Purpose of the Daily Standup
The daily standup (also called daily scrum) is a 15-minute time-boxed event for the development team to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours. It's not a status report for managers—it's a team commitment to transparency and collaboration.
Key Principle: The standup optimizes team collaboration and performance by inspecting progress toward the sprint goal and adapting the sprint backlog as needed.
The 15-Minute Rule
Daily standups must be time-boxed to 15 minutes maximum. This constraint forces focus and prevents problem-solving during the meeting.
- 5-7 people: ~2 minutes per person
- 8-10 people: ~90 seconds per person
- More than 10: Consider splitting into sub-teams
The Three Classic Questions
What did I do yesterday?
Purpose: Share completed work and context
What will I do today?
Purpose: Communicate your plan and priorities
Are there any blockers?
Purpose: Surface impediments that need attention
Common Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Turning into a status report
Why it's bad: Standups are for team sync, not manager updates. Reading from a task list wastes everyone's time.
Fix: Talk to your teammates, not your manager. Focus on collaboration opportunities.
Going over 15 minutes
Why it's bad: Long standups lose focus and engagement. People stop paying attention after 15 minutes.
Fix: Use a timer. Take detailed discussions offline to a "parking lot" conversation after.
Not actually standing
Why it's bad: Sitting down encourages longer, more comfortable meetings. Standing creates natural time pressure.
Fix: Stand up, even on video calls. It keeps energy high and meetings short.
Skipping when remote
Why it's bad: Remote teams need sync even more than co-located ones. Skipping creates information silos.
Fix: Make it video-first. Seeing faces builds connection and accountability.
Problem-solving during standup
Why it's bad: Detailed problem-solving involves only 2-3 people but wastes time for the whole team.
Fix: Identify problems, then solve them in smaller groups immediately after standup.
Waiting for everyone to join
Why it's bad: Starting late rewards tardiness and punishes punctual team members. Time compounds.
Fix: Start on time, every time. Latecomers can catch up or listen to a recording.
Remote Standup Best Practices
Video on, always
EasyBuilds team connection and accountability
Rotate facilitator daily
EasyDistributes responsibility and keeps format fresh
Use virtual backgrounds for blockers
MediumVisual signal makes blockers impossible to miss
Record for async viewers
EasyAccommodates different time zones
Use collaborative board
MediumEveryone can see tasks and drag items live
Mute when not speaking
EasyEliminates background noise and distractions
Remote vs In-Person Comparison
| Aspect | In-Person | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Time commitment | 15 minutes exact | 15 min + 5 min connection buffer |
| Energy level | High (physical presence) | Medium (video fatigue) |
| Side conversations | Easy to spot and redirect | Hidden (Slack DMs, muted mics) |
| Body language | Full visibility | Limited to face/shoulders |
| Recording | Rare | Easy (built into tools) |
| Timezone flexibility | Requires everyone on-site | Can rotate times or go async |
| Engagement cues | Eye contact, posture, movement | Video on/off, reactions, chat |
| Post-standup sync | Tap on shoulder | Break into smaller rooms/calls |
Async Standup Alternatives
When synchronous standups don't work (distributed time zones, flexible schedules), consider these async approaches:
Slack/Teams threads
Daily written updates in dedicated channel
✓ Pros
- Timezone-friendly
- Searchable history
- No meeting fatigue
⚠ Cons
- Less personal connection
- Easy to skip
- Delayed responses
Best for: Fully distributed teams across many time zones
Loom video updates
Record 1-2 minute video standup, share async
✓ Pros
- More personal than text
- Visual context
- Flexible timing
⚠ Cons
- Takes more effort
- Storage management
- Not real-time
Best for: Teams who value face time but can't sync schedules
Geekbot/Standuply
Bot asks questions, aggregates answers
✓ Pros
- Automated prompting
- Structured format
- Analytics built-in
⚠ Cons
- Less spontaneous collaboration
- Requires setup
- Another tool
Best for: Teams who want structure without synchronous time
✓ Key Takeaways
- 1Keep it to 15 minutes maximum—use a timer and start on time
- 2Answer the three questions: what you did, what you'll do, and blockers
- 3It's a team sync, not a status report—talk to teammates, not managers
- 4Take problem-solving offline to "parking lot" conversations after standup
- 5For remote teams: video on, rotate facilitators, and record for async viewers
- 6When timezones make sync impossible, async alternatives can work—but lose some collaboration
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