Certificate in Agile Auditing

About the Course

Businesses embracing agile ways of working require a modernised approach to assessing the adoption and sustainability of practices based on the Agile Manifesto's core principles rather than outdated serial governance mechanisms. This 5-day Certificate in Agile Auditing training course provides professionals with an extensive program on conducting effective, value-driven audits of Agile frameworks, including Scrum, Kanban, and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).

Guided by an Agile Audit Expert, delegates will learn how to evaluate adherence to Agile's core tenant – early and continuous improvement of customer-centric solutions. Through interactive workshops, hands-on simulations of key agile events, and collaborative review of audit case studies, they will gain the tactical capability to apply ISO auditing guidelines in agile environments. The learning journey includes creating flexible audit plans, gathering meaningful evidence by observing rituals like standups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives, conducting just-in-time interviews, identifying "anti-agile behaviors," providing recommendations iteratively rather than waiting for final reports, and promoting transparency while avoiding command-control dynamics.

Delegates will obtain deep expertise in specific assessment types, including Scrum Master Evaluations, Scrum Team Assessments, Kanban Audits, and SAFe Program Reviews. They work in small teams to simulate end-to-end agile audits. Upon completion, professionals will receive an Agile Audit certificate and PMI credits. More importantly, they will have the practical know-how, templates, and examples to spearhead value-driven assessments of agile initiatives that embrace innovation while providing guardrails to prevent derailment on the agile journey.

Core Objectives

The delegates will achieve the following objectives:

• Explain the values, principles, and practices of agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe 
• Describe the role of auditing in agile environments and how it differs from traditional plan-driven audit approaches
• Construct flexible audit plans and checklists tailored to assess different agile practices and frameworks 
• Demonstrate proficiency in gathering audit evidence by observing agile rituals like standups, conducting just-in-time interviews, and reviewing artifacts like user stories and retrospectives
• Identify "anti-agile" behaviors that violate core principles like self-organisation and transparency during audits 
• Classify audit findings related to agile adoptions and provide iterative recommendations promoting continuous improvement rather than waiting for final reports
• Simulate end-to-end agile audits collaboratively in small teams across the assess-evaluate-recommend lifecycle
• Create strategies to advance organisational agile audit maturity, integrating assessments into governance while promoting value-driven partnerships

Training Approach

This training course employs an interactive, hands-on approach with limited instructive lectures, overviews of key concepts, and significant seat time involved in experiential learning through small group collaborations, agile simulations, and case study reviews. Delegates will learn to apply assessment principles to observe standups, identify the principles of conducting spontaneous interviews iteratively, identify good and bad agile practices, and identify the audit lifecycle end-to-end. Facilitated class debriefs after each activity to synthesize best practices and lessons learned. A flexible framework anchored in experiential learning ensures delegates can integrate the program for long-term application when auditing adaptive projects.

The focus is on engaging, activity-based skill development by experiencing agile environments as closely as possible firsthand and learning from good and bad examples through observation.

The Attendees

This training course is best suited for Auditing, Quality, and Agile Professionals, including Internal Auditors, Compliance Teams, PMO Analysts, Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Project/Program Managers involved in or leading assessments of iterative software projects in their organisations. Professionals should have experience being part of agile teams or evaluating projects that follow iterative delivery approaches. Familiarity with frameworks like Scrum and Kanban would be beneficial to maximise learning. Individual contributors who want to prepare for iterative assessment roles will also derive significant value from the tactical and practical nature of the program. It equips these professionals with the capabilities to conduct valuable audits of agile adoptions that promote transparency and deliver continuous improvement and early value realisation while conforming to necessary governance protocols.

Likewise, it will be valuable to the professionals but not limited to the following:

• Internal Auditors
• Compliance Analysts
• Quality Management Professionals
• Scrum Masters
• Agile Coaches
• Development Leads
• IT and Business Project Managers
• Program Management Office (PMO) Specialists

Daily Discussion

DAY ONE: INTRODUCTION TO AGILE AND AGILE AUDITING

• Agile Overview: Values, Principles
• Key Agile Frameworks like Scrum, Kanban
• Transitioning to Agile: Mindsets, Challenges
• Role of Auditing in Agile Environments
• Agile Auditing Guidelines and Standards
• Agile Audit Types: Scrum, Kanban, SAFe Assessments
• Auditor Competencies and Skills

DAY TWO: PLANNING AN AGILE AUDIT

• Understanding Key Agile Documents
• Defining Audit Scope and Objectives
• Developing Flexible Audit Checklists
• Reviewing Agile Artifacts like User Stories
• Assessing Sample Agile Metrics to Audit
• Simulating Agile Ceremonies to Review
• Interviewing in Short Sprints

DAY THREE: CONDUCTING AN AGILE AUDIT

• Observing Key Scrum Events: Standups, Reviews
• Evaluating Physical Storyboards
• Assessing Backlog Prioritisation
• Reviewing Code, Tests, and Documentation
• Evaluating Customer Feedback Practices
• Identifying Non-Agile Behaviors to Surface
• Maintaining Transparency as an Auditor

DAY FOUR: DOCUMENTING AND REPORTING FINDINGS

• Gathering Objective Audit Evidence
• Documenting Agile-Specific Findings
• Writing Clear Audit Reports for Agile
• Applying Audit Judgment Principles
• Developing Insightful Recommendations
• Promoting Continuous Improvement
• Following Up Corrective Actions Iteratively

DAY FIVE: ADVANCING AGILE AUDITING MATURITY

• Creating Audit Charters
• Building Agile Audit Programs
• Developing Effective Audit Teams
• Leveraging Sampling Methods
• Managing Stakeholders Expectations
• Integrating Agile Audits in Governance
• Advancing Auditor Expertise