Questions from a Certified ScrumMaster Part 2

Questions from a Certified ScrumMaster Class – Part 2

I recently taught a Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM) class at Watermark Learning. Because our time in class is limited and our class backlog is full of activities, exercises, and simulations, I rarely have enough time to address all of the questions raised. Blogging, while limited in space, does allows me the opportunity to address these questions …

Mike Stuedemann, CST, CSM, CSPO, PMI-ACP, PMP

Innovative, servant leader with extensive IT experience and a passion for process improvement. Demonstrated leadership improving team performance in the midst of significant organizational change. Positive, team-oriented management style achieving results through systematic analysis, collaboration and strong project management.

Transition to Project Management

Transition to Project Management

When you think of it, why wouldn’t everyone want to be a project manager? The Great Pyramids. Apollo missions. The Stanley Cup playoffs. They’re all projects of one sort or another. To be sure, your projects probably aren’t going to be that exciting, but I seldom hear project managers complain about boredom. In our Project …

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, BRMP

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-PBA, BRMP is the Director of Project Management for Watermark Learning. Andrea is an experienced trainer, facilitator, speaker, and project manager, with over 25 years of business experience. Andrea oversees certification and skills development curriculum in project management, business analysis, and leadership. She has been a speaker at IIBA® and PMI® conferences and is an active volunteer. She enjoys practicing what she teaches and has a steady stream of projects that she manages. Andrea is highly committed to partnering with her clients through projects, consulting, and training, and seeks to make every engagement enjoyable as well as valuable.

Questions from a Certified ScrumMaster Part 1

Questions from a Certified ScrumMaster Class – Part 1

I recently taught a Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM) class at Watermark Learning. Our two-day class is packed full of real-world examples of how to apply Scrum to solve complex problems. Of course, there is never enough class time to work through the backlog of questions that students raise, and as a passionate Scrum practitioner, this nags …

Mike Stuedemann, CST, CSM, CSPO, PMI-ACP, PMP

Innovative, servant leader with extensive IT experience and a passion for process improvement. Demonstrated leadership improving team performance in the midst of significant organizational change. Positive, team-oriented management style achieving results through systematic analysis, collaboration and strong project management.

Get Ready with PMI-ACP

Get Gig-Ready with the PMI-ACP

Considering the success and popularity of agile, today’s project professionals, including project managers, business analysts, team members, and even administrators, are wise to earn their PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®). Formalizing your knowledge and experience through certification contributes to your professional growth and gives you a leg up in the gig or on-demand economy in …

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, BRMP

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-PBA, BRMP is the Director of Project Management for Watermark Learning. Andrea is an experienced trainer, facilitator, speaker, and project manager, with over 25 years of business experience. Andrea oversees certification and skills development curriculum in project management, business analysis, and leadership. She has been a speaker at IIBA® and PMI® conferences and is an active volunteer. She enjoys practicing what she teaches and has a steady stream of projects that she manages. Andrea is highly committed to partnering with her clients through projects, consulting, and training, and seeks to make every engagement enjoyable as well as valuable.

Words Matter Using the Right Agile Terminology

Words Matter: Using the Right Agile Terminology

As the Agile movement has become mainstream, common vocabulary associated with the philosophy has also become mainstream. However, as more and more people use these words, their meaning appears to occasionally drift. This is a common occurrence in movements like Agile as people co-op terms to appear in alignment with a philosophy without actually changing …

Mike Stuedemann, CST, CSM, CSPO, PMI-ACP, PMP

Innovative, servant leader with extensive IT experience and a passion for process improvement. Demonstrated leadership improving team performance in the midst of significant organizational change. Positive, team-oriented management style achieving results through systematic analysis, collaboration and strong project management.

