Scott M. Graffius Speaking at Frug'Agile Conference Armenia and France 2021



Scott M Graffius Speaking at Frug Agile Conference October 2021 - LR - SQ
Scott M. Graffius will speak at October 2021 edition of Frug'Agile Conference (Photo of Khor Virap monastery in the shadow of Mount Ararat by Andrew Behesnilian; used under license, CC BY-SA 3.0)


🔥 Update: The Frug'Agile Conference recorded sessions and made the videos available to the public. The video of Scott's talk is included at the end of this post.

Scott M. Graffius will be speaking at the October 2021 edition of Frug’Agile. The conference will take place in Armenia and France, attendees can participate in-person or virtually, and sessions will be delivered in French or English. Scott will present “The Journey to Happier and More Productive Agile Teams” — in English — on Friday, October 15th at:

🕖 Armenia Time: 7:00-8:00 p.m. AT
🕔 Central European Time: 5:00-6:00 p.m. CET
🕗 Pacific Time: 8:00-9:00 a.m. PT


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Attendees may be eligible to receive continuing education unit (CEU) credit, equivalent to 1.00 Professional Development Hour (PDH). For reporting with the Project Management Institute (PMI), it's 1.00 Professional Development Unit (PDU), under the Leadership category. For reporting with the Scrum Alliance, it's 1.00 Scrum Educational Unit (SEU), under either the Learning category or the Events category. For reporting with other organizations, refer to their respective instructions.

To learn more and to secure tickets for the conference, visit
https://www.frugagile.org.



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About Scott M. Graffius

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Scott M. Graffius, PMP, CSP-SM, CSP-PO, CSM, CSPO, SFE, ITIL, LSSGB is an agile project management practitioner, consultant, award-winning author, and international speaker. He has generated over one billion dollars of business value in aggregate for the organizations he has served. Graffius is the founder, CEO, and principal consultant at Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ and subsidiary Exceptional Agility™, based in Los Angeles, California. His expertise spans project, program, portfolio, and PMO leadership inclusive of agile, traditional, and hybrid approaches. Content from his books (Agile Scrum and Agile Transformation), workshops, speaking engagements, and more have been featured and used by businesses, governments, and universities including Gartner, Microsoft, Deloitte, Oracle, Cisco, Ford, Qantas, Atlassian, Bayer, the National Academy of Sciences, the United States Department of Energy, the United States Army, Project Management Institute, the IEEE, the New Zealand Ministry of Education, Tufts University, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Warsaw University of Technology, University of Waterloo, Loughborough University London, and others. Graffius has spoken at 58 conferences and other events around the world, including Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States. Thinkers360 named Graffius a global top thought leader and influencer in four domains: Agile, Change Management, Digital Transformation, and GovTech.

His full bio is available
here.

Connect with Scott on:


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About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions

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Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.

There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.

With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions,
Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:

  • Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
  • Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
  • Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.

Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”

Winner of 17 first place awards.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.



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About
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change

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Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.

Based on actual events,
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.

The award-winning book by
Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.



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About Frug’Agile Conference

Frug’Agile 2021 is a global conference on agile. The theme for this edition is "back to basics," and it runs from October 14-15. The conference features speakers from Armenia, France, and around the world. Sessions will be presented in either French or English, and attendees may participate in-person — from venues in Armenia or France — or virtually.

To learn more about Frug’Agile, visit
https://www.frugagile.org.

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Update on November 13, 2021

If you missed the event, recordings of sessions are now available on YouTube. Scott's talk is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewokhrpMCIE and the video is also shown below.



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The short link for this blog post is: https://bit.ly/frug-21
The short link for a related post on LinkedIn is:
https://bit.ly/frug-in



© Copyright 2021 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.



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Scott M. Graffius Named in "Agile. Creativity. Innovation."

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

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The International Institute for Learning (IIL) — a professional training and coaching organization — named Scott M. Graffius in "Agile. Creativity. Innovation."

IIL's article by Luigi Morsa, Ph.D. references Graffius and his award-winning book,
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions.

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Read the story on IIL’s website here:
https://blog.iil.com/agile-creativity-innovation

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About Scott M. Graffius

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Scott M. Graffius, PMP, CSP-SM, CSP-PO, CSM, CSPO, SFE, ITIL, LSSGB is an agile project management practitioner, consultant, multi award-winning author, and highly sought-after international keynote speaker. He has generated over $1.75 billion of business value in aggregate for the organizations he has served. Graffius is the CEO and Principal Consultant at Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ and subsidiary Exceptional Agility™. Content from his books, talks, workshops, and more have been featured and used by businesses, professional associations, governments, and universities. Select examples include Microsoft, Oracle, Broadcom, Cisco, Gartner, Project Management Institute, IEEE, U.S. Soccer Federation, Qantas, National Academy of Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. National Park Service, New Zealand Ministry of Education, Yale University, Warsaw University of Technology, and others. Graffius has delighted audiences with dynamic and engaging talks and workshops on agile, project management, and technology leadership at 82 conferences and other events across 24 countries.

