Mastering the Art of 15-Minute Standups: Boosting Team Productivity
Daily stand-up meetings are often large pain points for team members. They interrupt work, they often go over the allotted time, devolve into blame sessions, or become larger discussions between one or two parties, wasting the time of many. The purpose of a stand-up is to quickly identify if the team is focused correctly and if anything is blocking their work. While team size is indeed a factor, a PM or SCRUM Master can easily get the meeting done in 15 minutes by following a few guidelines.
Structured Agenda
Start with a clear agenda that outlines the meeting’s purpose, format, and time frame. Include specific discussion points, such as progress updates, roadblocks, and plans for the day. A well-defined agenda keeps the meeting focused and ensures everyone knows what to expect.
For my teams, the agenda is "What have you been working on since our last meeting?", "What is next in your queue?", "Is your estimated time still correct?" (or in some cases "Hey can you add an estimate please?), "Do you have any blockers or need anything escalated?"
Note: For some teams, we don't meet every day. The frequency can be adjusted based on team size and scoped work. Sometimes we don't need to engage daily.
Brief and Timely
Limit the meeting to 15-20 minutes to maintain engagement and prevent unnecessary delays. Set a consistent time and place for daily standups to establish a routine. Use a timer or specific music to signal the start and end of the meeting.
We use a 15 minute time block for our calls. This requires focus and lets the team know I only want a little bit of their time.
Rotational Order
Follow a round-robin approach: Each team member shares updates in a predetermined order. This ensures equitable participation and prevents certain voices from dominating the discussion.
I change my round robin order myself. I like to give different team members time to speak first - especially if I know they've been struggling with something or have something neat to share.
Active Listening and Engagement
Encourage team members to actively listen during standups. Address any off-topic discussions separately to maintain focus. Take brief notes during the meeting to track action items and follow-ups.
We have Jira open as we go through our items in stand-up meetings. All the pertinent updates get logged that way, and I take a list of others that I need to get involved, escalations needed, or other issues with the team. Side topics are to be taken offline and scheduled in a follow-up between the particular parties.
Ethical Considerations
Remember that daily standups are not just about reporting tasks; they’re also an opportunity to foster collaboration, empathy, and psychological safety within the team. Be mindful of inclusivity and respectful communication.
Again, this is another reason I like to do my round robins in different orders. I don't want anybody to think they are a less valuable team member than anybody else, and human beings like to "go first". Therefore, I like to give everybody a chance to go first.
Conclusion
Implementing these simple tips can significantly streamline your daily standup meetings, making them both shorter and more effective. By focusing on essential updates and adhering to a structured format, teams can drastically reduce meeting times without sacrificing productivity. In fact, by following these guidelines, I've managed to trim our standups to as little as 10 minutes on some days. Remember, the goal is to foster communication and alignment while respecting everyone's time. With practice and commitment, your team can achieve more efficient standups, leaving more time for focused work and collaboration.
Sources:
The Only Daily Standup Meeting Agenda You'll Ever Need. https://www.spinach.io/blog/daily-stand-up-meeting-agenda.
7 Tips to Conduct a Daily Standup Meeting Effectively | Ricotta. https://www.ricotta.team/blog/how-to-conduct-daily-standup.
Daily Standup - What Is and How To Run a Standup Meeting. https://activecollab.com/blog/project-management/daily-standup-meeting.
How To Run Effective Stand-Up Meetings | Built In. https://builtin.com/software-engineering-perspectives/daily-stand-up-meetings.
Daily Standups: How to Run Them - Agile Coach (2019). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er9gntPjTJU.
How to Hold a Daily Stand-up Meeting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSFfyse_EXM.
Daily Standup Meetings: Standup Agenda, Purpose, and Common Pitfalls. https://geekbot.com/blog/daily-standup-meeting/.
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