Should stakeholders attend the daily standup?

Stakeholders can observe but should not participate. The meeting is for the development team to synchronise. If stakeholders need updates, the Scrum Master can provide a summary separately.

How do async standups work for remote teams?

Team members post written updates at a set time each day using Slack or standup bots. They work well across time zones but reduce real-time interaction. Supplement with occasional video check-ins.

What if standups feel unproductive?

Walk the board instead of going person-by-person, focus on the sprint goal, enforce the 15-minute timebox, and move problem-solving discussions to after the standup. Ensure the purpose is peer synchronisation, not reporting.

Book Free Assessment Calculator

Daily Standup

A brief daily team meeting (typically 15 minutes) where each member shares what they completed, what they plan to do, and any blockers preventing progress.

In-Depth Explanation

The daily standup (also called daily scrum) is a short synchronisation meeting held at the same time each day. Its purpose is to keep the team aligned, surface blockers quickly, and maintain momentum toward the sprint goal.

Standard format (three questions):

What did I complete since the last standup?
What will I work on before the next standup?
Are there any blockers or impediments?

Effective standup practices:

Timeboxed: Strictly 15 minutes maximum
Same time, same place: Consistency builds habit
Team-focused: Updates are for the team, not a status report for managers
Sprint goal oriented: Frame updates in relation to the sprint goal
Blocker resolution: Note blockers but resolve them after the standup
Visual aids: Reference the sprint board during updates

Common anti-patterns:

Status reporting to management rather than peer synchronisation
Problem solving during the standup instead of after
Running over 15 minutes
Disengagement - team members not listening
Skipping when the team is busy

Alternatives:

Async standups: Written updates in Slack for distributed teams
Walking the board: Moving through the board column by column
Round-robin vs voluntary: Structured vs freeform speaking order

Business Context

Daily standups keep teams aligned and unblock progress quickly, preventing issues from sitting unresolved for days.

How Clever Ops Uses This

Clever Ops holds daily standups for active project teams, including check-ins with Australian client stakeholders as needed. This ensures blockers are surfaced and resolved within hours, not days.

Example Use Case

"During a standup, a developer mentions they are blocked waiting for API credentials. The Scrum Master escalates immediately, and credentials are received by lunchtime instead of potentially sitting unresolved for days."