Fixing Daily Stand-Ups: Solutions to the Most Common Problems
Background
In Part 1 of this series, we explored the four main reasons why many software developers dread daily stand-up meetings.
In this article, we’ll propose practical, team-friendly solutions to these problems—and offer additional tips to help make stand-ups more productive, relevant, and even enjoyable.
Let’s dive in.
Problem #1: The Team Size Violates the Two-Pizza Rule
The Two-Pizza Rule—popularized by Amazon—suggests that if a team can’t be fed by two large pizzas, it’s too big for a productive meeting.
In the context of stand-ups, this means:
- Do the updates actually concern everyone in the room?
- Is the entire team working on the same feature or area?
- Are there “sub-teams” with separate focuses?
✅ Solution: Split the team into smaller, more focused groups. This ensures that everyone present benefits from the updates—and you stay closer to that magical 15-minute mark.
Problem #2: Pointless Updates
Few things are more frustrating than meetings with no clear value.
✅ Solution: Keep updates laser-focused on the three core questions:
- What did you do yesterday?
- What will you do today?
- Any blockers?
In-depth conversations? Save those for separate, dedicated meetings. Stand-ups are not the time for debugging or brainstorming new ideas.
Pro tip: If someone starts diving deep, politely suggest taking it “offline” for a follow-up.
Problem #3: It’s Just Too Long
If your stand-up consistently overruns—even after addressing the issues above—it’s time for a reset.
✅ Solution:
- Revisit the format. Are people being concise?
- Reinforce the importance of sticking to the three questions.
- Encourage specifics. “Worked on login” is vague. “Refactored login validation to fix bug #247” is better.
Small changes in how updates are delivered can have a huge impact on meeting efficiency.
Problem #4: The One-Person Show
It’s not uncommon for one person to unintentionally dominate the stand-up—especially if they’re more vocal, senior, or in a leadership role.
✅ Solution: This one needs a delicate touch.
Have a private conversation, or gently introduce the idea in a retro or team meeting. Reinforce that stand-ups are for everyone—and the goal is equal participation and team alignment.
Don’t Stop There: Tips for Better Stand-Ups
Once you've tackled the main issues, here are a few bonus ideas to take your stand-ups from good to great:
🔄 Rethink the Frequency
Not every team needs a daily update.
Some teams thrive with stand-ups two or three times a week. Others prefer weekly check-ins.
👉 Try different cadences to find what works best for your workflow.
🎨 Make It Visual
Have you ever sat through a technical explanation—and it finally clicked once you saw it?
You’re not alone.
Diagrams, code snippets, dashboards, or even Kanban boards can make updates more digestible.
But keep it simple: visuals should be easy to prepare and relevant to the update. Stand-ups aren’t meant to be PowerPoint presentations.
💬 Ask for Feedback
The best way to improve your stand-ups? Ask your team.
- What’s not working?
- What’s wasting time?
- What should we change?
A few small adjustments—based on real team feedback—can make a huge difference.
In Conclusion: Make Stand-Ups Valuable Again
Daily stand-ups can either feel like a ritualistic chore… or a powerful tool for communication and collaboration.
The difference is how they’re run.
By adapting your format, respecting time, and involving the team in continuous improvement, you’ll find that stand-ups don’t have to be painful. They can actually work—for you.