Scrum meetings are an essential part of agile methodology. They are used to define the work for the day. Also known as daily stand-up meetings, they are conducted in the same place and at the same time, every day. These are short meetings, where team members talk about what has been done since the last scrum, what needs to be done and what problems need to be resolved.
Importance of Scrum Meeting
Scrum is used to review progress towards the sprint goal. It brings to light any risks that exist so that these can be mitigated. Plans can be reviewed and adjusted in order to achieve project goals. Scrum meetings also help build trust among team members and it also encourages them to plan their work.
Preparation
1. The scrum team
Scrum teams of size 10 or less are most effective. For larger teams, use scrum of scrums to scale up. This fosters better communication and collaboration in the team. Assign scrum roles with care. Determine who should be the scrum master and the product owner.
2. Logistics
Schedule a time and a place for daily scrum. It is best to conduct the scrum in the morning so that tasks for the day are set. The meeting should be held in the team’s work space so that the scrum board can be viewed and updated.
Conducting the daily scrum
1. Use cues
To signal the start and end of the meeting use cues such as an appropriate song or any other cue. This sets the rhythm for the daily stand-up.
2. Remain standing
This keeps the meeting short and prevents attendees from going off track.
3. Use the 3 question agenda
Ask attendees to answer these questions.
- What have I done since the last meeting?
- What do I plan to complete before the next meeting
- What problems am I likely to face?
Don’t spend too much time on status updates. Focus on what needs to be done and the problems or impediments that may arise.
Bad Habits that ruin scrum meetings
1. Don’t delay the start of the meeting
Waiting for team members to show before starting the meeting sets a bad precedent. It gives the impression that this meeting is not important.
2. Don’t use scrum meeting as a planning meeting
These meetings should not be used to introduce new ideas or make plans. Issues requiring more attention should be taken offline.
3. Don’t allow the meeting to go off track
Ask team members to give a brief description, instead of rambling. Set a time limit for each speaker and ask them to share only valuable information with the team.
MeetNotes allows you to get the most out of your scrum meetings. With the scrum meeting template, you can review previously assigned tasks, assign new action items and record impediments to performing tasks.
