Daily Scrum meeting mistakes

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Have you ever felt like your daily Scrum meeting hasn’t gone the way it should have? It might have been due to some common mistakes that make Scrum meetings less effective and, as a result, cost you time and money. That’s something no one wants! In this article, we'll explore these mistakes, so you can find out if this could be your team’s issue. 

Focusing on reporting rather than synchronizing

One of the most prevalent mistakes teams make during their daily scrum meeting is to focus excessively on reporting rather than synchronizing the team’s workflow. Don’t get it wrong, it surely is important to keep everyone informed and up-to-date. But, you should also remember that those meetings serve a bigger purpose than just being mere reporting sessions. In the perfect scenario, the Daily Scrum is an everyday touchpoint where you and your team members can plan, synchronize efforts, discuss challenges, and identify roadblocks together. Excessive focus on reporting undermines the true essence of the Daily Scrum which is to collaborate and effectively plan for the day ahead. That brings us to another frequently made mistake which is..

Talking only about work done the last day, not discussing the priorities for the current day

Dwelling on the previous day's accomplishments can lead to neglecting to address the priorities for the current day. When team members are left without being sure of what to focus on, they might end up wasting valuable time, resources, and energy on the wrong kind of tasks. Listing priorities can help the team focus on what’s really important as well as accurately spot potential roadblocks that could get in the way. 

Not discussing sprint goal at all

The sprint goal is the 'big picture' that every team member should have in mind while working on individual tasks. Failing to discuss it might result in team members focusing on the wrong tasks or losing sight of where they're headed. Then, the work directly related to the sprint goal may receive less attention to detail, which can lead to potential quality issues. You should always make sure to bring up the sprint goal in your daily Scrum meeting, so your team can plan their tasks to reach it. 

Not agreeing on the plan for the current day 

During the Daily Scrum, team members come together to plan how they'll work on tasks for the day. You should always make sure to not only discuss but also agree on what they will tackle on this particular day. This way you make sure that everyone knows what they should work on, and what their next actions should be. You will avoid the team pursuing different or conflicting objectives, and/or overlooking task dependencies that cause delays and disruptions in the workflow. 

Lack of flexibility and adjustments 

The ability to adapt and make adjustments as the project progresses is a critical aspect of Agile methodology. Yet, teams sometimes fail to adjust their plan based on the lessons learned with the project’s progress. This mistake can have a dual negative impact. On the one hand, if a task turns out to be harder or takes longer than expected, sticking to the original plan can lead to missed deadlines and lower-quality work. On the other hand, if the team figures out a better way to do something or makes improvements to their process but doesn't put these changes into the plan, they will miss the opportunity to make their work more efficient. 

Preventing common mistakes with a dedicated tool’s help

Discussing priorities, setting a goal, and agreeing on the plan can all go more smoothly when your team uses a dedicated planning app. An example of such a tool is Team Planner. It lets you put all your tasks on a timeline, helping you avoid potential oversights and make sure that your plan is realistic. There's a special spot at the top where you can write down your goal, ensuring it's always included in the plan. Thanks to the simultaneous editing option, your team can have an interactive planning session and easily synchronize work on the common goal. Convenient dragging and dropping tasks will support quick adjustments to your plan. 

Summary 

To make the most of your daily Scrum meeting, make sure to stay flexible and adapt as needed. Keep away from excessive reporting - strive for effective synchronization with your team instead. Always discuss the plan and the goal for the day, and make sure that everyone knows and agrees on the priorities. To make it all easier to handle, consider utilizing a dedicated planning tool that will help you go through your daily Scrum meeting mistake-free.