Daily standup meetings are a vital part of many agile processes, particularly in Scrum teams. They provide a quick and effective way for team members to align on goals for the day, reflect on their previous day’s work, and raise any blockers or challenges they might be facing.
Unlike lengthy traditional meetings, the daily standup is designed to be short—usually no longer than 15 minutes. It is typically held each morning, with the aim of keeping the team focused, informed, and moving efficiently towards their goals.
Why Is It Called a Standup?
The meeting is called a standup because, traditionally, all participants remain standing during it. This helps foster a sense of urgency—since nobody wants to stand around for too long! The idea is to keep the meeting short and to prevent unnecessary discussions or deep dives into problems that can be solved later in focused sessions.
The focus of the meeting is progress, not problem-solving. If a blocker or major issue arises, it’s simply raised and then scheduled for discussion afterward (outside of the standup). The idea is to keep the conversation moving forward quickly, which prevents people from over-analyzing or getting bogged down in minor details.
Key Questions to Ask During a Daily Standup:
Every standup meeting revolves around three core questions. These help the team stay aligned and informed about everyone’s progress.
1. What did I work on yesterday?
The first question is an opportunity for team members to share their accomplishments from the previous day. What were you working on? What tasks did you complete or make progress on?
Providing this update helps give clarity to the rest of the team and shows how work is advancing towards the team’s goals. It also serves as a point of reflection for the individual, allowing them to track their own progress.
Example Update:
“Yesterday, I completed the front-end design for the checkout page. I also started implementing the payment gateway logic on the back end.”
Why It’s Important:
Sharing what you accomplished keeps everyone in the loop and showcases any value delivered, even if it’s just progress on an ongoing task. It encourages transparency about how individual tasks contribute to the bigger picture.
2. What am I working on today?
The second question shifts the focus to the present. What tasks are you going to tackle today? It’s an opportunity to lay out your plan and communicate your priorities with the team. This helps manage expectations and ensures that efforts are aligned with the team’s overarching goals.
Example Update:
“Today, I’ll finish integrating the payment gateway. After that, I’ll begin testing the transaction flow under different scenarios.”
Why It Matters:
This quick update keeps the team on track, ensuring everyone is working towards the sprint or project goals. It also allows your teammates and project managers to align resources if necessary, and it ensures there’s no duplication of effort.
3. What issues are blocking me?
The third question addresses potential roadblocks. Are there any challenges, blockers, or issues preventing you from completing your tasks?
By voicing blockers early, the team can address them head-on. That might mean rallying other team members to assist, allocating resources, or consulting with a manager for a swift resolution.
Example Update:
“I’m having trouble with the API; it’s returning unexpected errors. I may need some help from the backend team to debug this.”
Why It’s Crucial:
Blockers, if left unresolved, can cause unnecessary delays. Reporting them in the standup lets the team discuss solutions and ensures someone takes ownership of resolving the issue. It also allows the team lead or scrum master to be proactive in helping.
Best Practices for Daily Standup Meetings
Standup meetings are designed to be short and productive. Here are some tips to make sure your standup runs efficiently:
1. Keep It Short and Focused
The standup is not the time to dive deep into technical discussions or strategy. Keep answers concise and relevant to what the team needs to know. If a certain issue requires extended discussion, note it and address it after the standup.
2. Stand Up!
The term “standup” actually stems from the idea that meetings should be held with everyone standing. The physical act of standing dissuades people from getting too comfortable and helps keep the meeting quick and to the point.
3. Start on Time Every Day
Punctuality is essential for building routine—and respect—within the team. Make sure the standup starts at the agreed-upon time, with or without everyone present. This helps train everyone to value the time set aside for updates and reduces tardiness in the long run.
4. Avoid Problem-Solving During Standup
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to troubleshoot issues during the standup. However, the goal of the standup is to identify blockers, not necessarily resolve them on the spot. If problem-solving takes too long, it can drag out the meeting. Instead, schedule a follow-up session after the standup to discuss and solve complex issues in depth.
5. Rotate Leadership (Where Applicable)
In some teams, switching up the standup facilitator helps keep the meetings fresh and fosters team ownership of the process. Different people bring various perspectives, and having everyone take turns leading the meeting can prevent it from becoming monotonous.
When to Have a Standup Meeting
The daily standup often takes place in the morning, typically before team members have settled into their workday. Why? Well, it’s the time when you’re more likely to have a fresh perspective on your tasks and blockers.
That said, there are no hard rules about when a standup should occur. For distributed teams across different time zones, timing can vary. In these cases, virtual standups or asynchronous status updates through tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams can keep everyone aligned without a fixed meeting time.
Conclusion
The daily standup meeting is more than a formality—when done right, it’s a powerful tool for team alignment, communication, and problem-solving. It breaks down silos and allows individuals to voice concerns, challenges, and achievements.
Remember to approach each standup with the goal of being clear, concise, and organized. It’s your chance to set the tone for a productive and efficient day—take advantage of it!
To recap:
- What did you work on yesterday? Keep it concise and focused on outcomes.
- What are you working on today? Communicate your priorities and goals.
- What blockers are in the way? Raise issues to get timely support.
