Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA) Certification: CIPSA Sprint Backlog – What It Is and What It Is Not!

While both the Product Backlog and the CIPSA Sprint Backlog are key artifacts in the CIPSA Scrum Framework, the real action happens with the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. It’s the CIPSA Sprint Backlog which gets executed by the CIPSA Team.

The product backlog items taken from the Product Backlog are executed by individual Scrum Teams and a CIPSA Integrated Increment is given at the end of the Sprint. The below differentiations clearly inform the characteristics of the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. 

The content of this article uses the CIPSA Scrum Framework. Similar ones will be applicable to the CIPSA Kanban Framework. 

To read all articles of this series use this link: What It's and What It's Not series for CIPSA. 

CIPSA Sprint Backlog – What It’s and What It’s Not

Among many, I've outlined the following ones for your understanding. Exhaustive explanation is part of the CIPSA certification course. See here.

1 Not Tasks, But Value: The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is not just a list of tasks or line items. The CIPSA Sprint Backlog can contain features, user stories and tasks. 

The CIPSA Sprint Backlog goes beyond a simple task list and focuses on delivering customer and business value. It includes features, user stories, and tasks to ensure a value-driven approach to sprint planning and execution. 

Remember the execution of this backlog finally leads to the CIPSA Integrated Increment. See here.

2. Not CPO-Owned, But Team-Owned: The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is not managed by the Chief Product Owner. The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is managed by the CIPSA team. See here.

Unlike the Product Backlog, the CIPSA Spring Backlog is managed and owned by the CIPSA team. In other words, it’s a collaborative one by the individual Scrum teams. The oversight is provided by the Principal Scrum Master (PSM). See here.  

3. Not Static, But Evolving: The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is not static or fixed. The CIPSA Sprint Backlog can evolve during the Sprint. 

The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is dynamic and can adapt as the Sprint progresses. It allows flexibility to respond to change and emerging tasks or insights. Sometimes, it's highly possible that new tasks can come-up.

4. Not Performance, But Progress: The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is not about measuring the individual team performance. The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is for checking the progress towards the CIPSA Sprint Goal.

The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is used to track progress toward the CIPSA Sprint Goal, not to evaluate individual Scrum Team performance. The focus is on collective delivery, not on individual Team metrics.

5. Not Kept, But Discarded: The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is not going to be retained throughout the project. The CIPSA Sprint Backlog will be discarded at the end of the Sprint.

The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is a temporary one and it's discarded at the end of the Sprint. Its value lies in guiding current work and finally delivering the Integrated Increment.

6. Not Backlog-Led, But Goal-Led: The CIPSA Backlog items do not drive the CIPSA Sprint Goal. The CIPSA Sprint Goal drives the work items in the CIPSA Sprint Backlog.

The CIPSA Sprint Backlog is shaped by the CIPSA Sprint Goal, not the other way around. The CIPSA Sprint Goal is in alignment with the Product Goal (see here). Work items are selected and executed to achieve the CIPSA Sprint Goal, ensuring purpose-driven progress.

Did you properly read the last (previous) one? 

It’s an important one to note. The Product Goal drives “what” will constitute the Product Backlog. Similarly, the CIPSA Sprint Goal drives “what” will constitute the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. The meta-events are added to finalize the backlog.

CIPSA Sprint Backlog – Summary Table

The summary table of what we have learned so far is shown below.

Final Words

I believe the above differentiations will bring a lot of clarity regarding the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. Remember, this is where the real action happens!

Recently, a successful CIPSA informed hands-on learning with .mpp solution files has been invaluable. You can read the CIPSA Success Story.

Want to experience it hands-on? Become a CIPSA practitioner – part of the world’s only practical scaled agile framework.

Among many things, you’ll learn (hands-on):

• How to build the CIPSA Sprint Backlog?
• How to break down backlog items in a proper way?
• How to estimate the items in the CIPSA Sprint Backlog?
• What are the various ways to assign resources?
• When to schedule CIPSA Sprint Backlog related events?
• When and where to include CIPSA meta-events?

