SAFe Agilist vs SAFe scrum master

Who is a SAFe^® Agilist?

A SAFe® Agilist is a person who assists the firm in achieving business agility. The individual works closely with various teams and stakeholders to facilitate change management while also helping the organization in defining and achieving its vision. Scaled Agile, an Authorized Body for SAFe^® Certifications, awards the SAFe^® Agilist credential. Numerous organizations that collaborate with Scaled Agile Inc. provide the certification. The candidate is required to undergo a two-day training program, which includes a 16-hour training session. After completing the training, the candidate must pass an online test to become certified.

Who is the SAFe® Scrum Master?

The SAFe^® Scrum Master holds a crucial position as both a servant leader and a coach. Their main responsibility revolves around aiding teams and Agile Release Trains (ARTs) in providing value by facilitating vital team meetings and processes. Scaled Agile, Inc. grants the SAFe^® Scrum Master (SSM) certification to professionals. It entails a virtual two-day training course covering the fundamentals of Agile ideas and concepts, Extreme Programming (XP), Kanban, Scrum, and a functional understanding of software development processes. The exam price is included in the course package, but you have 30 days after finishing the course to take the exam. If you are unable to pass the exam on your first try, you must pay an extra fee of USD $50 to retake it.

SAFe® Agilist Vs SAFe® Scrum Master Table

You can clearly see how the SAFe^® Agilist and SAFe^® Scrum Master courses differ from one another by referring to the following table.

SAFe^® Agilist Vs SAFe^® Scrum Master: Roles and Responsibilities

SAFe^® Agilists

SAFe^® Agilists serve as mentors to their team members by assisting in the development of their expertise and helping them advance in their careers. They have various roles and responsibilities within the SAFe^® framework:

• Creating a long-term strategy for improving the Agile Development process, which serves as the foundation of a SAFe^® Agilist’s plan.
• Designing and executing incremental values through program management.
• Leading Agile Release Trains (ARTs), groups of 50-125 people dedicated to understanding a company’s mission.
• Enhancing the agile attitude and key values of SAFe^®, promoting innovation, thorough planning via analysis, and fostering adaptability.
• Employing a collaborative and helpful approach to lead several teams in a company, ensuring alignment with the company’s objectives.
• Being responsible for maintaining the smooth flow of the Kanban solution in Agile and DevOps implementations, emphasizing complete openness.

SAFe® Scrum Master

• The SAFe^® Scrum Master is responsible for offering assistance with estimation. They should provide the team with instructions on how to assess features and capabilities.
• By mentoring stakeholders and other non-agile teams on how to effectively engage with agile teams and participating in the Scrum Master Community of Practice, the Scrum Master helps drive the overall adoption of SAFe^® across the company.
• One of the main responsibilities of a SAFe^® Scrum Master is to help Product Owners manage backlogs efficiently.
• Each Agile team has a unique way of collaborating, and the SAFe^® Scrum Master is in charge of emphasizing that the job is completed in accordance with certain regulations, as they are dedicated to upholding specific standards.

SAFe^® Agilist Vs SAFe^® Scrum Master: Eligibility Requirements

SAFe^® Agilists

To be eligible for the SAFe^® Agilist Certification course, candidates are required to possess a minimum of five years of experience in software development, business analysis, project management, Scrum, and Testing. During this comprehensive two-day training, participants will gain valuable insights into team organization, maintaining technological agility, and delivering value seamlessly to the organization.

SAFe® Scrum Master

The candidate must have previous work experience in a Lean-Agile setting. The two-day course entails the Scrum Master’s responsibilities within the context of the entire organization. During this course, the planning and implementation of a Programme Increment (PI), which is the primary enabler of alignment at various levels of a SAFe® organization, are discussed.

SAFe^® Agilist Vs SAFe^® Scrum Master: Exam Details

SAFe^® Agilists

The exam could be challenging for certain students. Although some of the questions may be contextual, they are generally intended to assess your comprehension of the framework and its guiding principles. The test can be taken whenever after the course is completed, but it is best to do so within 1 month. It is a multiple-choice, closed-book test that is not proctored.

The SAFe^® Community Platform provides online accessibility to the exam. Candidates have 90 minutes, equivalent to 1.5 hours, to complete it. To pass the exam, they need to achieve a score of 77% or get 35 correct answers out of the 45 questions. Currently, the exam is available only in English. If taken within 1 month of completing the course, the first attempt is covered by the course registration cost. For retakes, there is a fee of $50 USD. After the initial attempt, students can immediately take the exam again. However, a 10-day waiting period applies before the third attempt, and a 30-day waiting period is required before the fourth try.

SAFe^® Scrum Master

Once the course is over, you can take the test whenever you like, although preferably you should do it within thirty days. It is a closed-book, multiple-choice exam that is not proctored. It is accessible online through the SAFe^® Community Platform. The exam can be finished in ninety minutes, or one and a half hours. A passing grade of 73%, or 33 correct answers, is required for the 45 questions. The test is currently only offered in English.

If the test is taken within 30 days after course completion, the first attempt is covered by the course registration cost. The fee for each retake is $50. After the initial exam attempt, a second try may be made. There is a 10-day waiting period before the third try, and a 30-day waiting period before the fourth try.

