FAQ

Who should attend?

Our Certified Scrum Developer® (CSD) course is for everyone looking to gain an in-depth understanding of Agile & Scrum from the viewpoint of the developers. As there are coding exercises in the class, a basic knowledge of programming is required.  We welcome all audiences, including executives, architects, business analysts, project managers, and program/portfolio managers. 

Our Advanced Certified Scrum Developer® (A-CSD) is for those who have a CSD and at least one year experience working as a member of a Scrum Team.  The experience can be from before you received your CSD.  As there are numerous coding exercises in the class, a knowledge of Java is required.

Is there coding in the class?

Yes.  Both the CSD and the A-CSD class include hands-on coding exercises.  The focus in the CSD class is less coding intensive than in the A-CSD class.

What programming language is used?

All of the examples and exercises in the class are in Java.  Students are welcome to do the exercises in other languages, with the caveat that the instructor will not be able to help them debug their code or their environment.

What if I am just starting out, or do not have IT experience?

Our CSD class is designed for both beginner and advanced audiences, although it does assume a basic knowledge of programming.

The beginners tend to want to know the basics of Scrum and working on a Scrum team, and those who are more experienced tend to be interested in addressing managerial and work-flow failings within their current organization. So, we’ll cover it all.

The A-CSD class is coding intensive, with approximately 50% of the time spent in hands-on coding exercises.  You must have one year of experience working as a member of a Scrum team and a CSD in order to take the A-CSD class.

How is this course delivered? What software is required?

Our courses are delivered via the free Zoom videoconferencing software, which can be downloaded here: https://zoom.us/signup.

Important note: Due to the interactive nature of our courses, the downloaded Zoom software, a desktop or laptop computer, a web browser and a reliable high-speed internet connection are mandatory (we recommend Google Chrome for the browser). Accessing any of our courses from a tablet or mobile device is highly discouraged.

What are the technical requirements?

In order to create successful outcomes, we have implemented the following mandatory policies:

1. Students must use a desktop or laptop computer for this course.Using tablets and mobile phones will not work for this course and will cause you severe difficulty. If your computer is outdated or has any kind of issues, please do not enroll in this course.
    
2. Students must download and use the latest version of the Zoom software on a desktop or laptop computer before joining this course.This step is often overlooked and missed: Please test your Zoom configurationby going to http://zoom.us/test to ensure your computer is set up properly, and to watch this video to get a brief overview on Zoom – https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-How-Do-I-Join-A-Meeting-.
    
3. Students must be checkout their setup before class. During the course, students will be asked to switch between viewing the Zoom application and navigating various webpages. Google Chrome is our recommended browser. You can download it here: https://www.google.com/chrome/.  Please verify that both Zoom and Chrome are working prior to the start of class.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please DO NOT use the web browser version of Zoom (It really does not work well for our courses and you will likely have significant problems). Instead, you MUST download and install the Zoom desktop client software onto your computer and then join the course through this Zoom desktop client application.

If you are confused and don’t understand what this means, please call us before you buy a ticket so we can work it out with you on the phone. It’s really easy and we can explain it to you. To help ensure the desired outcome for everyone we need to make sure that each student is set up for success before their class.

Please install the Zoom software and prepare your computer a few days in advance so you have time to correct any issues prior to the start of your course. You do not need to sign up for a Zoom account or give them a credit card number to download and install the free software.

Bottom line: Make sure you have downloaded and installed the latest version of Zoom and use this to access your course. If you try to access the course through Zoom over a web browser it will give you great deal of difficulty and we will not be able to provide support.

4. Students should avoid using a work computer.These tend to be restricted and locked down in numerous ways which may cause difficulty during the course, interrupting your learning experience as well as that of the other students in the class. Also, if possible, disable all VPN’s to allow for a stronger, more stable internet connection.
5. Students are required to share both sound and video. You must plan to fully participate and engage throughout the full duration of the course.
6. All students must have a stable high-bandwidth internet connection.Please do not use a cell phone hotspot. (You will have a downgraded experience if you attempt to use a cell phone hotspot.) We recommend that you avoid using Wifi and access our classes via a wired Ethernet connection. We also strongly recommend asking other household members not to engage in high-bandwidth internet activities while you are taking your course, including watching Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, online gaming and high bandwidth usage of cell phone wiFi or hotspot connections. To be safe and ensure the best connection for your course, please disable WiFi from all other household members cell phones.

