The Standup Is Not a Meeting. It's a Handoff.

Source: Dev.to

Problem with Modern Standups

The standup format got weaponized. What started as a 15‑minute team sync became a 45‑minute status meeting where each person reported to the group what they did yesterday, what they’re doing today, and what blockers they have.
That’s not a standup. That’s a broadcast.

Original Purpose

The original purpose of the standup was simpler: surface blockers and coordinate. You say what you’re working on that might affect someone else, surface anything that’s stuck, then you leave.

• Yesterday, today, blockers works as a template for teams that don’t communicate otherwise.
• It’s a structural aid for teams that don’t talk throughout the day.

When Real‑Time Communication Exists

If your team is communicating in real time — in Slack, in doc comments, in quick calls — the three questions become theatre. You’re performing your work for the group instead of doing the work.

Only come if you have something that affects others:

• Blockers
• Dependencies
• Things someone else needs to know

If you have nothing that touches anyone else, skip the standup. Send a message to your team if something important happened, but don’t waste time sitting in a room reading your status out loud.

Goal of the Standup

The goal is coordination, not visibility. Visibility is a side effect. You’re not reporting to a manager; you’re making sure the team can move. When the standup becomes a performance, you’ve lost the point.