SAFe^® Agilist Vs SAFe^® Scrum Master: Cost Details

The two-day Leading SAFe/SAFe Agilist Certification Course has varying prices, but they generally range from $500 to $1,000 USD. Depending on the training facility and instructors, the cost of SAFe Agile Certification in India ranges from INR 48,000 to INR 60,000.

The cost of obtaining a SAFe® Scrum Master certification ranges from $500 to $2,000. In India, the cost of training for SAFe® Scrum Master certification will be around 55,000 INR.

SAFe^® Agilist Vs SAFe^® Scrum Master: Skills

SAFe^® Agilists

• A solid grasp of Scrum and Kanban.
• An understanding of agile techniques as a Scrum Master.
• Patience and interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with agile software development.
• A solid aptitude for problem-solving and communication.

SAFe^® Scrum Master

• Facilitation Skills – With the use of these skills, you can establish a culture of productivity among your team members.
• Conflict Resolution Skills – A competent SAFe® Scrum Master uses their conflict-resolution skills to foster a climate of trust and respect among team members, creating strong bonds with them.
• Technical Skills – SAFe® Scrum Masters must be knowledgeable about the products they work on and possess excellent communication skills with both the product and development teams.
• Communication Skills – Effective communication is a key factor for success in any career, but when it comes to Scrum Masters, this skill becomes even more critical.
• Time Management Skills – With the help of a competent SAFe^® Scrum Master’s time management abilities, the team can maintain focus and utilize their time more effectively.
• Leadership Skills – The team’s Scrum Master must be able to encourage and motivate them while also providing clear instructions and removing any barriers in their way.

SAFe^® Agilist Vs SAFe^® Scrum Master: Work Environment

SAFe^® Agilists

The following are some of the key components of an agile workplace:

• A more balanced combination of private, quiet, and collaborative workspaces.
• Technology that keeps workers connected to the places, people, and resources they need at work.
• Allowing workers the flexibility to work from anywhere they choose, which will increase productivity.

SAFe^® Scrum Master

In a Scrum workplace, the team collaborates and continuously develops a high-quality product as a unit. Transparency, inspection, and adaptability are encouraged through a high-quality and effective Scrum environment. The Scrum environment is created to promote team member interaction and cooperation. The team is cross-functional in a Scrum setting, which means that members have a range of talents and aptitudes that enable them to work on many facets of the project. Since they are self-organizing, the group decides how to carry out their tasks most effectively.

SAFe^® Agilist Vs SAFe^® Scrum Master: Salary and Job Details

The SAFe^® Agilist certification provides a variety of job prospects in agile project management and software development. Some of them are:

• Agile coach
• Agile Programme Manager
• Agile Consultant
• Senior Business Analyst
• Release Train Engineer

Many multinational organizations, such as Accenture, Capgemini, and Amazon, are actively searching for qualified individuals with SAFe^® Agile 5.1 certification. The average yearly salary for a SAFe® Agilist and Agile Scrum Master in the US is $185,597. (source)

People who possess advanced skills in Scrum can explore a wide range of job opportunities, including:

• Product Manager
• Senior Scrum Master
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• Scrum Master Manager

Starting salary of a Scrum Master in the US can range between $88,000 and $103,000. The average yearly income for a Scrum Master in India is 14.0 lakhs, with salaries ranging from 6.5 lakhs to 25.9 lakhs.

How are SAFe^® Agilist and SAFe^® Scrum Master Similar?

The two most popular courses that Scaled Agile offers are Leading SAFe^® (SAFe Agilist) and SAFe^® Scrum Master (SSM). Both programs are intended to help students and organizations in implementing the SAFe® framework.

What Should You Choose Among SAFe^® Agilist and SAFe^® Scrum Master?

SAFe^® Scrum Master and SAFe^® Agilist both have their unique significance and qualities when compared. When you pursue the SA certification, you can expand your awareness and expertise of the Agile framework, which is sufficient for an entry-level job. If you’re hoping to further your Scrum Master career, consider taking the SAFe^® Scrum Master certification. Already a Scrum Master? The SSM certification will enable you to advance your abilities to the enterprise level. Therefore, deciding whether to pursue one or both of these useful certificates relies on your professional goals and level of knowledge.

Conclusion

When it comes to staying ahead in a corporate environment, business agility becomes a key factor. To ensure that your team is aware of your continuous familiarity with agility, it is essential for agilists to not only comprehend how it scales but also to be certified in it.

To obtain an industry-verified certification, you can explore KnowledgeHut’s SAFe Agile certification.

FAQs

Q1. Which SAFe® certification is in demand?

Ans. SAFe^® Agile certification (SAFe^® Agilist) is in the most demand. It is a 2-day training that is an excellent place to start for someone who is new to SAFe^®.

Q2. Is SAFe^® scrum master certification difficult?

Ans. The SAFe^® Scrum Master certification is a little difficult examination, and it requires a thorough knowledge of the SAFe^® and Scrum frameworks.

Q3. How many attempts for SAFe^® Agilist certification?

Ans. Students have 3 extra attempts to retake the exam. Within your Learning Plan, you can purchase a retake of the test.

Q4. Is Leading SAFe^® certification worth it?

Ans. For businesses utilizing Lean-Agile techniques, the Leading SAFe^® accreditation serves as a standard. It ensures that the prospects and benefits of your career are expanded.