In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations are seeking strategies that enable them to swiftly adapt and thrive. Agile methodology has emerged as a powerful framework that fosters flexibility, collaboration, and innovation.
Scrum, a widely adopted agile framework, emphasises frequent communication and collaboration. However, one aspect of Scrum, the daily stand-up meeting, has sparked debates among practitioners. In this article, I will delve into the reasons why stand-ups are not necessary for Scrum and explore alternative approaches that deliver the same value while wasting less time and energy.
Why a daily standup?
"The daily stand-up meeting enables teams to synchronize their efforts, align their goals, and plan their activities for the day. By providing a dedicated time for all team members to share updates on their progress, challenges, and plans, the stand-up ensures that everyone is aware of the team's collective achievements and potential roadblocks." - ChatGPT
The above statement is from when I asked ChatGPT: "What is the reason for a daily stand-up in Agile Scrum?". That is something I used to believe is true. However, the further I am into my career as a Software Engineer, I now have a different point of view (POV) regarding stand-ups; and that POV is that stand-ups should be eliminated in Agile Scrum. They are more of a nuisance rather than value-adding.
Below is a list of points why I believe the daily stand-up brings a lot more drawbacks than the value it is perceived to provide.
Time efficiency and value
Stand-up meetings are time-consuming and unproductive. With team members providing status updates daily, the meetings can become repetitive, especially when there are minimal changes from the previous day. This redundancy leads to wasted time that could be better utilized for actual work. Instead, information sharing and coordination can be achieved through other channels, such as digital project management tools or asynchronous communication platforms, where team members can provide updates and address queries without the need for a daily physical or virtual gathering.
By eliminating the daily meeting, teams can allocate more time and energy towards the actual delivery of valuable increments and concentrate on the tasks at hand. By reducing interruptions, and maintaining a steady flow of progress, ultimately leading to improved productivity and timely delivery.
Stand-up meetings are (usually) NOT stand-up meeting
Stand-up meetings can sometimes become lengthy and eat into valuable work time, particularly if they are not well-structured or if team members provide excessive details and discussions on a particular topic or issue. If the meeting runs for an extended period, it can result in reduced productivity and hinder progress on actual tasks. Oftentimes, team members forget the meeting is a stand-up, and go on to discuss technical and/or business requirements. This, in turn, defeats the purpose of a stand-up which is to only update the team on 3 points, these are: What I did yesterday, what I am doing today, and any blockers. Those 3 points can be a simple message on dedicated channels.
Not adapting to Context and team dynamics
Scrum emphasises flexibility and different teams may have unique dynamics and needs. The rigid adherence to a daily stand-up meeting may not be suitable or effective for all situations. Some teams may work in remote or distributed setups, making daily stand-ups impractical. Others may have naturally high levels of collaboration and communication, rendering the daily meeting redundant. Instead, teams can adapt their communication practices based on their specific context, choosing alternative methods that better suit their dynamics while still maintaining transparency and alignment. This is especially true for team members working in completely different time zones. It can be extremely difficult to find a time slot where all participating members can attend, and in turn, will receive minimum value in exchange.
Can feel like micro-managing
The daily stand-up, with its emphasis on individual status reporting, can inadvertently create a micro-managing culture within teams. By removing the stand-up, teams can shift towards a more trusting and empowering environment, allowing individuals to take ownership of their work and collaborate more freely. Trusting team members to communicate their progress and seek assistance when needed fosters a sense of autonomy, accountability, and self-organisation within the team.
Repetitive and disengaged
If the stand-up meeting becomes monotonous or lacks active participation, team members may disengage mentally, leading to reduced focus and meaningful contribution. This is especially true when team members that are not required to be there, or are not currently actively working on the project waste their time sitting in a stand-up meeting with no value added or received.
If the sprint planning sessions are done properly, each team member would all know what they're doing, and what is next once a ticket is completed.
But have no fear, replacing the stand-up is near, if your team implements the following
Asynchronous Communication: Teams can leverage digital communication tools, such as project management software to help track progress, instant messaging platforms, or collaboration tools, to facilitate ongoing communication. Team members can provide updates, share progress, and address any impediments asynchronously. This allows for flexibility in timing and allows team members to communicate at their convenience while still maintaining transparency.
Daily Progress Updates: Instead of a formal daily stand-up meeting, teams can provide daily progress updates through a shared document or communication channel. Each team member can summarise their accomplishments, ongoing tasks, and any challenges they may be facing. This approach ensures that everyone is aware of the team's progress and can identify potential areas of collaboration or assistance.
Sprint Planning Sessions: Teams can dedicate more time to do proper sprint planning sessions to discuss priorities, tasks, and potential challenges. By thoroughly discussing and aligning on the upcoming work, teams can set clear goals and establish a shared understanding of the tasks at hand. This allows for a collaborative approach to planning and ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding project objectives and expectations. Delegating tickets for a team member to fill a sprint makes the daily stand-up redundant.
Ad hoc Meetings: Instead of a daily stand-up, teams can schedule ad hoc meetings as needed. These meetings can be focused on addressing specific issues, clarifying requirements, or conducting in-depth discussions. By utilising targeted meetings, teams can maintain a proactive approach to problem-solving and ensure that important topics are addressed promptly without the need for a daily meeting.
Given the drawbacks listed above and the solutions, we can eliminate the stand-up and focus our time on what really matters such as delivering software, fixing bugs, writing good documentation and many more things that bring tremendously more value to the business than a daily stand-up.
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