Time is often at a premium in a busy work environment so things are done as quickly as possible. Companies simply don't have the luxury of having a daily sit-down breakfast meeting for updates, which would take an hour or more. Hence, the daily scrum meeting has become a valuable part of the workday.
What is a daily scrum meeting?
The daily scrum meeting, also known as the daily stand-up meeting, is a vital collaborative session where department employees or project team members come together at the beginning of the day to get everyone up to speed on the project's progress and goals. It commences with a comprehensive recap of the previous day's accomplishments, allowing everyone to celebrate achievements and build momentum for the day ahead. Next, a thorough run-through of the actionable plans for the current day ensures everyone is aligned and aware of their responsibilities.
Lastly, the meeting shifts focus to identifying and addressing potential challenges and roadblocks, fostering a proactive approach to problem-solving and ensuring the work progresses smoothly and efficiently. This structured and inclusive daily practice fosters effective communication, boosts team cohesion, and ultimately leads to successful project outcomes.
Although it is called a stand-up meeting, there is no rule that says everyone needs to be standing up during the meeting. Still, that is just what frequently happens, with everyone preferring to stand until the discussion is finished. The daily scrum meeting ideally takes 15 minutes or less. And in order to keep your meetings within this strict time constraint, it is highly recommended that you use a daily scrum meeting template to serve as your guide.
Why are daily scrum meetings necessary in your company?
So much more than just a ritual that companies have become used to, the daily scrum meeting actually has multiple purposes. The primary objective of these meetings is to keep everyone on the same page and to promote better collaboration toward the achievement of the collective goal.
Check the progress toward the goal
It is crucial to know the progress as this will show whether the project is on track, or whether you need to speed up to make the target. The daily reports from all members will ensure that everyone knows exactly what progress has been made.
Boost efficiency and collaboration
The daily scrum meeting reveals which areas of a project are particularly challenging and require more support. With this information, you can reallocate resources or manpower accordingly to maintain balance and keep moving forward. Also, constant feedback keeps a healthy level of collaborative effort toward the success of the undertaking.
Promote self-organization
Having a daily standup encourages all members to manage and organize their work properly, and stay accountable for whatever role they have been given. It eliminates the need for a specific person to track progress and manage workflow, and lets the project manager focus on the more crucial tasks at hand.
Practical tips to hold an effective daily scrum meeting
There are no hard rules on how to conduct an effective daily scrum meeting, but there are general guidelines that most teams follow, as well as some tried and tested tips that would help you get the most out of your daily standup.
Conduct the meeting at the same time and place every day
This kind of consistency helps in establishing the meeting as an integral part of each work day. Oftentimes, it is done in the morning before work commences and while everyone is fresh and minds are at their sharpest. Some prefer to do it as a culminating activity at the end of the day, which also makes sense.
Regardless of your chosen schedule and venue, it is vital that you follow a daily scrum meeting template in order to maintain consistency and keep the meeting as brief as possible.
Cover all relevant topics but keep discussions concise
Remember that it should take no longer than 15 minutes to do a daily standup. In giving their reports or feedback, everyone should just stick to the gist and refrain from starting unnecessary discussions. Of course, this doesn’t mean that ideas that are out of topic must be shut down. If someone comes up with something brilliant, make a note of it and set a separate meeting to discuss it, and stick to following the daily scrum meeting template in the meantime.
All team members must answer the 3 questions
A daily scrum meeting will work best if all relevant participants are present and actively involved. This means everyone must answer the three questions – what they have accomplished the previous day, what their tasks are for today, and what challenges or difficulties they have faced.
Recognize good progress
When a team member accomplishes a small goal or reaches a milestone, the team should show them appreciation with applause or a pat on the back. This is a great way to keep everyone motivated.
How to use the daily scrum meeting template
The daily scrum meeting template is an indispensable tool for keeping daily standups agile. Before you utilize the template for your meetings, customize it to include all team members, assign unique colors per member, and rearrange to represent your team structure effectively. Once the meeting starts, each individual gains access to the daily scrum meeting template, which contains three sections they must fill out.
This tailored approach ensures seamless collaboration and enhances team engagement during the daily stand-up, facilitating a productive and goal-oriented work environment. Each section corresponds to each of the three scrum questions. The members will then take turns sharing their answers to the question until everyone has had their turn.
The daily scrum meeting template provides a significant amount of order and consistency to the daily standup, but it is up to the participants to give quality input that would make these meetings a success.
FAQs about the daily scrum meeting
What is the daily scrum meeting format?
It is a 15-minute meeting designed for providing updates, planning what to do for the day, and making adjustments to overcome roadblocks.
What are the 3 questions asked during a daily scrum meeting?
The format of the questions varies depending on the daily scrum meeting template that you are using but basically, they ask what has been done, what is to be done for the day, and what problems have been encountered.
How do I prepare for a daily scrum meeting?
Before the meeting starts, you must already have an answer to each of the three questions because there is no time for delays. Some groups allow members to answer the questions in the daily scrum meeting template so that when the meeting begins, they can go directly to share the answers.
