Why the Daily Standup Meeting Agenda is So Important

What is an agile standup meeting?

An agile daily standup meeting is a brief get-together, where participants typically stand and discuss important matters concerning their objectives. It is usually very brief, not more than fifteen minutes. An agile daily standup meeting agenda brings together a team that is working to attain common goals, and the meeting is valuable because all team members can air their suggestions concerning the team’s progress.

What is the daily standup meeting agenda?

Daily standup meeting agenda allows dev teams to avoid some of the common overlooked daily scrum mistakes while improving performance and productivity. Although the daily standup meeting agenda could differ, the following is a standard blueprint for such meetings: 

Goals: These are the objectives that the team set which it seeks to complete. These goals will align with the company’s mission and vision statements, as well as the development team’s product creation goals. Ideally, most of these goals will be about improved productivity and better performance. 

Progress: A daily standup meeting agenda also gauges the team’s progress to determine whether the team is on the right track or not. The meeting helps to identify accomplishments and objectives that may be lagging behind implementation. This way, teams can determine whether they are on the right track towards goal attainment or not. This agenda offers the valuable chance to correct anything that does not align with the agenda. 

Obstacles: A daily standup meeting agenda also enables team members to identify the drawbacks that stand in the way of goal achievement. This helps them to rethink the plan and address any obstacles to goal achievement. Having an agenda is also a great way to handle problems before they become unmanageable.  

Daily standup meeting agenda formats / templates

The following is a basic template for an agile daily standup meeting agenda:

What were my achievements yesterday? 

What do I plan to achieve today

What are the drawbacks to my efficiency? 

How will I address these drawbacks/obstacles? 

Ways to optimize your daily standup meeting agenda

Proper Timing: An agile daily standup meeting agenda is more likely to be optimal when held at a consistent time, and constrained to the stipulated timeline. It should not exceed fifteen minutes.

Top-Notch Professionalism: An agile daily standup meeting agenda should be formal in all aspects ranging from timing, content and code of conduct.

Inclusion: An agile daily standup meeting agenda should be very inclusive. Everyone should have equal opportunity to contribute. It should not be held in an uncomfortable tone that scares away some team members from contributing. Instead, an agile daily standup meeting agenda should encourage all to participate in equal measure.

Why is the daily standup meeting important?

A daily standup meeting agenda is very important in the sense that it enhances the following:  ‍

Effective Communication

Even though it is brief, a daily standup meeting agenda enhances effective communication. It encourages face to face communication which is an integral principle of business agility. Through appropriate communication, a firm gains more agility, thus streamlining the objectives, which are highly dependent on effective communication. 

Developing Trust

Effective communication characterized by a brief daily standup agenda helps to create transparency and a sense of trust. It offers the much-needed time, though brief, to bond together. The team members network and function with one another in a way that improves understanding, transparency and general trust. ‍

Developing Effective Teams 

A scrum daily standup meeting agenda should be brief, but can still be very valuable in cultivating effective teams. Despite the busy schedules, sparing a few minutes for an agile standup meeting agenda can strengthen the spirit of teamwork in a company. It also allows members to empower and support each other, thus creating a culture of teamwork in an organization. 

Sorting Out Issues

A scrum daily standup meeting agenda is brief, but crucial in sorting out issues in a team. It helps members to iron out misunderstandings, streamline objectives and pledge to work together effectively without conflict. Therefore, a standup meeting should be habitual. 

Celebrating Achievement

A scrum daily standup meeting agenda enables the team to celebrate their accomplishments, however small they might be. This cultivates a sense of positive pride and enhances motivation to do even better to exceed organizational objectives. It boosts the team’s morale to work even harder.