These items are optional. Some courses are free to read or watch, but a certificate or a graded exam may cost money. Prices change and differ by country. Always check the provider’s page before you pay. Nothing here is needed to pass the dojo.
- User Research - Methods and Best Practices — Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF). Course, about 30 h. Teaches how to learn what customers really need before building.
- Agile Project Management (course 5 of Google PM Certificate) — Google / Coursera. Course, about 20 h. Teaches Scrum and Agile basics, including value roadmaps, in two weeks.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) — Microsoft Learn. Certification, about 15 h. The starter cloud certificate; it gives you the words to talk with Azure engineers.
- GitLab Certified Project Management Associate (Credly badge) — GitLab. Certification, about 12 h. A GitLab-issued badge proving you can run epics, boards and roadmaps in GitLab.
- Google Project Management Professional Certificate — Google / Coursera. Certification, about 142 h. A beginner-friendly full course on planning, running and wrapping up projects, with Agile included.
- PMI CAPM Certification Handbook (official PDF, revised 2022) — PMI. Certification, about 40 h. Shows what the CAPM entry certificate asks for, in PMI’s own words.
- PMI-ACP Handbook (official PDF, revised 2022) — PMI. Certification, about 60 h. A later goal after you have real agile experience. Know what it asks for.
- ITIL certifications at PeopleCert (includes ITIL 4 Foundation) — PeopleCert (ITIL licensee). Certification, about 20 h. Shows the ITIL 4 Foundation exam and where it fits. A later, optional goal.
