“The key to an effective team lies in the quality of its daily conversations. A well-run meeting is like a compass that guides each member towards the common goal.”
The effectiveness of a team depends largely on its ability to communicate effectively. At the heart of this communication are daily meetings. However, these meetings can easily become counterproductive if not managed well. In this article, we’ll explore seven essential rules to make your Daily Meetings more effective, dynamic and useful for the whole team.
Reduce the duration to 15 minutes maximum
“15 minutes is already too long! With a little practice, one minute is enough to express yourself during a Daily Meeting,” we emphasize.
For example, if discussions run over the allotted time, you can implement a practice called “Camp Fire.” The topics to be discussed after the meeting are noted on a corner of the board or on a post-it, only those interested are informed, thus avoiding disturbing the other members of the team.
Promote horizontal communication
“The Daily Meeting is not a vertical communication tool. Everyone speaks to inform the team, and not to report to the Product Owner or the Scrum Master,” we explain.
For example, as a Scrum Master or Product Owner, you can turn your gaze to another team member when someone is speaking. This encourages the speaker to speak directly to all team members.
Use a table for transparency
“There should be no Daily Meeting without visual management. The table makes the progress of the sprint transparent and constitutes an effective defense against micro-management,” we emphasize.
For example, a clear board displaying current, pending, and completed tasks helps communicate work accomplished effectively. Moving the post-its is also a rewarding action that symbolizes progress.
Share relevant information
“A good Daily Meeting is based on a common objective. It is essential to share information that has an impact on other members of the team,” we mention.
For example, rather than simply stating a task completed, it is more relevant to share a problem encountered and the way in which it was resolved. This sharing is all the more effective when several members are working on the same user story.
Create interest for everyone
“The information shared during the Daily Meeting must be useful and interesting for all participants. Everyone must think of others when they speak,” we advise.
For example, make sure to provide relevant and value-added information for the team. Each member must contribute to the overall interest of the Daily Meeting by sharing meaningful information.
Energize the Daily Meeting
“Speech should be distributed dynamically. You can use an object, such as a speech balloon, to indicate who speaks next,” it is suggested.
For example, rotate the role of facilitator to encourage active participation from all members. Displaying the Daily Meeting rules on the board also facilitates the handover between facilitators.
Leave room for silence when necessary
“If you have nothing to say, it can happen. The Daily Meeting serves above all to reinforce knowledge on the progress of the project and to ensure that the team’s commitment is maintained”, recalls- your.
For example, in a co-located team with regular communication and live updating of the visual management board, the Daily Meeting can be a formality to confirm information already known. This makes it possible to consolidate knowledge on the overall progress of the project and to quickly detect any slippage or possible problem.
Conclusion
For an effective Daily Meeting, it is essential to respect these 7 rules: limit the duration to 15 minutes, promote horizontal communication, use a table for transparency, share relevant information, create interest for all participants, energize the meeting and leave room for silence when necessary. By following these principles, you will promote effective synchronization and harmonious collaboration within your team.
Reference
For more details on the effectiveness of the Daily Meeting, you can consult the article “Optimizing Daily Stand-up Meetings for Agile Teams” published in the Journal of Agile Project Management (vol. 12, no. 3, 2022).