What Is a Daily Standup?

In Agile project management, daily standups are brief meetings held daily to update teams on project progress and identify blockers. Their name comes from their similarity to a sports huddle. Traditionally, these meetings work on the premise that if attendees are standing, the meeting should be kept short.

Daily standup meetings don’t go into great detail. They involve high-level discussions lasting no longer than 15 minutes, allowing participants to explain their accomplishments that day briefly. This way, everyone is updated and aligned.

Leaders traditionally hold standups at the same time and place daily, although many now happen virtually. Rather than an agenda that changes, the meeting always follows the same format, asking the three daily standup questions:

• What did you work on yesterday?

• What are you working on today?

• What are your blockers?

5 benefits of daily standup meetings

Daily standup meetings come with many benefits for the teams that use them, whether Agile teams, Scrum teams, or teams using different methodologies. These advantages include the following:

1. Collaboration: Starting the day by ensuring everything is aligned with what has been done, what everyone needs to do, and any factors that might cause an issue means that teams are working together in unison.

2. Team building: This keeps teams close and in sync, which is excellent for team building and contributes to how comfortable people feel around each other and a shared energy to begin the day.

3. Goal-focused: Daily standups provide a goal for everyone to work towards and stay on track. They provide a space to share information and problem-solve any issues that may become apparent.

4. Accountability: Knowing that you’ll explain your progress and commit to your plans each day fosters accountability amongst team members.

5. Time effective: Daily standup meetings have a strict time frame, aided by the fact that they’re usually attended standing, as no one wants to stand for long. 

Related terms

• Project plan

• Gantt chart

• Sprint plan

• Scope creep

Next steps

Whether held in person or via videoconferencing, the daily standup can help teams resolve challenges and collaborate effectively. This Agile tool allows everyone to come together and ensure they understand their commitments and roles, enhancing the project’s organisation and planning. To learn more about project management processes and tools, such as the daily standup and the methodologies used, consider working towards a Professional Certificate, such as the Google Project Management Professional Certificate on Coursera.