cspo

Certified Scrum Product Owner®

vs.
acspo

Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner®

CSPO / A-CSPO Comparison

If you’re evaluating the foundational Certified Scrum Product Owner® (CSPO) and the advanced Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner® (A-CSPO) certification, this article can help you decide the path that’s right for you. Both certifications are valuable for product owner professionals, but they cater to distinct stages of your journey.

Certified Scrum Product Owner Who Should Take a CSPO?

The CSPO is ideal for those stepping into the product owner role or looking to strengthen their understanding of core responsibilities like defining product vision and managing backlogs. This certification lays a solid foundation for individuals who want to work effectively between business stakeholders and development teams.

Common goals for CSPO attendees include wanting to:

  • Start or develop as a product owner– Gain the tools and techniques necessary to fulfill the role effectively.
  • Connect business and technical teams – Learn to translate stakeholder needs into actionable work for development teams.
  • Build a career in product management – Whether managing a single team or multiple projects, the CSPO prepares you to deliver value.

Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner Who Should Take an A-CSPO?

The A-CSPO is designed for experienced product owners who want to refine their skills, take on complex challenges, and stand out as specialists in their field. With fewer than 5,000 certified worldwide, this advanced credential highlights your expertise and commitment to the profession.

Typical aspirations for A-CSPO participants include wanting to:

  • Master advanced product ownership – Learn to tackle the challenges of prioritization, stakeholder alignment, and value maximization.
  • Prove your value as a product owner– Stand out in the competitive landscape with certification that demonstrates specialized skills.
  • Drive product strategy and innovation – Move beyond backlog management to influence organizational direction and outcomes.

Important Note Before Taking the A-CSPO Class

While the Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner® (A-CSPO) course offers advanced skills and knowledge, it's important to understand the requirements for certification:

  • CSPO is required for certification: The Scrum Alliance mandates that you must hold the CSPO certification to qualify for the A-CSPO.
  • 12 months of product owner experience required: To earn your A-CSPO certification, you must log at least 12 months of product owner experience in the Scrum Alliance dashboard.
  • You can take the class early: If you're still working toward your experience requirement, you can complete the A-CSPO training now and log your certification once the experience is documented.
  • No waiting period between courses: Once you've earned your CSPO, you can immediately enroll in the A-CSPO course without delay.

These requirements ensure that participants are equipped to fully benefit from the A-CSPO course and apply their advanced learning effectively.

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Should you take both certifications?

Many professionals pursue the CSPO as a foundation and the A-CSPO to excel at the demanding role of Product Owner. Here’s why earning both certifications can boost your career:

Comprehensive Knowledge

The CSPO builds core skills, while the A-CSPO dives into advanced strategies and tools.

Career Differentiation

Fewer than 5,000 people globally hold the A-CSPO, making it a prestigious addition to your resume.

Expanded Impact

Mastering both certifications helps you deliver more value, build stronger products, and align stakeholders with organizational goals.

Foundation for Mastery

The A-CSPO sets you on the path to achieving other advanced certifications.

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Course Content

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cspo Certified Scrum Product Owner®

acspo Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner®

Course Structure

The CSPO and A-CSPO courses share a consistent structure to ensure an engaging and effective learning experience. While the content varies, the delivery format maximizes knowledge retention and practical application:

  • Interactive presentations – Concepts are explained through concise, engaging lectures.
  • Practical exercises – Collaborative activities let you apply what you learn in real-world scenarios.
  • Debrief sessions – Review activities to consolidate learning, share insights, and clarify questions.
  • Q&A opportunities – Dedicated time for addressing individual questions throughout the course.

Both courses include:

  • Expert instruction from Certified Scrum Trainers
  • Exclusive access to Team Home Software for interactive exercises
  • 2 x 8-hour sessions with breaks and lunch included
  • Post-course recordings for review
  • 12 months of mentorship through the Agile Mentors Community

Course Creator: Mike Cohn

Mike Cohn’s history with the CSM and CSPO course is unique. He co-taught the first Certified ScrumMaster course in 2003, and taught the first Certified Scrum Product Owner in 2006, developing the program for the Scrum Alliance.

He is also author of best-selling agile books: Succeeding with Agile, User Stories Applied, and Agile Estimating and Planning, which have sold more than 215,600 copies.

“I’ve worked as a lead developer, as the VP of software development, and even as CTO. I understand the challenges of development teams, and management and want to help both sides succeed with agile.”

This experience, coupled with more than two decades of training agile teams to go from good to great, means both courses are built on extensive knowledge and practical application. Both courses are designed to give you action items you can use as soon as you finish the course.

Course Creator: Brian Milner

As the Senior Vice President of Agile Training and Coaching, Brian ensures that Mountain Goat Software has the absolute best training and coaching available. He’s passionate about making a difference in people’s day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work-life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.

“I love that I have the ability to make that kind of change in other people’s life as well.”

Based in Dallas, he’s a Cowboys fan, and when he’s not spending time with his family or geeking out about Star Wars, you might just catch him sitting in with a local band for an evening of live music.

Fun fact: In his past life as a performer, he’s shared a stage with Hank Williams, Jr., Brenda Lee, and Pat Boone...though not all at the same time.

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