Question 1

Is this a Scrum certification (PSM/CSM)?

Accepted Answer

The program focuses on real adoption grounded in the 2020 Scrum Guide, not memorizing to pass an exam. The goal is the team genuinely working Agile — a living Sprint Goal, an enforced Definition of Done, discovery running. The material is aligned with the same body of knowledge as the certification tracks, so participants who want to pursue PSM/CSM have a strong foundation, but we do not sell a credential; we sell a measurable change in how teams work.

Question 2

Our team already 'claims Agile' but delivery is still chaotic. What is actually wrong?

Accepted Answer

That is the classic 'Dark Scrum' pattern (Ron Jeffries' term) or 'Zombie Scrum': events and artifacts exist formally, but the Agile Manifesto values and Scrum empiricism (transparency, inspection, adaptation) are gone. The Daily Scrum becomes a status report, retros have no follow-up, the Definition of Done is soft, velocity is pressured into a target. We start with an Agile Health Check to diagnose the specific symptoms, then focus training on the real gaps — not repeat theory the team already knows.

Question 3

Do exercises use our own product and backlog?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is the core of our approach. Following ADDIE design, after the TNA exercises are built on the participant team's Product Backlog and product, not generic case studies. User stories, slicing, the Definition of Done, and the metric board are made for your context so training results apply directly in the next sprint.

Question 4

How do you measure training impact objectively?

Accepted Answer

In two layers. For learning & behavior we use the Kirkpatrick model (L1 reaction, L2 comprehension via assessment, L3 practice adoption, L4 results). For delivery we use industry-recognized metrics: the four DORA keys (Deployment Frequency, Lead Time for Changes, Change Failure Rate, Failed Deployment Recovery Time) and Kanban flow metrics (WIP, Cycle Time, Throughput — Daniel Vacanti's framework). A baseline is set at TNA so comparisons are honest. If finance asks for monetary figures, it can be raised to Phillips ROI Level 5 with training-effect isolation; we do not promise percentages we cannot prove.

Question 5

Is Agile really better than waterfall, or is it just a trend?

Accepted Answer

The external data most often cited — the Standish Group CHAOS studies — consistently shows Agile project success rates far above waterfall (the 2020 CHAOS report indicates roughly 42% Agile success vs 13% waterfall for software projects). We present this as an industry reference, not a Neksus result. More importantly: that advantage only appears when Agile is done correctly. Mechanical Agile (dark Scrum) is often worse than tidy waterfall — which is exactly why this program focuses on behavior change, not ritual.

Question 6

Does the training cover product discovery, not just Scrum mechanics?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is an important differentiator. Scrum governs how to build the solution right; it does not guarantee you build the right solution. The discovery module covers the Opportunity Solution Tree and continuous customer interviewing (Teresa Torres) plus the product trio and loved-viable-feasible product concepts (Marty Cagan/SVPG). Without this, teams quickly produce features that go unused — busy but not impactful.

Question 7

We have many teams. Should we adopt SAFe or LeSS right away?

Accepted Answer

Honestly: scaling is rarely the first answer. Coordinating many teams that each do not yet do Scrum correctly only magnifies the problem. We teach when scaling is genuinely needed and the trade-offs — prescriptive SAFe (Scaled Agile) with its Agile Release Train fits large organizations and regulated environments; minimal-rules LeSS (Larman & Vodde) with feature teams fits strong engineering cultures. The decision is set from your context at TNA, not sold as a package.

Question 8

Do business stakeholders and sponsors need to attend?

Accepted Answer

Strongly recommended, at least for a dedicated session. The 2024 DORA Report reaffirms that psychological safety and team autonomy are strong predictors of delivery performance — and both collapse when leadership runs Theory X (tight control, velocity pressured into a target). The stakeholder module aligns expectations, the role in Sprint Review, and how to support the team so Agile is not sabotaged from the top.

Question 9

Is there coaching after the class?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Sprint Coaching format accompanies the team over several real sprints following the 70-20-10 pattern (most learning happens in real work): review of actual events, PO/SM coaching, metric improvement, and a champion network. Without this reinforcement, teams often relapse into old patterns within weeks — a one-off class is rarely enough to change behavior.

Question 10

Can it run online for distributed teams, and what evidence do we get for audit/L&D?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Online and hybrid formats are designed with a collaborative board, sprint simulation, and hands-on breakouts for distributed teams. For evidence, you receive a coverage report, comprehension assessment scores, exercise & event-audit results, and recommended next steps — mapped to Kirkpatrick levels and supplemented with DORA/flow metric context for budget justification to leadership and procurement needs.

Aspect	Health Check & Diagnostic	Scrum Practitioner Intensive	Discovery/Metrics/Scaling Modules	Sprint Coaching & Institutionalization
Primary goal	Diagnose gaps & dark Scrum	A correct Scrum foundation	Product & multi-team capability	Behavior change that persists
Ideal participants	Teams that 'claim Agile'	New/transforming teams	PO/SM & engineering leads	Post-training teams
Content focus	Event/artifact audit + baseline	2020 Scrum Guide + Manifesto	Discovery + DORA + SAFe/LeSS	Coaching real events + metrics
Evaluation level	Diagnostic (pre-baseline)	Kirkpatrick L1–L2	Kirkpatrick L1–L3	Kirkpatrick L1–L4 (+Phillips L5)
Best suited for	Knowing the position before investing	Building the team foundation	Growing product capability	Making the practice stick

Agile & Scrum for Product Teams