Template
Remote daily stand-up template
A stand-up for a team that never stands in one room: everyone posts their update in writing first, and the call is only for blockers and for seeing each other.
The agenda, with a time for each part
- Written update posted before the call2 min
- Have you posted yesterday, today and blockers in the channel?
- Read the updates3 min
- Anything surprising in what people posted?
- Blockers only7 min
- Who is stuck, and who can help after this call?
- Pair-ups3 min
- Who is meeting whom straight after?
How the notes read afterwards
A made-up example, so you can see the shape. In a real call each line carries the words that were said and who said them.
Updates. Six posted by 9:55.
Blockers. Raj waits on access to the staging database.
Pair-ups. Raj and Lena straight after; Lena has the access.
Ended. At 10:08.
Running it well
- Post updates in a fixed format before the call. People in other time zones can read them later, and the call stays short.
- Use the live minutes only for blockers. If nobody is blocked, end early.
- Keep cameras on if the team agrees. For some remote people, this is the only face-to-face moment of the day.
Ways to change it
When to skip it. If every update says “no blockers” for a week, move to written-only and meet when somebody is stuck.
Questions
How do you run a stand-up remotely?
Have everyone post their update in writing before a short call, and use the call only for blockers and arranging help.
Should remote stand-ups be asynchronous?
Many distributed teams use written updates only, especially across time zones; a short call helps when people are blocked.
How long should a remote stand-up be?
Fifteen minutes at most, often less when updates are posted beforehand.
What happens in the room
Everybody joins from the link, with no account. The agenda sits beside the call and each item fills in with what was said about it, under the name of the person who said it.
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