CIPSA – What It's and What It's Not Series:

All Articles in What It's and What It's Not - CIPSA

CIPSA Sample Videos:

[1] CIPSA Sample Video List (Choose a Video)

[2] CIPSA Video Playlist (Complete Playlist)

CIPSA Sample Questions:

[1] CIPSA Certification Sample Questions (Part - 1)

[2] CIPSA Certification Sample Questions (Part - 2)

CIPSA Certification:

[1] NEW Scaled Agile Certification Course: Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA)

[2] Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - CIPSA Certification  

[3] New Practical Scaled Agile Framework – The CIPSA Framework Guide

[4] Understanding the CIPSA Scrum Framework – Practical, Hands-on Scrum at Scale

[5] The CIPSA Framework Clock - A Unique Way

Unleash Your Agile Spirit For Scaling – Be a CIPSA

ManagementYogi's Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA) course embodies a dynamic and transformative spirit, captured vividly in the latest trailer (26 seconds). CIPSA is pronounced as 'sip-sa'.

The course is hands-on and deeply practical. It's also highly economical. It allows learners to master Scaled Scrum and Scaled Kanban in a hands-on manner with the needed theory.

The below table shows a brief comparison between CIPSA and other certification. Rating is given for each category based on inputs from CIPSAs. The star rating given is based on a scale where five stars represent the highest and one star, the lowest.

Check the items one-by-one to determine the value.

Whether you're navigating Scrum at Scale or Kanban at Scale, CIPSA equips you to rise above conventional limitations and embrace a new Scaled Agile excellence. It's unique in its approach. 

CIPSA not just a certification – it’s a movement to have real-world learning and applicability, which seriously lacks in every other Scaled Agile certification. Rest of the scaled agile certifications are not at all practical, but only theory and more theory. 

To really learn Agile scaling, consider becoming a CIPSA. It’s worth your money. 

Watch the value of being a CIPSA here. 

To know more about the CIPSA certification course, see here.

For this course, many FAQs have been answered. See here. 

If you have any questions or clarifications, please send an email to managementyogi@gmail.com.

CIPSA Certification Course

• Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA) – Practical and Economical

CIPSA Sample Videos

• CIPSA Sample Video List (Choose a Video)
• CIPSA Video Playlist (Complete Playlist)

CIPSA – What It's and What It's Not Series:

• All Articles in What It's and What It's Not - CIPSA

RMP Success Story: Mastering Risk, Not Just the Exam Using ManagementYogi’s RMP 30 Contact Hours – A Practitioner Approach to Success

By Vallabha Chebiyyam, RMP, PMP

Introduction

I’ve been certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from PMI and hence wanted to advance my knowledge, understanding and application of Risk Management in a deeper way. 

Hence, I decided to go with the Risk Management Professional (RMP), which is considered to be valuable in my field of work.

Why ManagementYogi’s RMP 30 Contact Hours

The RMP 30 contact hours program from Management Yogi gives you a practitioner-first approach and it’s an exam-true program. It blends PMI-RMP exam alignment with field-grade techniques. 

With this contact hours course, I believe I received a clean path for not only my exam, but also subsequent application. 

RMP 30 Contact Hours Course: Key Features

Management Yogi’s RMP 30 Contact Hours stands out for a practitioner-first structure with concise videos that move from concept to application to short practice. The course maintains a strong governance lens around thresholds, reserves, authority, and change control, and its exam-style scenarios reflect PMI wording and decision patterns. 

The topics that helped me most were data quality assessment before qualitative analysis, response strategy trade-offs across threats and opportunities, and clear reserve policies with drawdown rules. 

This course covers the advanced content fully:

• Expected Monetary Value (EMV) Analysis 
• Decision Tree Analysis (DTA)
• Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Sensitivity Analysis with Tornado Charts
• Various Probability Distributions
• Selecting appropriate distributions such as Triangular, BetaPERT, and Lognormal
• Correlation in Risk Management
• Monte Carlo Analysis and its interpretations with percentiles and drivers

In addition, it covers the areas of the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition and 6th edition with special emphasis on Risk Management. It covers:

• Agile Management considering risks
• Hybrid Management considering risks 
• Various associated Risk Artifacts
• Risk Attitude Spectrum 

Own Study for the RMP Exam 

For practice, the combination of chapter-end questions for retention, full-length exams for pacing, and new items aligned to current standards, PMBOK 7 and 6, and agile and hybrid references were effective. Hence, I used and practiced them all. 

