Free Daily Standup Meeting Agenda Template & Tips

What is a daily standup meeting?

The daily stand-up, also known as daily scrum, is one of the most common agile practices adopted by teams worldwide. It is a short and focused meeting where the project team update on the progress towards the Scrum tasks.

Held every working day at a specified time, usually first thing in the morning, all the team members come together for a 15-minute interaction and simply state what they did and what they are going to work on. The meeting is kept precise and straightforward by making everyone stand up for that duration. 

The purpose of daily scrum meetings is not to report to anybody but to make sure the team is on the same page with what’s on and off track.

Another thing to look out for is that the daily scrum is not a problem-solving session, and teams should be aware of falling down the rabbit hole of trying to solve all problems. If a discussion is required, another meeting can be organized with the stakeholders.

What are the benefits of a daily standup?

When conducted effectively, the stand-up meetings can be an excellent opportunity to engage the team members and get them ready to tackle the day. Here is how your team will benefit immensely from a daily scrum meeting.

• Creates accountability

Daily standups enable you to discuss all the tasks at hand, the deadlines, and the hang-ups every workday. Moreover, the expectations and goals are followed up on a regular basis creating a sense of responsibility and a consistent connection among the team members. 

• Keeps the project on track

As the team gets together for a brief discussion, you get a tab on everyone’s progress. It saves time as the leader can ensure that the team has the required resources to complete the tasks for the day. Moreover, you don’t need to have additional lengthy meetings if the entire team is on track. 

• Reduces hurdles timely

Even the most productive team members face issues every now and then. Daily stand-up helps you quickly bring the problem to everyone’s attention rather than waiting for days or weeks. It also implies that the issues will be resolved on time, thereby enhancing your productivity.

3 Must-answer questions in a standup meeting

These scrum questions at the core of a daily standup, designed to get a quick update on the project’s progress and solve any impediments. They reiterate that everyone has clarity regarding what has been completed, what needs to be done, and if any help is required to accomplish the tasks and goals.

Here is a detailed breakdown of each of the questions.

What did you do yesterday?

This question updates everyone on your progress, and a quick answer is enough.

It also gives an insight into any dysfunction in the organization. For instance, if someone answers that they didn’t accomplish much yesterday because of too many meetings, it indicates that meetings are cutting into the productive time of employees. So, you can take proper measures to ensure that everyone gets sufficient time to focus on the tasks at hand. 

What will you do today?

This question lets you know what tasks each team member will undertake to proceed with the project.

It helps you analyze upcoming tasks and focus on the ones that are essential for the success of the project. This way, if any task does not contribute to the goals, it can be removed from the list. 

Sometimes, this question may also highlight any project management glitches. For instance, if two team members are accidentally doing the same tasks then these can be re-evaluated to save time and effort.

Is anything blocking your progress?

This is a simple and straightforward question that addresses the pain points or any hurdles the team members are facing. For instance, a team member might be dealing with a technical glitch that is leading to a work delay. So, the leader can take this up on priority and make the necessary provisions that ensure smooth functioning. 

The key here is to eliminate all the issues so the team can work productively and meet their goals on time. 

Tips for running effective daily standup meetings 

If you are looking forward to making the most of the daily stand-up meeting, here are a few tips that will come in handy.

1. Have a routine

The main factors that contribute to the success of a daily scrum are consistency and commitment. It is essential for everyone to get into the habit of attending this meeting regularly. This can be done by organizing the meeting at the same time and place every working day. 

Moreover, these meetings should be mandatory for every project member, especially the product owner. 

2. Create an agenda

It is vital for all the team members to be aware of the purpose of this meeting so that they can structure their updates accordingly. The new team members should be encouraged to observe the meeting, and they will eventually get the hang of it. 

You can apply Airgram’s daily stand-up meeting agenda and share it at least 24 hours in advance so that the team members can write down their answers to the three questions before the meeting commences. This way, they don’t miss out on critical topics and can easily keep track of action items and obstacles.

3. Designate a leader

Every stand-up needs a leader or a scrum master. The team members can either take turns leading the meeting, or you, as a manager, can take up this role. In both these cases, the leader should keep the team organized. 

Although the stand-up meeting has a narrow focus, people tend to go off-topic during a discussion and may get some problem-solving done. In such cases, it is the leader’s job to keep things on track. You can note the issue and ask the concerned team members to get together after the meeting.

The leader is also responsible for encouraging punctuality, as the daily stand-up has to start and end on time, no matter what. 

4. Keep it short and simple

A typical stand-up meeting lasts about 15 minutes, so you have limited time to make the most of it. Everyone should share the answers to the three critical questions, and anything else can be addressed later.

Very often, people talk too much about what they are working on, and these meetings tend to go on for 45 minutes or more. Keeping it precise helps everyone focus on the key objectives and doesn’t waste people’s time as they are gearing up for a busy workday. 

Pro Tip: A great way of ensuring that these meetings stay on track is to designate a time limit for each person. This way, everyone gets an equal opportunity to speak, and one person does not end up hijacking the meeting.

5. Have crystal clear action items

Action items are instrumental in capturing the to-do list in regard to the discussions conducted during the meeting. The leader should ensure that the action items are concise and clear so that everyone is on the same page.

It is an excellent practice to make a team member responsible for each action item as it promotes accountability and makes it easier for the pending tasks to be tracked in the next meeting. 

6. Keep track of obstacles

Daily stand-ups provide an excellent opportunity for people to mention the hurdles they are encountering so that they can be taken care of timely. 

It is vital to cultivate trust among team members and create a safe environment for everyone to discuss what is bothering them and affecting their progress. 

Also, the leader should make a note of all the issues, and these can be discussed at length later. This will help in keeping a tab on resolution and in identifying issues that are cropping up regularly.

FAQs

Why stand up?

Standup meetings are a unique form of meeting because standing up is meant to create discomfort for participants, thus giving attendees incentives to get straight to the point and keep the meeting strictly time-boxed.

Why daily?

Standup meetings occur daily for the team to communicate their workload and adjust their collaborative mode. By knowing what other teammates are working on and what impediments are in the way, the team can work more efficiently together.