This article is the continuation of The Daily Stand-up Checklist for ScrumMasters, part III. The aim of this series of articles is to help ScrumMasters to prepare better for daily stand-up so it is efficient, productive and engaging. These tips are based on our observation of 100+ agile teams in their agile transformations.
Daily standup and People
Sickness? Vacation?
ScrumMaster is a hub of information in an agile team. Without big politics, team members start to naturally inform the ScrumMaster about their vacation or sickness. In reality, it is not the ScrumMaster who should be aware of that, it is the team itself. But ScrumMaster is a representative of the team so why not to inform him if your team prefer that?
ScrumMaster, do not forget to check an availability of team members before the standup itself as this is necessary for good self-organization. The team needs to navigate which task might be more important in a case when some other team member is missing. Check overall plan because sometimes even reassigned work will not help deliver the committed sprint scope. Which product owner should be aware of.
It is always great to make an absence visible in the separate part of the physical Kanban board.
Interesting yesterday’s moments. How will you open the standup?
Let’s open it with a joke? Maybe with a question “What funny moment you lived yesterday?” Or guess a song content?
Don’t make the stand-up just another status meeting. Make people wanting to attend it. Meet with a coffee, tea, cookies. Make a breakfast. Or just prepare cuts of different vegetables.
People want to hear stories. Share the status via stories. It is funnier than just to answer three questions as a robot.
Enjoy every finished user story. Make team members feeling great about the business value they delivered.
Share stories from the support. Name customers contacting the company. Print out Thank you, kudos, well done, appreciation and put it on The Customers Voice Wall.
But don’t forget about shameful moments as well. Because the responsibility is achievable via shame (see The Responsibility Process by Christopher Avery)
Daily standup and Company
Any company level blockers? Is there any change to be communicated? Some new rules, processes? Does a line management need something?
The ScrumMaster is a connector to the organization itself. Of course, the ScrumMaster doesn’t fulfill management role, but ScrumMaster must stay in touch with the line management. Sometimes there is news which should be shared. And the stand up is the best place where to share.
But not at the begging where you can steer the context of the daily standup, but at the end. As a ScrumMaster make a call to the manager so she can explain the news.