While studying, I found the below ones most useful:

• Quantitative analysis with many techniques outlined above
• Plan and implement risk responses 
• Practical tool snapshots that map insights into scheduling platforms like Primavera or Microsoft Project

These made my workplace adoption straightforward.

The formula sets are concise and usable for exam preparation and day-to-day work, and the revision tips throughout the course and checklists were genuinely helpful for my final reviews. 

Contact Hours Assessment

The assessment for the 30 contact hours was fair, aligned to the content, and served as a clear consolidation of learning rather than a surprise test. Post the assessment, I received the completion certificate.  

Final PMI-RMP Exam

After receiving the contact hours certificate, I went for RMP application fill-up and submitted the application. Post approval, I took the exam in Canada and successfully cleared the exam on 27th September, 2025.

Conclusion 

I want to apply my learnings in my profession and field work. 

Brief Profile: Vallabha Chebiyyam, RMP, PMP 

Assistant Project Manager: I’m working as a management and leadership professional with an engineering background and is based out of Canada. 

RMP Live Lessons - Guaranteed Pass:

• RMP Live Lessons Course - Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back

RMP 30/40 Contact Hours Online:

• RMP 30/40 Contact Hours Online - Full Moneyback Guarantee

Book for RMP Exam:

• New Book for RMP Exam Prep: I Want To Be A RMP, 2nd Edition (Updated)

RMP Success Stories:

• RMP Success Stories from Management Yogi

Upcoming Webinar: From Chaos to Control – Managing Risks with Primavera P6

In the realm of a project, certainty is a rare, though a welcome, guest. A project, which is a temporary endeavor, unfolds within a landscape filled with ambiguities, changing conditions with unforeseen twists and turns.

Such things are the norms, not the exceptions. Risk, then, is not an intruder, but a native of this terrain!

Risk Management in a Project

Project management rises in this uncertain landscape as it tries to bring certain order and structure amidst turbulence, sometimes even chaos. Project management is the steady hand that tries to sketch order onto the fog of uncertainty. While doing so, Project Managers (PMs) must court risk, not shun it. For to manage projects is to manage its risks! It’s not a separate, but an indispensable function.

It's the job of the PM to anticipate the tremors before the project ground is shaken and to reap rewards when the sun shines upon the project terrain. For to address risks without any anticipation of rewards, is not a wise act. In other words, whether the project is a gentle stream or a turbulent sea, the PM must know the language of risks and risk management.

Thus, when a project management software tool offers the intelligence to navigate and address risks, it becomes more than a software. It becomes a partner because of its embedded risk management capabilities, which can in turn empower PMs to lead with clarity, confidence and conviction. 

In my upcoming webinar, we will exactly do that with Primavera P6 software tool, which provides certain risk management capabilities to you – the Project or Portfolio Manager. 

Webinar Agenda

We will discuss the followings:

• Live demonstration of a project with risks.
• Working with both threats and opportunities.
• Determining the risk score.
• Applying risk responses (strategies).
• Face-to-face questions and answers (Q&As)

Event Details

• Registration: https://mpug.com/events/managing-risks-with-primavera-p6
• Tool Used: Primavera P6 Pro (Learn more here)
• Software Version: Primavera P6 R24.x, the latest one (see here)
• Date: 15th October, 2025, Wednesday
• Time: 9:30 PM IST (India); 12 PM ET (US)
• Duration: 1 hour

Update: The event has been rescheduled to 15th October, 2025.

Registration is closed. The event has concluded.

