7 Steps for Running Effective Standups for Small Development Teams
Daily standups are a powerful way to keep small development teams aligned, focused, and productive. However, without proper structure, they can easily become unfocused, time-consuming, or redundant.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to running efficient, high-impact standups that improve communication and keep your team moving forward.
1. Keep Standups Short (Under 15 Minutes)
The purpose of a standup is to quickly align the team—not to dive into long discussions. A well-run standup should last 10-15 minutes max.
🔹 Best Practices:
✅ Set a time limit (use a timer if needed).
✅ Keep discussions on-topic—save deep dives for follow-up meetings.
✅ If a topic requires a long discussion, take it offline after the standup.
💡 Pro Tip: If your standups regularly run long, switch to asynchronous standups via Slack, Trello, or Standuply.
2. Follow a Clear Structure (The 3-Question Format)
A simple, effective standup follows the classic three-question format:
1️⃣ What did you accomplish yesterday?
2️⃣ What are you working on today?
3️⃣ Are there any blockers preventing progress?
🔹 Why this works:
✅ Keeps the conversation focused.
✅ Helps identify blockers early.
✅ Encourages accountability and progress.
💡 Example:
🚀 Yesterday: Finished API integration for login system.
📌 Today: Working on front-end UI components.
⚠️ Blocker: Need clarification on authentication requirements.
3. Choose the Right Time and Stick to It
Pick a consistent time for your standup that works for everyone and stick to it.
🔹 When’s the Best Time?
✅ Morning (before work starts) – Best for planning the day.
✅ Midday (after a work session) – Best for teams working in different time zones.
💡 Pro Tip: For remote teams, use a Slack bot like Standuply to automate check-ins when time zones make live meetings difficult.
4. Make Standups Remote-Friendly
If you have a distributed team, ensure standups work for everyone—whether they’re in the office or remote.
🔹 How to Adapt for Remote Teams:
✅ Use video calls (Zoom, Google Meet, Slack Huddles) for face-to-face communication.
✅ Consider asynchronous standups (Slack, Trello, Jira) if time zones are an issue.
✅ Use a shared document or board (Notion, Confluence, or Google Docs) to track updates.
💡 Recommended Setup: Slack + a standup bot for async updates + a Trello or Jira board for tracking progress.
5. Focus on Blockers and Solutions (Not Just Status Updates)
Standups are not just for reporting progress—they’re also for removing obstacles. If team members are stuck, the standup is the time to surface those issues.
🔹 How to Handle Blockers Effectively:
✅ Ask follow-up questions: What do you need to move forward? Who can help?
✅ Don’t solve problems during the standup—schedule a follow-up discussion instead.
✅ Use a “Blockers” column in your project management tool (e.g., Jira, Trello).
💡 Pro Tip: If the same blocker keeps appearing, it’s a sign of a deeper issue that needs a dedicated problem-solving session.
6. Keep Everyone Engaged and Accountable
Standups should be engaging, not passive. If people are tuning out, it’s time to tweak your approach.
🔹 Ways to Keep Engagement High:
✅ Rotate the facilitator (different team member leads each day).
✅ Encourage concise, clear updates—no rambling!
✅ Use a timer or a “two-minute rule” to keep updates short.
💡 Pro Tip: Try a standup “check-in” question (e.g., What’s your biggest win this week?) to make the meeting more engaging.
7. Track Action Items and Follow Up
A standup is only valuable if action items actually get completed. Ensure takeaways aren’t forgotten by documenting key points.
🔹 How to Track Follow-Ups:
✅ Write down blockers & solutions in Slack, Notion, or a shared doc.
✅ Assign follow-up actions to specific people.
✅ Review unresolved blockers in the next standup.
💡 Recommended Setup: Trello or ClickUp board + Slack recap messages after each standup.
Final Thoughts: Make Standups a Productivity Booster (Not a Waste of Time)
🔹 Keep it short (10-15 min max)
🔹 Use a clear structure (3 questions: Yesterday, Today, Blockers)
🔹 Pick a consistent time and stick to it
🔹 Make it remote-friendly (Slack, Trello, Notion, etc.)
🔹 Focus on blockers and problem-solving
🔹 Rotate facilitators & keep engagement high
🔹 Track action items & follow up
When done right, standups improve communication, remove roadblocks, and keep your development team aligned and efficient.
👉 Next Step: Try these steps in your next standup and see the difference! 🚀
Want recommendations on tools to make your standups smoother? Let me know your team size and workflow, and I’ll suggest the best setup!
