Introduction

The Daily Stand-up plays a vital role as one of the key ceremonies in the agile process. The daily stand-up is a time-boxed meeting and lasts between 15 to 30 minutes. Its purpose is to discuss the progress made by team members and identify any blockers or obstacles.
The meeting is attended by all team members, and a member of the team takes on the role of facilitating the proceedings. The facilitator can be any team member.
It is essential that the facilitator conducting the stand-up and the team members sharing updates adhere to the following guidelines:

Before the Stand-up

It is important for everyone to review their tickets to:

• Assess the status and progress of the tickets, evaluating how far along they are and what still needs to be done.
• Gather any valuable findings or insights acquired while working on the tickets, such as innovative approaches or lessons learned.
• Identify any blockers that may be hindering progress, such as dependencies on other tasks or team members, technical challenges, or external constraints.

For the facilitator conducting the stand-up, it is essential to go through the board to:

• Understand current status and progress of the work. This allows them to identify any tickets that have been stagnant or in progress for an extended period and require intervention or additional attention.
• Identify any tickets that require further discussion or resolution. This ensures that the facilitator can allocate time during the stand-up to address these specific issues.
• Identify any changing priorities that may have emerged since the last stand-up. This enables the facilitator to address any shifts in focus or urgent tasks that need immediate attention.

During the Stand-up

During the Stand-up, it is important for everyone to include following in their update:

• What they've worked on: Each team member should provide an update on the tasks they have worked on since the last stand-up. This includes sharing the progress made, any significant findings or insights discovered, and any completed deliverables.
• What they'll be working on: Team members should outline the tasks they will be working on next. This helps to align the team's understanding of future priorities and ensure coordination among members.
• What blockers they have: It is crucial for each team member to communicate any blockers or obstacles they are currently facing. This could include dependencies on other team members, technical challenges, or external factors hindering progress. By identifying and addressing these blockers, the team can work collaboratively to find solutions and keep the workflow on track.

For facilitator conducting the stand-up:

• Walk the board: The facilitator should go around the team, filtering the board to display each team member's tickets. This allows for a focused discussion on individual progress.
• Time Management: It is the facilitator's responsibility to manage the time effectively. They should keep a close eye on the clock, ensuring that each team member has a fair amount of time to share their updates. Lengthy discussions should be taken offline and can be addressed right after the stand-up.
• Maintain Focus: The facilitator plays a crucial role in keeping the Stand-up focused on the three key questions: What was done since the last Stand-up? What will be done next? Are there any impediments?
• Address Blockers: The facilitator actively helps identify and address any blockers or obstacles mentioned by team members during their update. The facilitator's goal is to bring the right individuals together to communicate and collaborate in order to overcome the impediments.

After the Stand-up

Immediately after the stand-up is the best time to catch-up with individuals to:

• Clarify any assumptions or uncertainties.
• Resolve any blockers or obstacles.
• Take the opportunity for more in-depth conversations.