Primavera P6 Pro Course:

• Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons

FAQs – Primavera P6 Pro Course:

• Frequently Asked Questions - Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons

CIPSA Success Story: From CHAMP to CIPSA – Taking Agile to the Next Level with Scaled Scrum and Scaled Kanban

By Ravi O’Reilly, CIPSA, CHAMP

After completing my CHAMP certification, I wanted to take Agile to the next level. The CIPSA journey gave me the tools and confidence to scale Scrum and Kanban across teams, making me a stronger planning professional.

Introduction

Before starting the CIPSA certification, I had already gone through the CHAMP journey with Satya, and it gave me a strong foundation with MS Project Agile. 

Naturally, my next step was to expand my knowledge into scaling frameworks, and the CIPSA certification felt like the right choice.

It wasn’t just about adding another certificate — I wanted to really understand how to apply scaling with Scrum and Kanban, using practical MS Project Agile tools. The fact that it’s a niche and credible certification made it even more appealing.

Own Study – CIPSA Certification

To prepare, I dedicated daily time in the evenings after work and weekends. On average, I studied 1–2 hours per day, and I followed a roadmap similar to CHAMP:

• Watching the videos in sequence
• Reviewing handouts and exercises
• Going through the .mpp solution files
• Revisiting tricky topics until they made sense

Overall, it took me about 6–7 weeks of consistent study. I also took mock exams which helped me gauge my readiness and highlighted weak areas I had to revisit.

“The mock exam was a game changer — it showed me exactly where I stood and what I needed to focus on.”

The course material is very detailed, and the videos are short and clear — which makes it easier to digest. The lesson-end questions were especially helpful in making sure I really understood each topic before moving forward.

Review – CIPSA Certification Course

This course is niche and unique, just like CHAMP certification course, but it goes deeper into scaling Scrum and Kanban. The USP of the course is how it takes you from single-team agile to scaled environments, and all of it is tied back to MS Project Agile views.

The topics that helped me most were:

• Scaled Scrum (especially Sprint Planning, Reviews, Retrospectives at CIPSA level)
• Scaled Kanban meta-events (Kanban Planning, Stand-ups, Reviews, Retros)
• Scaled backlog refinement and reporting views
• Resource management and over-allocations in scaled projects

The exercises and solution files were a big plus — you can follow along, check your own work, and immediately see how theory applies in MS Project.

The solution files were invaluable — they helped me bridge the gap between theory and practical application.

CIPSA Exam Experience

I scheduled the exam once I felt confident with the mocks. The exam has 40 questions in 1 hour, and my strategy was simple:

• Read carefully, don’t rush.
• Mark tricky ones, come back later.
• Watch out for trap questions that mix Scaled Scrum vs. Scaled Kanban events.

The exam standard is tough but fair. In the exam, questions included graphs, burndowns, CFDs, situational problem-solving, and some tricky overlaps between scaled Scrum and scaled Kanban.

When I got my result and saw I had passed, it was a huge relief. The evaluation report and certificate came through soon after, which made it all feel real. 

Suggestions for CIPSA Aspirants

Dos:

• Be consistent with daily study, even if it’s just an hour.
• Do every exercise file — they make the difference between knowing theory and applying it.
• Use the mocks to spot weak areas and go back to the lessons.

Don’ts:

• Don’t skip the scaled Kanban videos — they are equally important as the Scrum ones.
• Don’t assume CHAMP knowledge alone will carry you through; this course builds on it but goes much further.
• Don’t underestimate reporting questions — they will come.

Conclusion

The CIPSA certification has given me a solid understanding of scaling frameworks and how to apply them using MS Project Agile. I can now confidently guide teams and managers on both Scrum and Kanban at scale.

“CIPSA is not just another certificate — it’s a niche, high-value skill that is already making a difference in my role.”

This certification is not just another “add-on” — it’s a niche, high-value skill that has already started helping me in my professional role. I plan to keep applying these learnings in my day-to-day projects and use them to drive real delivery improvements.

Brief Profile: Ravi O’Reilly, CIPSA, CHAMP

Programme Planning Manager, working in UK Government programmes across Transport, Civil Engineering, and IT, with a focus on applying industry best practices and planning standards. 

CIPSA Certification Course:

• Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA)

CHAMP Certification Course:

• Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional (CHAMP)