I just noticed that the Scrum Alliance is offering two classes or what they call micro-credentials on Agile Coaching.
Introduction to Agile Coaching
Becoming an Agile Coach
Here’s a snippet from the second classes marketing email I received—
Whether you want to work as a full-time agile coach or apply these skills in your current role, Becoming an Agile Coach will help you drive successful agile adoptions in any industry.
In a world where Agile Coaches (Scrum Masters, various levels of (Coaches, Change Agents, RTEs, etc.) are at risk and being laid off primarily because of their lack of skill and value impact, what do we do?
We offer microcredentials.
Which IMHO further undermines the depth and breadth of skills we need to increase (not decrease) in the community.
Now, with two 4-hour virtual recorded classes, I can declare myself to be—
Tada!
an Agile Coach
Come on, folks! We can do and be better than this. The profession of Agile Coaching needs us to do better. And our clients deserve and need better than this.
What is this serving?
I can’t imagine the thought process behind this. It’s certainly not helping improve the world of professional Agile Coaching. It’s not honoring those who have worked hard to learn and develop their skills.
I can only see it as a monetization play. Taking something (certifications) that has arguably not made people great Agile Coaches in the first place and further diluted the profession with micro-credentials.
Now, if you’re offering small, bite-sized training for free, then I’m all for it under the banner of continuous learning. But that’s not what this appears to be.
In a word, I’m asking the Scrum Alliance to STOP.
If you want to improve our profession, then please focus on—
Deeper learning opportunities (see my EBAC Masterclass as an example),
Establishing coach mentoring programs,
Deeply understanding the nature of the Agile Coaching Growth Wheel and its implications for becoming an Agile Coach,
Stop thinking you can “train” Agile Coaches with “trainers”. We need Coaches developing Coaches.
On a personal note, I am deeply saddened by how the Scrum Alliance influences and guides the profession of Agile Coaching. It tells me they (the SA Leadership) don’t understand or respect it. I’d welcome anyone from the Alliance to contact me to discuss, not to justify the decision, but instead, to explore my ideas on how we can strengthen and reemerge the craft and profession of Agile Coaching.
Stay agile, and let’s do better, my friends,
Bob.
Psssst. I’ve heard a rumor that iCAgile is considering micro-credentials. I sure hope it’s just a rumor…
Here are two comments from outside Substack and my reply--
Fred Deichler on LinkedIn
January 7th
Micro-Credentials: Stop Them or Rethink Them?
Bob Galen 🇺🇦 recently wrote a thought-provoking blog post calling for an end to micro-credentials. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend doing so. While I agree with many of his examples, I disagree with the overall premise. It feels like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Bob rightly calls out Scrum Alliance’s Introduction to Agile Coaching and Becoming an Agile Coach courses. I would make that call too. But the conversation around micro-credentials is more complex than a blanket dismissal.
Here’s my POV:
Company wallets are tighter than ever. The scrutiny on immediate ROI is growing. In the Agile space, many conferences are reimagining themselves as attendance drops. Trainer friends of mine struggled in 2024 to fill seats for 1-2 day certification courses. Money is tight.
And that’s where micro-credentials fill a niche.
These short courses are often a small investment of time — and some are even free! They can validate curiosity, offer insights, and serve as a permission slip for managers to invest further in their teams. Sure, some might say they’re “just enough to be dangerous,” but what if they’re also just enough to spark deeper curiosity and investment?
Take ProKanban.org's Free Open Assessments in Professional Applied Metrics and Professional Kanban as an example (hashtag#notsponsored). These provide clarity, validate experience, and often create more curiosity. They don’t replace deeper learning, but they do act as stepping stones toward it.
As Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches, we’re here to improve the delivery of value. What if these micro-credentials help us get there?
So, how do we strike the right balance?
How can we lean into the good without dismissing the concept outright?
What are your thoughts? Am I wrong? Right? Do you have another take?
Joel Bancroft-Connors on Agile Moose Slack
Joel BC January 7th at 9:36 AM
@BobbyG I don't think the blame can be laid solely at the feet of SAI. They are responding to what "we" are asking for. People don't want broad, multi-day, trainings. They want targeted skills training.
These microcredentials are not intended to take one and call yourself a "coach." Instead, they are designed a little like the ACGW itself, breaking the big concept of a coach down into smaller learning components. My understanding is, the new CaC certification (which is not a replacement for the retired CTC/CEC) will be a culmination of many learnings and experience.
My Reactions
To be clear, I’m only talking about micro-credentials for Agile Coaching and professional development in that capacity.
Second and to Joel’s point, I think there are three considerations for the Scrum Alliance decision-making —
1. What training is the market looking for? And can we generate revenue from it?
2. What are the elements (competencies) required to become an Agile Coach.
3. What training do we need to offer (and not offer) to support the development of Professional Agile Coaches and Coaching? In other words, are these classes setting the right learning and competency expectations?
Just because the market is screaming for something, doesn’t mean we have to provide it. For example, what if the Neurological Surgeon market was screaming for microcredentials to assist surgeons in accelerating their ability to operate and generate revenue?
Clearly there’s a market demand. But should we meet it? Or should we stand our ground or redirect it?
I think the Scrum Alliance is 100% responsible for making this decision. Clearly, they’re considering #1, but I’d argue not #2 and #3.
Finally, to Fred, I am not dismissing the concept. Again, I’m explicitly targeting microcredential for Agile Coaches and Coaching. I think there are contexts where they can make good sense—economically and from a learning perspective.
However, considering all of the current layoffs in our agile space, I would argue that a lack of experience (not training) is one of the driving forces.
So, we each have to ask ourselves—what am I doing to gain experience beyond certifications, credentials, and microcredentials?
I appreciate both Joel and Fred weighing in on my post!
It just saddens me that this is now paid content. The only reason why I pay to renew my SA certifications is to access the free learning content which is now very scarce.
The micro credentials in question used to be offered in free learning modules a few years back. It was really good and I learned a lot! Small bite sized video chapters within the module, from Cherie Silas and Olaf Lewitz 🤩
For someone who pays out of pocket for training, this was of incredible value.
The new text-based offer just seems well below par despite the affordable price.