His full bio is available
here.

Connect with Scott on:



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About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions

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Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.

There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.

With clear and easy to follow instructions, the multi award-winning
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions book by Scott M. Graffius (Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, Technical Editors) helps the reader:

  • Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
  • Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
  • Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.

Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”

Winner of 17 first place awards.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.



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About
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change

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Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.

Based on actual events,
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.

The award-winning book by
Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.



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About the International Institute for Learning

The International Institute for Learning (IIL) is a leader in the development and delivery of customized learning programs, online conferences, professional certification credit and preparation courses, and organizational learning solutions.

IIL has strategic partnerships with global professional certification organizations to help teams and professionals advance critical business and technical skills. Clients include global corporations, small and medium enterprises, public sector, nonprofits, and the general public.

Headquartered in New York City, IIL has teams located strategically around the world, a stellar roster of professional international trainers, and award-winning Media and Printing divisions providing end-to-end solutions.

Visit
https://www.iil.com to learn more.

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#Agile #AgileBook #AgileCoach #AgileProjectManagement #AgileProjectManager #AgileScrumGuide #AgileTradecraft #AgileTransformation #AgileTransformationBook #Agility #Creativity #CustomerNeeds #Engineering #ExceptionalAgility #IIL #Innovation #InnovationTradecraft #InternationalInstituteForLearning #IT #ProjectManagement #ProjectManager #Scrum #ScrumBook #ScrumMaster #ShiftingNeeds #Software #SoftwareDevelopment #Tech #Technology #Tradecraft

The short URL for this article is:
https://bit.ly/agil-innov



© Copyright 2023 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.





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Thinkers360 Named Scott M. Graffius an Agile Thought Leader and Influencer

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Scott M Graffius Featured by Thinkers360 on Agile List on March 31 2023 - LR




Click here to download this article as a PDF.

Scott M. Graffius, PMP, SA, CSP-SM, CSP-PO, CSM, CSPO, SFE, ITIL, LSSGB is an agile project management practitioner, consultant, multi award-winning author, and highly sought-after international keynote speaker. He has generated over $1.9 billion of business value in aggregate for the organizations he has served. He is the Founder of Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ and subsidiary Exceptional Agility™. Graffius and content from his books, talks, workshops, and more have been featured and used by businesses, professional associations, governments, and universities. Examples include Microsoft, Oracle, Broadcom, Cisco, Gartner, Project Management Institute, IEEE, National Academy of Sciences, United States Department of Energy, New Zealand Ministry of Education, Yale University, Tufts University, and others. He has delighted audiences with dynamic and engaging talks and workshops on agile, project management, and technology leadership at 84 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

Thinkers360, the world’s first open platform for thought leaders and influencers, included Graffius on their March 31, 2023 list of Agile Thought Leaders and Influencers. Thinkers360's patent-pending approach to ratings factors each candidate’s diverse contributions and content such as articles, books, media coverage, podcasts, social media, speaking events, videos, and more.

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About Scott M. Graffius


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Scott M. Graffius is an agile project management practitioner, consultant, multi award-winning author, and highly sought-after international keynote speaker. He has generated over $1.9 billion of business value in aggregate for the organizations he has served. His expertise spans project, program, portfolio, and PMO leadership inclusive of agile, traditional, and hybrid approaches. Content from Graffius's books, workshops, speaking engagements, and more have been featured and used by businesses, professional associations, governments, and universities. Examples include Microsoft, Oracle, Broadcom, Cisco, Gartner, Deloitte, EY, Project Management Institute, IEEE, SANS Institute, U.S. Soccer Federation, Ford, Qantas, Wrike, Bayer, National Academy of Sciences, United States Department of Energy, United States Army, United States National Park Service, New Zealand Ministry of Education, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Yale University, Tufts University, Texas A&M University, Warsaw University of Technology, University of Waterloo, National University of Ireland Galway, CQUniversity Australia, Scrum Inc., Zurich University of Applied Sciences, and others.

