The Stand-Up
The Stand-Up is essential for providing regular progress updates on the Cadence Goal, ensuring that all team members are aligned and informed about what has been accomplished and what is planned for the day. It facilitates open communication during the implementation phase, allowing team members to discuss any challenges they are facing. By exposing progress blockers early, the Stand-Up enables the team to collaboratively address issues and make adjustments as needed, helping to maintain momentum and keep the Cadence on track.
Purpose
The purpose of Stand-Up is to provide regular progress updates on the Cadence plan and goals, facilitates open communication channels during the implementation phase, and exposes any progress blockers.
Cadence
Process Script recommends Stand-Up occur every day of the Cadence.
Time
Stand-Up should last no longer than 15 minutes.
People
The meeting requires the Product Owner and full delivery team, may include any interested or requested coordinators.
Input
Artifact: Cadence Plan
Artifact: Active Task Board
Output
Artifact: Updated Task Board
Confidence on the day’s tasks and outlook
Process
Stand-Up should be facilitated by the Process Steward. The facilitator brings up a visual of the active Cadence, and each Delivery Team member provides updates on what was accomplished since the last Stand-Up and what they forsee to be completed before the next Stand-Up. Stand-Up is also the time to open communication lanes on if there are any situations which are encumbering product delivery. These tasks can be shortened to answering these three questions:
• What happened yesterday?
• What is planned today?
• Are there any blockers preventing progress?
Going one person at a time, the facilitator must perform this process:
- Focus group attention on the person’s active tasks.
- Allow them to give and receive updates.
Delivery Team members should provide all pertinent information, but try to average two or fewer minutes per person.
Handling Progress Blockers
• If blockers are exposed, do not take undue Stand-Up time to unblock the task. Instead, use Stand-Up to connect the team member who is blocked with the person who can unblock them, and schedule the connection as an action item.
• If the required individual is a non-team member or not present, the blocked team member and the Process Steward schedule time in Stand-Up to address the third-party together.
• If the situation can be resolved in under a minute, feel free to have the brief conversation aloud in the allotted two minutes. Schedule a meeting if it becomes apparent the blocker cannot be resolved briefly.