contexts. If you’ve only worked with one team in one company, consider expanding your experience before attempting PSM II.

PSM-2 Study Strategy & Timeline

[IMAGE: Study Timeline Visual – Flowchart showing 6-8 week vs 10-12 week study paths]

Your study timeline should match your experience level. Don’t rush this, PSM II rewards depth over speed.

Experience-based timeline

Experienced Scrum Masters

For those that have been in the field for a year or more, consider the following 6 to 8 week plan.

• Weeks 1-2: Complete all Scrum.org open assessments until you score 95%+ consistently
• Weeks 3-4: Deep dive into advanced Scrum topics using official resources
• Weeks 5-6: Practice scenario-based thinking with third-party assessments
• Weeks 7-8: Final preparation and mock exams

Newer Scrum Masters

For those that are just starting out and have less than 1 year of experience (6 to 12 months), consider the following 10 to 12 week plan and add 4 weeks for experience building:

• Volunteer for additional facilitation opportunities
• Shadow senior Scrum Masters or agile coaches
• Focus extra time on areas where you lack practical experience

Resource prioritization

Essential primary resources.

1. Scrum Guide – Read it weekly, focusing on different aspects each time
2. Scrum.org blog articles – Written by Professional Scrum Trainers (PSTs)
3. All Scrum.org open assessments – Take every available assessment type

Secondary resources.

1. “Scrum Mastery” by Geoff Watts – Excellent for coaching scenarios
2. “Scrum: A Pocket Guide” by Gunther Verheyen – Deeper framework understanding
3. Third-party practice exams – For scenario practice (but verify quality)

Thoughts on PST training

Professional Scrum Master II training courses start around $1,000 and include a free exam attempt. This investment makes sense if:

• You learn better in interactive environments
• You want immediate feedback on your thinking
• You can afford the investment in your career development

Advanced Exam Preparation

[VIDEO: “PSM II Exam Walkthrough: What to Expect”]

With PSM II you’re sharpening judgment.

Develop scenario-based thinking

Practice root cause analysis

When you encounter any problem at work, practice identifying multiple potential causes and solutions. PSM II questions often have several partially correct answers, and you need to identify the best approach.

Think from multiple stakeholder perspectives

For any scenario, consider how a developer, Product Owner, executive, and customer might view the situation differently. The best PSM II answers often balance these competing perspectives.

Apply Scrum values to decision-making

Every PSM II answer should align with the five Scrum values: commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect.

If an answer choice violates these values, it’s likely wrong.

Important facilitation scenarios

Based on exam patterns and PST feedback, focus on these scenario types:

• Be neutral – Team conflict resolution without taking sides
• Expectation setting – Stakeholder expectation management when scope or timeline changes
• Resistance to change – Organizational resistance to Scrum practices
• Coaching – Product Owner coaching when they struggle with prioritization
• Cross functional orchestration – Multi-team coordination and dependency management
• Leadership education – Executive guidance about empirical approaches

Language and global considerations

Many people successfully use the Google Translate Plugin to take the test in their native language, but the quality isn’t guaranteed. If English isn’t your first language, practice reading complex scenarios under time pressure.

Common failure patterns

Pay attention to the details and make sure you’re not tripped up when presented with these situations.

1. Choosing the “Helpful” answer instead of the “Coaching” answer – PSM II favors solutions that build team capability over quick fixes
2. Missing subtle language differences – Words like “could” vs “should” completely change the meaning
3. Overthinking simple scenarios – Sometimes the straightforward answer is correct
4. Ignoring Scrum values – Technical solutions that violate openness or respect are usually wrong

Test Day Strategy

[IMAGE: Exam Day Strategy Flowchart – Visual representation of three-pass approach with time allocations]

Tactical approach

First pass – Read each question carefully and answer the ones you’re confident about. Mark uncertain questions for review.

Est. time: 30-40 minutes.

Second pass – Focus on marked questions. Leverage the open-book policy, you can reference the Scrum Guide during the exam.

Est. time: 20-30 minutes.

Final pass – Review all answers, especially questions where you selected multiple options.

Est. time: 20-30 minutes.

Question analysis

For scenario-based questions, take the following into consideration.

1. Identify the core challenge – What’s really happening beyond the surface issue?
2. Consider stakeholder impact – How does each answer affect different people?
3. Apply Scrum values – Which answer best embodies Scrum principles?
4. Think long-term – Which approach builds capability vs. solving immediate problems?

Post-exam actions

✅ If you pass – You’ll receive your certification immediately.

Use this momentum to update your professional profiles, consider next certification steps (PSM III or complementary certifications) and/or share your experience with the Scrum community.

❌ If you don’t pass – Don’t fret. You’re allowed unlimited retakes at $250 per attempt.

Take time to analyze which areas you struggled with and gain more practical experience in weak areas. If budget allows, consider taking a PST training course if you haven’t already.

Career Advancement

[IMAGE: Career Progression Pathway – Visual showing progression from PSM I → PSM II → PSM III and related certifications]

PSM II opens doors that PSM I simply can’t. Here’s how to maximize your investment.

“After earning my PSM II, I went from facilitating single teams to leading enterprise-wide agile transformations. The certification didn’t just validate my knowledge—it opened up entirely new career possibilities I hadn’t even considered.” – Sarah Chen, Senior Agile Coach

Job positioning

Begin getting ready to position yourself as Senior Scrum Master. As a newly certified Level 2 Professional Scrum Master, you’re well on your way to understanding how to handle complex, multi-team environments.

In addition, many organizations require PSM II or equivalent for coaching positions, and a PSM-2 opens up doors as an Agile Coach.

And finally, at the executive level consider transformation leadership roles that help lead organizational change initiatives.

Salary and market differentiation

While specific salary data varies by region, PSM II holders consistently command premium compensation because of the certification’s rigor. The 5% advancement rate makes you part of a more select group.

“Organizations are willing to pay 15-25% more for PSM II certified Scrum Masters because they know these professionals can handle complex, multi-team environments without constant supervision.” – 2024 Agile Salary Survey Report

[VIDEO: “Career Growth After PSM II Certification”]

Certification next steps

If you want to take this a notch even further, the following PSM certifications would further deepen your subject matter expertise both vertically, and horizontally.

• PSM III – The elite certification for distinguished Scrum Masters
• Product Owner Track – PSPO I and II complement Scrum Master skills
• Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) – The pathway to training others

Conclusion and Readiness Assessment

PSM II isn’t just another certification to add to your resume or professional social media profile. It’s evidence that you can apply Scrum principles to solve real organizational problems.

The advanced facilitation and coaching skills you develop preparing for PSM II will serve you throughout your career, regardless of whether your organization uses Scrum. These are leadership capabilities that translate across industries and methodologies.

Self-assessment checklist

• Experience – You’ve worked as a Scrum Master for at least 6-12 months across multiple teams or contexts
• Application – You can describe specific examples of coaching team members through complex challenges
• Facilitation – You’ve successfully facilitated difficult conversations between stakeholders with competing interests
• Principles – You can explain how Scrum values apply to organizational decision-making beyond just team activities

If you checked all these boxes, you’re ready to begin serious PSM-2 preparation.

If not, focus on building experience in your weak areas first.

The road to getting certified will make you a better Scrum Master, regardless of whether you pass on your first attempt. The process of studying forces you to think more deeply about your practice and develop more sophisticated approaches to complicated challenges.

And let’s not forget, only 5% of PSM I holders ever attempt this certification!

Just by taking your preparation seriously – you’re already demonstrating the courage and commitment that separate advanced practitioners from the rest.