Graffius is the Founder of
Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions™ and subsidiary Exceptional Agility™. The professional services firm provides client organizations with advisory, training, speaking, embedded talent, and facilitative consulting services to help them advance their agile project, program, portfolio, and PMO management capabilities to best realize their strategic objectives and business initiatives, making them more competitive and valuable. The company confidently backs its services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

A fantastic agile transformation experience and result with a client organization in the entertainment industry was the inspiration for Graffius’s first book,
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (ISBN-13: 9781533370242). It helps technical and non-technical teams develop and deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage. The book garnered 17 first place awards from national and international competitions. His second title, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change (ISBN-13: 9781072447962), was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority. Graffius and his works have been featured by media outlets and publications including Yahoo Finance, Computer Weekly, MobileAppDaily, Informa, Innovation Management, NASSCOM, Software Quality Management, ALLAGIS, Business Application Monitoring, Learning Solutions, Innovation Ecosystem Metrics, DZone, Innovation Project Management, TopDevs, NHD Podcast, and others.

Graffius is a former vice president of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Graffius has a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds nine professional certifications: Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA), Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM), Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Scrum Foundations Educator (SFE), Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL). He is a member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

He has been actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the
development of professional standards. He was a member of the team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Graffius was a contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, and The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition. He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI EMEA Congress 2019, and he served as a member of the review team for the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gathering—New York City 2020.

Graffius delivers dynamic and engaging talks and workshops at public and private/corporate events. His engagements include 84 in-person and online conferences and other events around the world, including Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States. Graffius delights audiences with sessions on technology leadership and project, program, portfolio, and PMO management inclusive of agile, waterfall, and hybrid approaches. He uses everyday language and vibrant custom visuals to make complex topics clear, and he provides audiences with practical information they can use. Visit https://scottgraffius.com/publicspeaker.html to learn more.

Connect with Scott on:



Follow Scott M Graffius on Twitter - v22122107 1000x1000 lr - sq

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About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions

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Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.

There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.

With clear and easy to follow instructions, the multi award-winning
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions book by Scott M. Graffius (Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, Technical Editors) helps the reader:

  • Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
  • Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
  • Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.

Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”

Winner of 17 first place awards.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.



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About
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change

Scott_M_Graffius_Agile_Transformation_LR_1000x505

Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.

Based on actual events,
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.

The award-winning book by
Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.



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The short URL for this article is:
https://bit.ly/agile-ldr



© Copyright 2023 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.





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Most Valuable IT Certifications: Update for 2025

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Most Valuable IT Certifications - Update for 2025 - Scott_Graffius_com - lwres


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In Technology, there's no substitute for experience. However, certifications remain a valuable tool for advancing one's career.

Since 2017, Scott M. Graffius has researched and reported on the most valuable Information Technology (IT) related certifications. As new technologies emerge and business needs shift, the landscape of in-demand skills evolves. To reflect these ongoing changes, Graffius regularly updates his work. This article presents the 2025 edition of the most valuable IT certifications.

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Certifications can help position people as a valuable asset to their current—and prospective future—employers.

Employers want employees and candidates with up-to-date knowledge and skills, and certifications demonstrate one's mastery of the respective subject. Additionally, certifications can advance marketability, leading to promotions and higher pay.

Graffius compiled and analyzed data from 15 sources—including the California Institute of Arts and Technology, CIO, CIO Dive, Computer Science, eWeek, Exceptional Agility, Forbes, Fortune, Global Knowledge, Indeed, ITTA, PC Magazine, Robert Half, Skillsoft, and Workday—to identify which IT certifications are widely seen as the most valuable. Ten certifications stood out as the top choices.

Now, on to this list for 2025!

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1. CompTIA A+

  • Certification name: CompTIA A+
  • Certification name abbreviation: A+
  • Governing organization - name: CompTIA
  • Governing organization - website: https://www.comptia.org
  • Short description of certification: This is generally considered to be a certification for people who want to start careers in the IT industry. To acquire the CompTIA A+ certification, you must pass two separate tests: Core 1 and Core 2. Core 1 (220-1101) covers mobile devices, networking technology, hardware, virtualization, and cloud computing. Core 2 (220-1102) covers operating systems, security, software, and operational procedures.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None
  • Certification exam – cost: Total cost for the two exams varies by location and other factors. The average total combined cost is $492
  • Certification exam – delivery (in-person or online): in-person or online
  • Certification exam – number of questions: Core 1 exam has 90 questions, Core 2 exam also has 90 questions
  • Certification exam – time to complete it: 90 minutes for Core 1 exam, and 90 minutes for Core 2 exam
  • Certification exam – minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 83% for the Core 1 exam. Estimated to be 86% for the Core 2 exam.
  • Certification expiration – does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration – how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $75

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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2. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

