Comments on: Virtual Stand-up: Extending the Circle

By: Resk

Resk — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:47:33 +0000

Everyone should be required to tell a short joke, like a knock-knock joke, because, after all, this is called “Stand-up.” Actually, knock-knock jokes are ideal, because then everyone can participate.

Also — if this isn’t already being done — if two people present as a pair, they should both hold onto the token at the same time, as though they were holding hands.

In all seriousness, I liked this suggestion from Tom: “Another helpful modification with remote participants might be a coordinator role: some one to call out specifically what is going on, who’s up and to begin and end the sesssion.”

However, although I think that the meetings need more coordination as a result of off-site participants, there are pros and cons to having an actual coordinator due to the probable insecurities of various individuals. If it is feasible, I would suggest creating a randomizing program which assigns a speaking order to each meeting. People would simply need to remember who presents before them. No personalities are hurt. It may also be of benefit to include “(off-site)” after the names of those who won’t be physically present, so that it won’t take anyone off-guard when a disembodied voice begins talking through the speaker phone.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 12:58:45 +0000

I think the 3 or more way phone conference stand-up is difficult to coordinate. The timing has to be just right for everyone to participate. I agree with Tom that IM may work better in this instance. I meeting organizer can easily invite everyone that is available into a chat. The downside is that it’s less personable. Video IMing would be ideal, but I don’t think we have the hardware in place to do that yet.

By: Tom Allison

Tom Allison — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 05:24:49 +0000

Love the blog :).

Standup was definitely born in a face-to-face context. Having participated in both face-to-face and by remote, I would say that there are some serious coordination issues in the remote version. It’s often difficult to hear exactly what some one else is saying — and there is somehow a high barrier to asking them to repeat it (it seems against the rules and spirit of standup somehow - although, interestingly, when present I would have had no problem telling some one that they couldn’t be heard…).

Have you considered trying a multi-person IM for standup with remote participants? This might put everyone on an even footing and develop its own habits and conventions. Of course, it has the downside of making everyone a “remote” participant, even when they’re working 20 feet from each other…

Another helpful modification with remote participants might be a coordinator role — some one to call out specifically what is going on, who’s up and to begin and end the sesssion. I’d have to give it some thought, but it seems like this might address a lot of the problems with remote participation. The moderator could even quickly summarize in bullet-point form the content of what each person says as they “move the token” from person to person (or just name the projects the person has worked on and is working on, for example).

I think that - regardless of group size - with a remote standup, starting with one’s name is a very good convention to promote. It’s only “obvious” who is speaking to those “in the room”.

Again, cool blog! - Tom