Meetings, meetings, and meetings! There happen to be just so many of them that we do not always know what to say during them. And when we think we do, do we say it right? This article today covers one such topic of much-needed discussion: "What to say in stand-up meetings?"
But before we move into that, let's first understand what stand-up meetings are. Let's go.
What is a stand-up meeting?
Stand-up meetings are short meetings run by teams working with the Agile methodology to take stock of the progress made on the sprint goal and identify impediments to progress, if any.
These are called so because traditionally they are conducted with all the meeting participants standing. Why so? Because everyone participating remains standing during the meeting, there are fewer chances of the meeting running overtime. This is one way to ensure the time wasted in meetings is reduced.
These meetings last up to 15 minutes. Aren't you curious about what gets done in such a short span of time? Well, the stand-up meeting agenda requires you to only answer three questions. That's it.
Let's have a look at what they are and what to say in stand-up meeting examples.
What to say in stand-up meetings
The daily standup meeting template may vary from organization to organization, depending on the industry they are in. It can vary from department to department as well. However, the good news is that the basic structure of the daily standup meeting template remains the same.
The core stand-up meeting format that all daily stand-ups run with requires you to simply state three things. Let’s see what they are.
1. All that you have finished since the last call
The first question of any daily standup meeting template requires you to answer, "What did you accomplish the previous day?" So, what do you say?
You state everything that you've done since the last call. However, you must keep in mind that the answer must let your team members also understand how your accomplishments from the previous day helped the team reach the sprint goal.
For example, if you say you worked on fixing bugs and user testing, how does that give your team an idea about how that helped them reach the sprint goal?
Instead, try relating your efforts to the goal of the current sprint. For example, saying, "I worked on fixing bugs and user testing for the Sendinblue integration with our app" gives a clearer picture to your team about:
- 1.What did you accomplish the previous day?
- 2.How did these accomplishments help them reach the sprint goal?
This is because, as much as it may sound like it, a stand-up meeting agenda is never about status updates. It is about how the team is working together to meet the sprint goal.
2. Tasks that you plan to complete before the next call
The next question that any daily standup meeting template will require you to answer is "What do you plan to accomplish today?"
What do you say here? You mention what you plan to get done before this question is asked again.
Keep in mind again that the answer you share must not be something like, "I plan to continue working on XYZ today." Make your answer more meaningful. For example, saying, "I plan to move on to working on the third stage of XYZ." will give your team members a more substantial idea of how you are going to be contributing to the sprint goal today.
3. The obstacles that are hindering your progress
The last question on a daily stand-up template asks you about any blockers that may be hindering your progress. This question is important to identify what must be worked on as a as a priority to ensure that the team meets its sprint goal or to see if there is a need to revise it.
You can answer by mentioning just the obstacle and its impact on delaying reaching the sprint goal.
However, do not expect a solution to it right then because stand-up meeting agendas do not entail problem-solving during the meeting. The problems can be taken up in a separate meeting after the stand-up to review and brainstorm solutions.
Why are there only three questions in stand-up meetings?
So now you know what to say in stand-up meetings. But do you know why we only answer three questions in a stand-up meeting? Let's find out.
1. Boosts time efficiency
The fact that a stand-up meeting has an agenda everyone is aware of helps everyone anticipate in advance what is expected of them in the meeting by only answering the three questions. And having only 3 questions per participant means you wrap up the meeting faster, making optimal use of time.
2. Increases accountability
If you notice, the three questions are individual-centric. They do not focus on the team as a whole but on the contributions of the participants individually. The sharing of this specific information creates a sense of increased accountability on the part of each team member. This ensures that team members work responsibly and contribute effectively towards achieving the sprint goal.
3. Enhances productivity
When you have only 3 questions to answer in a meeting that takes only 15 minutes of your work day, it also means you have access to a larger chunk of available time to work productively on your tasks. To top that, a 15-minute meeting is less likely to tire you out and reduce your productivity in the way meetings with a longer duration do.
4. Keeps focus on the goal
If you have understood what to say in stand-up meetings well, you most likely have realized what the 3 questions target: achieving the sprint goal. And this is exactly what the 3 questions intend you to do as well: to keep your focus on the Sprint goal and work each day in the same direction.
5. Ensures the sharing of key information
The stand-up meeting agenda is explicitly clear on what transpires in the meeting-the sharing of only the only the required information. Any topic of discussion that goes beyond the three questions is not meant to be part of this meeting. Why? Because stand-ups are primarily meant for you to self-organize so that you move in the direction of the sprint goal, they do not entail any other points of discussion.
What not to say in stand-up meetings
I am sure you now better understand what to say in stand-up meetings. To make it even clearer for you, let's now focus on what you should not be saying during a stand-up meeting.
1. Off-agenda topics
You are now well aware of the daily stand-up template. So, you know what is to be talked about. Anything that does not figure in the daily standup template must not be on your list of information to be shared. To put it simply, anything that you think needs to be discussed and not shared will need a separate meeting of its own.
2. Excessive details
The answers that you share to the 3 questions must only include "what" and "how it contributes to reaching the sprint goal" in brief. You must ensure that you only take enough time to ensure both you and your team members are able to share effectively.
3. Solutions to problems
No, you will not talk about the possible solutions to the problems Harry mentioned, Hermione! Not on my watch, nada. Stand-up meetings are only for the identification and mention of obstacles that are hindering your progress, besides the two other questions. The task of finding solutions to the mentioned problems is not part of any standup meeting format in any department or organization.
4. Criticism or feedback
Look, Jack, you might hate Elizabeth's work, but that does not mean you criticize her or give her feedback right after she mentioned how she is making progress. That is not what the meeting is about. The standup meeting format requires you only to share your answers and listen to your team members' answers attentively.
How can we effectively ensure these considerations?
There is so much you now know. But how do you put it into practice effectively? Sup Bot will do the job for you.
Add to Slack
Add to Teams
Add to WebexThe asynchronous stand-ups from Sup come with a ready-made daily stand-up template. The provided standup meeting format ensures you do not mention anything beyond the answers that the bot asks you, keeping the focus on the goal. However, you can add more questions if you want to.
Also, the asynchronous stand-ups from Sup are text-based. This means you can wrap up your stand-up meetings in an even shorter time than traditional stand-ups. Imagine a 15-minute meeting being reduced to a one-minute meeting.
Have you heard about virtual meeting fatigue? Well, it is real. The text-based asynchronous stand-ups from Sup provide you relief from that too. The one-minute meeting does not burn you out, and you can see your productivity shoot up.
Here is how your team manager can create a stand-up on Sup!
Conclusion
It is up to you to keep in mind what to say in stand-up meetings and what not to say. And in case you think you will struggle with that, find your best friend in Sup Bot. It will not only ensure that you do not say anything beyond what is required, but also that you are able to contribute more effectively than ever before!
Frequently asked questions
1. What is standing up meeting?
A standing up meeting is a daily meeting held to review progress and identify blockers. It is conducted standing to ensure it doesn't last long.
2. How do you structure a stand-up meeting?
Schedule the daily standup at the same time and place. Limit it to 15 minutes. Ensure participants answer the three questions in a concise manner.
3. Who runs stand up meetings?
Contrary to popular belief, developers run the daily standup, not the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master only ensures that the meeting occurs and is successful.
4. What is the purpose of a stand-up meeting?
The purpose of a standup meeting is to help the team members plan their work for the current day and identify impediments to work progress.
5. Who should attend stand-up?
Daily stand-up is primarily for the development team, but it is not restricted to them. Other teams can also have their respective stand-up. The focus is on team progress, plans, and addressing any impediments.