Important note: A minimum recommendation is 800kbps/1.0Mbps (up/down) for high quality video (ideally 1.5Mbps/1.5Mbps (up/down) or higher for HD video). You can test your bandwidth by visiting: https://www.speedtest.net/ . For further Zoom technical specifications, please visit: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-Requirements-for-PC-Mac-and-Linux.

Is there a workbook?

We have course specific workbooks which we use together throughout the various courses. The downloadable materials will be provided to all students at the beginning of their course. We do not provide our course materials prior to class.

What machine and development environment will be used for the coding exercises?

Each student will have access to their own Skytap virtual machine.  The VM’s are Windows 10 based, with both IntelliJ and Eclipse (and the Cucumber plug in) pre-installed.  All of the exercises have been pre-loaded into the VM’s.

For the A-CSD class, the VM’s also have additional tools, such as JMeter and SonarQube, installed.

 
Can I keep the code I worked on after the class?

Yes!  While some instructors carefully guard their code and exercises, we make ours available to you.

You can download all the exercises and their solutions from Git any time after the class.

The students’ virtual machines are configured with Git, so you can upload your work to your own Git account.

Are there group activities?

Yes!  You will do hands on pair programming and swarming (mob programming in both the CSD and A-CSD classes.  We use group breakouts and activities to distinguish theory from actual real work, and to reinforce the learning concepts. If you do not like interacting with other people, then our course style will not work for you and we recommend not taking any of our courses. Plan to be busy interacting with your peers for large parts of the class.

Will class end early?

Probably not.  Plan to spend the full day engaged in the class!

Is there a pre-class assignment?

Yes. The pre-class assignment for each of our courses is to:

• read this FAQ and to come prepared. Many people will read this FAQ before they buy their ticket.
• Read the Scrum Guide https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Read the Agile Manifesto https://agilemanifesto.org/

Are there breaks during the courses?

Yes. We will take short breaks throughout each day of your course. We will also have a 45-minute lunch break each day. Students should plan their schedule so they can be 100% focused during their training course.

Important note: Although most people find our courses engaging and provide us feedback saying the course seemed to fly by quickly, it will require that you set aside your life for two full days and really dig in. We need everyone to come ready to learn — and have fun!

We really do have a lot of fun during our courses. 

Is there an exam?  No.  If you fully participate in the class and do the class exercises, you will receive the credential.

Anything else I need to know?

Yes!  The Scrum Alliance requires that we verify your attendance during all sessions of the course.  To do this, we require that your camera be on throughout the course.

What about the renewal / continuing education requirements?

Once earned, your CSD and A- CSD certifications are valid for 2 years. To ensure credential holders maintain a certain level of knowledge and competency, the Scrum Alliance requires 20 Scrum Educational Units (SEU’s) to renew your CSD certification every two years. There is a small charge to renew, which is currently $100 USD.

Please note that SEU’s are for documenting continuing education requirements for the certification renewal process through the Scrum Alliance. You cannot earn SEU’s for taking a CSD course unless you already have an existing certification with the Scrum Alliance, such as a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or Certified Scrum Master (CSM).

There are multiple ways to earn SEU’s. Please visit this link for more information: https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/scrum-education-units

What is your contact information?

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone/text: 765.376.4999
   

What if I cannot attend my course?

If you are not able to attend your course, please call contact us as soon as possible so we can work with you on your options. Please note the cancellation policy stated below.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellations made 14 or more days prior to the start of the event are eligible for a full refund. If you cancel 7 to 14 days prior to the start of the event, you will receive a full refund minus a $150 administration fee. If you cancel within 7 days prior to the start of the event, you will receive a 50% refund. You may transfer your registration once for a $150 charge to another class offered by Fairfield & Company within 12 months, however we are unable to honor transfer requests within 72 hours of the start time of the course. Your registration is nonrefundable if you do not attend or do not complete the course. Please make arrangements to be fully present for the full duration of the course. The presenter is not responsible for prepaid, nonrefundable travel arrangements. If the presenter cancels the workshop, a full refund will be made.

Please email [email protected] if you need to cancel, reschedule or substitute someone else in your place.

Is there a Money Back Guarantee?

We proudly stand behind all our courses. If you have attended any of our courses for the entire 2 days of instruction, have actively participated and yet feel this is not the right course for you, simply let us know before the end of class on the second day of training and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Media Release Policy

Please be aware that Fairfield & Company (Bill Fairfield, et al) may capture photographs, video and sound footage from your course. By attending one of our courses, you authorize Fairfield & Company to use these artifacts in future educational or promotional materials either in print, video, or online.  If you do not wish to have your image captured, please tell us at the start of class and we will make accommodations for you.