Are You Doing The Daily Stand-Up Right?

Picture this: your team logs into a stand-up meeting. Everyone’s supposed to be alert and energized, but half the group looks distracted, and the meeting ends up running longer than it should.

If you cannot relate to this, you are blessed. You can skip the rest of the article.

But for everyone else— ever wonder why you do stand-ups in the first place? Are they truly helping to get work done, or are you just doing them because everyone else is?

Let’s find out.

The Real Purpose of Stand-Up Meetings

In theory, stand-up meetings are simple and straightforward. They are meant to help teams track daily progress, address any quick blockers, and give everyone a sense of the project’s momentum.

The idea is to quickly check in, keep each other accountable, and stay aligned. A well-run stand-up can make sure everyone is on the same page and spot issues early before they snowball.

But as you may have seen, just because a stand-up happens daily doesn’t mean it is achieving any of these goals. The stand-up ritual itself isn’t the problem; it is how most teams end up doing it.

Common Pitfalls (Why Most Stand-Ups Go Wrong)

The meeting is often conducted standing up to keep it brief and avoid lengthy discussions, hence the term “stand-up meeting”.

So, why do many stand-ups derail? Here is where things usually fall apart.

1. Running Overtime: When people start discussing a single point for too long, what should be a quick check-in drags on, making everyone frustrated.

   Imagine a stand-up where one person spends five minutes talking about the weather and another dives into a ten-minute explanation of their challenge with an interlocking team—by the time it is over, half the team wishes they had just read the update in Slack.

   
   

2. Late Starts and No-Shows: Delays and absences kill the meeting rhythm and often lead to missing key updates. When people join late to the meeting, it wastes the time of everyone who joins on time. If you start the ritual without waiting for everyone, then the purpose is lost, as the team misses out on some updates.
   

3. Leader-Led Stand-Up: Research suggests that when developers report their status to the team leader, other team members do not pay attention to the updates.

   
   

4. Solutioning During Stand-Up: Stand-ups aren’t meant for deep problem-solving. When team members start discussing solutions, everyone else’s time is wasted. And, we all have experienced how frequently an update quickly breaks down into a full-fledged solution discussion.

   
   

5. Mixed Time Zones: When the team is global, it can be tough to find a good time for everyone. When some developers try to close their day, others might be brewing their morning coffee. This often results in fragmented attendance, which goes back to the problem of late starts and no-shows.

   
   

Are You Doing It Right? Signs of a Productive Stand-Up

Daily Standup Meetings last 63% longer when team members sit rather than stand during the meeting.

- The daily stand-up meeting: a grounded theory study

Ask yourself: "Are we actually staying on track with our stand-ups? Is everyone walking away with a clearer sense of the day’s goals?"

If the answer isn’t a resounding "Yes", there may be room for improvement.

Here are some practical steps for an effective stand-up.

• IC-Lead Stand-up: It would be beneficial to have an Individual Contributor, such as a product owner, scrum master, or senior team member, lead the stand-up. This would ensure that no one feels judged by their leader and improve everyone's participation in the meeting.

• Keep It Brief: Stand-ups shouldn’t last more than 15 minutes. Set a timer, stay focused, and skip any deep dives. Don't hesitate to stop people in the middle of their statements if the discussions are off track. It might be hard to interrupt frequently, but it is necessary to derive the true benefit of the daily stand-ups.

  
  

• Stick to the Three Questions: What did you accomplish yesterday? What will you work on today? Are there any blockers? This keeps everyone focused and on track. If the responses do not directly answer any of the above three questions, then redirect the discussion immediately.

  
  

• Take Detailed Discussions Offline: If a particular topic needs more discussion, suggest a follow-up after the stand-up. Interested parties can go over the topic offline, reach an agreement, and share the outcome in a subsequent stand-up to ensure the team is in sync.

When a stand-up is done right, it is like a sports huddle— a quick regroup before returning to the game. This helps the team work together without stalling or disrupting anyone’s focus.

Stand-Ups Aren’t the Only Option, But Don’t Skip It Without a Real Try

Abandoning daily stand-ups entirely isn’t the answer without genuinely trying to make them work. If done right, they are fast, effective, and hugely beneficial.

But if, after giving it your best shot, stand-ups still don’t feel right for your team, it may be time to explore alternatives like asynchronous updates on Slack or Teams.

But here is the thing— don’t assume asynchronous communication will solve all the problems. Face-to-face communication—even if virtual—can foster stronger collaboration and help catch issues early.

So, if your team’s environment is complex or highly collaborative, the benefits of quick, real-time syncs may outweigh the cost of "breaking the flow".

Conclusion: Do Daily Stand-Ups Right or Find What Works Best for You

The secret isn't just doing what others are doing without understanding the why and how of the process.

You must figure out what works best for your team. Whether it is the traditional daily stand-up, an asynchronous update system, or even a different model, choose what truly helps your team stay aligned and productive.

Ultimately, a stand-up shouldn't feel like a chore. If it does, it might be time for a change, but make sure you have tried to do it right first.

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