  • Certification name: Cisco Certified Network Associate
  • Certification name abbreviation: CCNA
  • Governing organization - name: Cisco
  • Governing organization - website: https://www.cisco.com
  • Short description of certification: Validates the ability to install, operate, configure, and troubleshoot basic Cisco networking devices and technologies.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: No prerequisites. However, Cisco recommends having at least a basic knowledge of networking and at least one year of experience with Cisco products.
  • Certification exam – cost: $300
  • Certification exam – delivery (in-person or online): In-person or online
  • Certification exam – number of questions: Varies, between 50-75 questions
  • Certification exam – time to complete it: 120 minutes
  • Certification exam – minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 80%
  • Certification expiration – does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration – how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $150

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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3. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

  • Certification name: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
  • Certification name abbreviation: CISSP
  • Governing organization - name: (ISC)²
  • Governing organization - website: https://www.isc2.org
  • Short description of certification: The CISSP is a highly respective, vendor-neutral certification that validates a broad understanding of information security and best practices.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: At least five years of paid, full time work experience involving two or more (of the eight) domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK)
  • Certification exam - cost: $749, although the cost may vary by location and other factors
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person at a Pearson VUE testing center
  • Certification exam - number of questions: Between 125-175 questions
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 4 hours
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $125

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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4. Project Management Professional (PMP)

  • Certification name: Project Management Professional
  • Certification name abbreviation: PMP
  • Governing organization - name: Project Management Institute (PMI)
  • Governing organization - website: https://www.pmi.org/
  • Short description of certification: PMP certification is a globally recognized and sought-after project management credential that recognizes experienced project managers for successfully leading teams through a project’s life cycle.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: A or B. (A) Bachelor's degree (or global equivalent) + 36 months of project management experience + 35 hours of project management education/training. Or (B) Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or global equivalent) + 60 months of project management experience + 35 hours of project management education/training.
  • Certification exam - cost: $405 for members of the PMI, $575 for those not a member of the PMI
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person
  • Certification exam - number of questions: Between 180-200 questions
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 230 minutes
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 81%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $150

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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Most Valuable IT Certifications - Update for 2025 - Scott_Graffius_com - Blog Sctn and Sq - X - CEH - lwres

5. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

  • Certification name: Certified Ethical Hacker
  • Certification name abbreviation: CEH
  • Governing organization - name: EC-Council
  • Governing organization - website: https://www.eccouncil.org
  • Short description of certification: This certification is obtained by demonstrating knowledge of assessing the security of computer systems by looking for vulnerabilities in target systems, using the same knowledge and tools as a malicious hacker, but in a lawful and legitimate manner to assess the security posture of a target system.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: Candidates need to have experience in a job related to network security or complete approved training courses before taking the exam
  • Certification exam - cost: $1,199, can vary based on registration options and other factors
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person at a Pearson VUE testing center or online proctored
  • Certification exam - number of questions: 125
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 4 hours
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $85

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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6. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (AWS SA)

  • Certification name: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
  • Certification name abbreviation: AWS SA
  • Governing organization - name: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Governing organization - website: http://aws.amazon.com
  • Short description of certification: This certification showcases knowledge and skills in AWS technology, across a wide range of AWS services. The focus is on the design of cost- and performance-optimized solutions, demonstrating a strong understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None
  • Certification exam - cost: $150
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person or online
  • Certification exam - number of questions: 65 questions
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 130 minutes
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $75

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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7. Azure Administrator Associate

  • Certification name: Azure Administrator Associate
  • Certification name abbreviation: There isn't an abbreviation designated. AZ-104 (the corresponding exam code for the certification) is sometimes used as an identifier.
  • Governing organization - name: Microsoft
  • Governing organization - website: https://learn.microsoft.com
  • Short description of certification: Azure Administrator Associate (also referred to as Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate) certification validates one’s ability to manage Azure subscriptions, implement and secure infrastructure, configure virtual networks, deploy virtual machines, monitor resources, and troubleshoot issues.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None, but Microsoft recommends at least six months of experience administering Azure
  • Certification exam - cost: $165
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person or online proctored
  • Certification exam - number of questions: Varies, typically between 40-60 questions
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 120 minutes
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 1 year
  • Certification renewal cost: Free renewal

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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8. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect (GCP Architect)

  • Certification name: Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect
  • Certification name abbreviation: GCP Architect
  • Governing organization - name: Google
  • Governing organization - website: https://cloud.google.com
  • Short description of certification: Demonstrates expertise in designing, developing, and managing secure, reliable, scalable, and cost-effective solutions on the Google Cloud Platforms (GCP)
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: None; familiarity with GCP products and services is recommended
  • Certification exam - cost: $200
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person
  • Certification exam - number of questions: 50 questions
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 120 minutes
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 70%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 2 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $100