Show Up Every Day

SHOW UP Every Day

Deadlines, changing priorities, and relentless distractions make it challenging to bring our professional best to every task at work. Some days are frustrating, some infuriating. No one feels like they are hitting on all cylinders in terms of creativity and energy 100 percent of the time. But what about those core values that characterize our personal best? …

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, BRMP

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-PBA, BRMP is the Director of Project Management for Watermark Learning. Andrea is an experienced trainer, facilitator, speaker, and project manager, with over 25 years of business experience. Andrea oversees certification and skills development curriculum in project management, business analysis, and leadership. She has been a speaker at IIBA® and PMI® conferences and is an active volunteer. She enjoys practicing what she teaches and has a steady stream of projects that she manages. Andrea is highly committed to partnering with her clients through projects, consulting, and training, and seeks to make every engagement enjoyable as well as valuable.

Certification Test Anxiety Take a Prometric Test Drive

Certification Test Anxiety? Take a Prometric Test Drive!

A certification test can cause a lot of anxiety. Some people seem to be able to add letters after their names as easily as Vanna White gets them to light up on Wheel of Fortune. CBAP, CCBA, ECBA, BRMP®, PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®, Project Management Professional (PMP)®, PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, CSM, CSPO…the list goes …

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, BRMP

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-PBA, BRMP is the Director of Project Management for Watermark Learning. Andrea is an experienced trainer, facilitator, speaker, and project manager, with over 25 years of business experience. Andrea oversees certification and skills development curriculum in project management, business analysis, and leadership. She has been a speaker at IIBA® and PMI® conferences and is an active volunteer. She enjoys practicing what she teaches and has a steady stream of projects that she manages. Andrea is highly committed to partnering with her clients through projects, consulting, and training, and seeks to make every engagement enjoyable as well as valuable.

Five Competencies That Help Business Analysts

Five Competencies that Help Business Analysts Connect the Dots

What do detectives, entrepreneurs/innovators, doctors, lawyers, and effective business analysts all have in common? Among other things, they all have to connect the dots[i] to be successful. Like detectives sorting through objects at the scene of the crime, or doctors sorting through sometimes disjointed information provided by patients, business analysts need to sort through information—lots …

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, CSM

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, CSM is a consultant and advisor for Watermark Learning/PMA. She has over 35 years of experience in project management and business analysis. Elizabeth has co-authored four books and chapters published in five additional books, as well as articles that appear regularly in BA Times, Project Times, and Modern Analyst. Elizabeth was a lead author/expert reviewer on all editions of the BABOK® Guide, as well as the several of the PMI standards. Elizabeth also enjoys giving presentations, and her speaking history includes repeat keynotes and presentations for national and international conferences on five continents. Elizabeth enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, theater, and spending time with her 7 grandkids.

My ECBA Journey

My ECBA Journey

As a marketing coordinator, I had no idea what a business analyst was before coming to Watermark…and I’m still learning. Now, with IIBA’s new level 1 certificate (ECBA), I decided to take the plunge and learn more about this role, in order to educate myself and be able to speak BA with our customers. The …

Tips and Tricks for Facilitating Conflict Resolution

Tips and Tricks for Facilitating Conflict Resolution

Originally published September 1, 2009 We all know that conflict is a difference of opinion and therefore neutral – neither good nor bad. Right? But try telling that to a project manager or business analyst embroiled in conflict. Conflict can threaten to destroy the team and sabotage efforts to elicit requirements. But it doesn’t have to. …

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, CSM

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, CSM is a consultant and advisor for Watermark Learning/PMA. She has over 35 years of experience in project management and business analysis. Elizabeth has co-authored four books and chapters published in five additional books, as well as articles that appear regularly in BA Times, Project Times, and Modern Analyst. Elizabeth was a lead author/expert reviewer on all editions of the BABOK® Guide, as well as the several of the PMI standards. Elizabeth also enjoys giving presentations, and her speaking history includes repeat keynotes and presentations for national and international conferences on five continents. Elizabeth enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, theater, and spending time with her 7 grandkids.