SOP: Live standup vs written daily update

SOP: Live standup vs written daily update

Run this when standup feels like a status-reading ritual nobody listens to.

Stage 1 — Audit the current standup (owner: team lead)
☐ How many people just read status with no discussion?
☐ How often does a blocker actually get unblocked live?
☐ Is the team across 3+ time zones?

Stage 2 — Choose
☐ Written async update: post yesterday / today / blockers in a channel by a set time. Use for distributed teams and pure status. Cost: blockers can sit until someone reads them.
☐ Live standup: 10 min, same time, standing. Use only if real blocker-resolution happens in the room. Cost: a recurring synchronous tax on everyone.

Stage 3 — Either way (owner: lead)
☐ Format is fixed three lines; no narratives.
☐ Blockers get an owner and a same-day follow-up, in writing.
☐ Done-when: every blocker has a name attached within the day.

Trigger: standup feels pointless. Done-when: format and blocker-owner rule set.

Save this. Run it every time.