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.
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9. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

  • Certification name: Certified ScrumMaster
  • Certification name abbreviation: CSM
  • Governing organization - name: Scrum Alliance
  • Governing organization - website: https://www.scrumalliance.org
  • Short description of certification: Validates a solid understanding of Scrum including practical ways to apply it on one’s team and organization
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: Completion of a two-day course by an authorized trainer
  • Certification exam - cost: Course (referenced above) includes the cost of the exam. Cost ranges from about $500 to $1,500 depending on the location, delivery format, and other factors
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): Online
  • Certification exam - number of questions: 50
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 1 hour
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): Estimated to be 74%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 2 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $100

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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10. Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist (CSAI)

  • Certification name: Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist
  • Certification name abbreviation: CAIS
  • Governing organization - name: United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII)
  • Governing organization - website: https://www.usaii.org
  • Short description of certification: The CAIS is publicized by USAII as the most sophisticated and ground-breaking certification program for senior AI professionals and business leaders to develop the perfect AI solutions and strategy, bringing the right organizational change leading to an absolute business transformation.
  • Prerequisites (if any) for certification: One of three eligibility paths and completion of a self-paced course. Path 1: Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any academic discipline; and at least five years of experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Business Analytics, Business Intelligence, Project Management, or any Programming Languages. Path 2: Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any academic discipline; and at least four years of experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Business Analytics, Business Intelligence, Engineering, Finance, or Management. Path 3: Certified Artificial Intelligence Consultant (CAIC) (or other equivalent) certification; and at least four years of experience for a candidate who has a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent), or three years of experience for a candidate who has a Master's degree (or equivalent).
  • Certification exam - cost: Course (referenced above) includes the cost of the exam. Cost is $894.
  • Certification exam - delivery (in-person or online): In-person
  • Certification exam - number of questions: 80
  • Certification exam - time to complete it: 100 minutes
  • Certification exam - minimum pass rate (X% or higher correct required to pass exam): 70%
  • Certification expiration - does it expire? Yes
  • Certification expiration - how long does it last before expiring? 3 years
  • Certification renewal cost: $249

Note: Prerequisites, cost (shown in United States Dollar - USD), and other data are subject to change by the governing organization.

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Certifications can provide significant value for professionals looking to enhance their skills and credibility in the marketplace. Employers often prefer to hire certified professionals, and people who invest in professional credentials typically enjoy larger salaries.

Informed by data from multiple sources, this article identified and profiled 10 IT-related certifications: CompTIA A+, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (AWS SA), Azure Administrator Associate, Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect (GCP Architect), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), and Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist (CAIS).

Those interested in securing one or more IT-related certifications can leverage the data presented in this article to assist in their decision-making.

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References/Sources:


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How to Cite This Article

Graffius, Scott M. (2025, February 5). Most Valuable IT Certifications: Update for 2025. Available at:
https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/top-it-certifications-update-for-2025.html.

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About Scott M. Graffius

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Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.


International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date,
Graffius has conducted 93 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is
here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

  • Adobe,
  • American Management Association,
  • Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
  • Bayer,
  • BMC Software,
  • Boston University,
  • Broadcom,
  • Cisco,
  • Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
  • Computer Weekly,
  • Constructor University - Germany,
  • Data Governance Success,
  • Deimos Aerospace,
  • DevOps Institute,
  • Dropbox,
  • EU's European Commission,
  • Ford Motor Company,
  • Gartner,
  • GoDaddy,
  • Harvard Medical School,
  • Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
  • IEEE,
  • Innovation Project Management,
  • Johns Hopkins University,
  • Journal of Neurosurgery,
  • Lam Research (Semiconductors),
  • Leadership Worthy,
  • Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
  • London South Bank University,
  • Microsoft,
  • NASSCOM,
  • National Academy of Sciences,
  • New Zealand Government,
  • Oracle,
  • Pinterest Inc.,
  • Project Management Institute,
  • Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
  • SANS Institute,
  • SBG Neumark - Germany,
  • Singapore Institute of Technology,
  • Torrens University - Australia,
  • TBS Switzerland,
  • Tufts University,
  • UC San Diego,
  • UK Sports Institute,
  • University of Galway - Ireland,
  • US Department of Energy,
  • US National Park Service,
  • US Soccer,
  • US Tennis Association,
  • Verizon,
  • Wrike,
  • Yale University,
  • and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

  • Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
  • A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
  • The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
  • The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.

Additional details are here.

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.

The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

  • Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
  • Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
  • Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
  • Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
  • Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
  • Project Management Professional (PMP),
  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
  • IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email

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Copyright

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Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.



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