PMI Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) Certification: A Complete Guide

Key Facts

• Launch Date: The DASM certification was launched in 2020, following PMI’s acquisition of the Disciplined Agile framework to expand its Agile certification portfolio.
• Certified Professionals: As of 2023, more than 30,000 professionals have achieved Disciplined Agile certifications globally.
• Key Contributors: Scott Ambler and Mark Lines, the co-creators of the Disciplined Agile toolkit, were instrumental in creating this certification.

Target Audience
The DASM certification is designed for:

• New Scrum Masters who are looking for a broader, more adaptive Agile framework.
• Project Managers, Agile Coaches, and Team Leads who are interested in leading Agile teams using multiple methodologies.
• Professionals transitioning into Agile roles from traditional project management or seeking a comprehensive understanding of Agile, Lean, and hybrid methods.

Core Learning Objectives
The DASM certification aims to equip professionals with:

• A deep understanding of the Disciplined Agile (DA) toolkit, which includes best practices from Agile, Lean, and traditional project management methods.
• The ability to choose and customize an Agile approach that fits the unique needs of their project or organization. This is based on DA’s « Choose Your WoW » (Way of Working) concept, enabling teams to tailor their practices to their specific context.
• Knowledge on how to lead small teams, ensuring they are focused on continuous improvement and optimized for delivering value.
• An introduction to Agile and Lean practices, as well as practical strategies for dealing with common organizational challenges like culture change and resistance to Agile adoption.

Skills and Knowledge Gained
Certified DASM professionals will gain:

• The ability to lead Agile teams using a combination of Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and other frameworks.
• Competencies in team empowerment, iterative development, and incremental delivery.
• Knowledge of how to facilitate team decision-making, align with business objectives, and manage the integration of cross-functional teams.

• Pre-requisites: The DASM certification does not require prior Agile experience, making it accessible to professionals who are new to Agile methodologies. However, familiarity with Scrum and Agile concepts is advantageous.
• Training Requirements: Candidates must attend a two-day DASM training course, which can be taken in-person or virtually. The course is led by certified Disciplined Agile instructors and covers foundational Agile, Lean, and Disciplined Agile concepts.
• Exam Format:
  • Number of Questions: 50 multiple-choice questions.
  • Time Limit: 90 minutes.
  • Passing Score: Candidates must achieve a 70% score to pass the exam.
  • Retake Policy: If candidates do not pass on the first attempt, they can reattempt the exam by purchasing a new exam attempt.
• Certification Levels: While DASM is an entry-level certification, professionals can pursue further certifications such as Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) and Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC) for more advanced leadership roles.
• Recertification: DASM is valid for one year, and professionals are required to earn PMI PDUs (Professional Development Units) to maintain their certification.

Impact on Teams and Organizations
Organizations with DASM-certified professionals can expect:

• Greater flexibility in Agile implementation, as the Disciplined Agile toolkit allows teams to tailor their methods to specific project requirements, reducing the risk of « one-size-fits-all » approaches.
• Enhanced team performance through continuous improvement cycles, leading to better collaboration and more efficient delivery of products.
• Scalability, as the Disciplined Agile toolkit provides a framework for growing Agile practices across teams and departments, enabling the organization to handle larger, more complex projects.

Real-World Application
IBM and Microsoft are examples of companies that have embraced Disciplined Agile practices to optimize project delivery. The toolkit’s adaptability allows teams to transition between Agile, Lean, and traditional methods based on the specific context of each project.

Industry Recognition
The DASM certification is recognized globally by top organizations looking to expand their Agile practices. Many Fortune 500 companies, including Cisco, Dell, and Intel, have integrated Disciplined Agile frameworks into their Agile transformations.

Cost of Certification

• The cost of the DASSM certification exam is around $299 USD, including access to the training materials and the first attempt at the exam.
• Two-day DASSM training workshops typically range from $1,000 to $1,500 USD, depending on the training provider and location.

Return on Investment (ROI)
For professionals, obtaining the DASM certification can lead to salary increases of up to 20%, especially in roles that focus on Agile coaching, Scrum mastery, and project leadership. Organizations that adopt Disciplined Agile see faster delivery times, improved project outcomes, and better cross-functional team alignment.

Financial Aid and Discounts
PMI members can often receive discounts on certification fees and training. Many training providers also offer group discounts for organizations looking to certify multiple employees.

Competitor Analysis
While Scrum.org and Scrum Alliance offer Scrum-specific certifications (like PSM and CSM), PMI’s DASM certification provides a more comprehensive and framework-agnostic approach. Unlike certifications that focus solely on Scrum, DASM introduces multiple Agile approaches Scrum, Kanban, Lean allowing for a more tailored and flexible implementation of Agile practices.

Unique Features

• « Choose Your WoW » (Way of Working): DASM’s flexibility allows professionals to select the most appropriate approach for their teams and projects, rather than sticking to a single Agile framework.
• Hybrid Model: The Disciplined Agile toolkit integrates Agile, Lean, and traditional project management methods, making it ideal for organizations in transition or those operating in highly regulated industries.

Industry Trends
As more companies adopt remote work and complex project structures, the demand for leaders who can manage hybrid teams is growing. Certifications like DASM equip professionals to handle diverse, distributed teams while maintaining Agile principles.

Case Studies
At Cognizant, adopting the Disciplined Agile framework, along with training their teams through DASM, led to a 30% increase in project efficiency and reduced bottlenecks in their software development processes. Similarly, Dell Technologies implemented Disciplined Agile practices across their global teams to standardize project delivery and improve customer satisfaction.

Personal Success
Jane Lariche, an Agile Coach at Dell Technologies, shared: « The DASM certification opened up new avenues in my career. It gave me the ability to lead Agile transformations at scale and adapt to different team environments, ensuring that every team finds the right approach for their unique needs. »

Notable Companies
Global enterprises like Bank of America, Cisco, and Ford actively promote DASM certification for their leadership teams, recognizing its value in enabling leaders to manage Agile transformations at scale.

Relevance in a Changing Market
With organizations increasingly moving toward Agile at scale, the DASM certification remains essential for leaders looking to drive Agile transformations. Its broad applicability ensures that certified professionals canWith organizations increasingly moving toward Agile at scale, the Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) certification from PMI is positioned as a critical credential for leaders who want to effectively drive Agile transformations.

The broad applicability of the Disciplined Agile framework, which allows professionals to « Choose Your WoW » (Way of Working) by selecting the most appropriate Agile approach based on the project context, makes the DASM certification highly relevant for Agile leaders across industries.

The certification is also expected to evolve as Agile methodologies continue to adapt to the growing challenges of remote work, AI-driven project management, and more complex team dynamics in global enterprises. Future updates to the DASM certification may incorporate tools and techniques that further facilitate Agile collaboration across geographically dispersed teams.