Every morning, Monday through Friday, the bright-eyed development team at 7T gathers for the morning stand-up. This meeting, though short, is a scrum meeting that sets the pace for the team’s entire day. It’s an opportunity for everyone to learn about the company’s many development projects, how they’re progressing, and the responsibilities of everyone who contributes to their success.
The morning stand-up is an integral part of the Agile methodology for software development.
What is the Agile Methodology?
Agile is a common framework for development that has been adopted by companies around the globe. It’s designed to allow teams to quickly adapt to customer-driven changes while keeping the development process on track. In addition to consistent communication between the development team and the client, there is a constant cycle of planning, implementation, and review.
Scrum is an implementation of the Agile development methodology. It relies on “sprints,” which are short, manageable chunks of development set forth by the project manager or scrum master. During a sprint, a specified development expectation must be delivered and tested before the team can move on to the next sprint. In between sprints, teams will meet to review the progress that has been made and set the goals for the next sprint.
In the Agile Methodology, team hierarchy is generally flat, meaning that no one is pigeonholed into doing the same role continuously. Instead, the focus is on how best to utilize the skills and capabilities of the team members in order to complete tasks and meet goals. Developers are usually quite adept at solving complex problems, so this structure allows team members to collaborate and provide their expertise where it’s needed most, from sprint to sprint.
The Significance of the Morning Stand-Up
The morning stand-up provides a 24-hour reset for our development teams in the middle of fast-paced sprints. For instance, members of an eight-person team may not be aware of what each team member is doing hour by hour, but the progress of each person’s task is paramount to the completion of the sprint. The autonomy given to developers allows them to work freely in order to achieve the goals set at the beginning of the day.
In the morning stand-up, a list of daily goals is rattled off by each person. No problem-solving takes place in this meeting, just strategizing – who needs to speak with who, which tasks need additional brainpower, and what can be checked off as complete. All of these talking points are recorded by the project manager for communication back to the client.
Why the Agile Methodology Works for Our Clients
One of the most beneficial parts of the Agile Methodology is its transparency. Because the development tasks are broken down into easy-to-tackle iterations, clients are able to keep a close eye on their project’s progression. If unexpected issues or opportunities arise, the project manager can interface with the client, create a game plan, and course correct to ensure the following sprints continue without interruption. The morning stand-up is also an ideal forum for providing client feedback to the team.
The Morning Huddle Encourages Accountability
In addition to providing the day’s expectations, the 7T morning stand-up fosters greater accountability within teams. The next morning, each team member is expected to provide a brief status update on the previous day’s goal – successful or not. In the face of unexpected issues, the stand-up encourages team members to support one another.
Work with the Transparent Development Team at 7T
At 7T, teamwork and transparency are core to our mission of delivering exceptional software to our clients. Because of this mission, the morning stand-up is a small but imperative piece of the greater software development process and the success of our business.
With headquarters located in Dallas, the 7T team serves clients across the nation and beyond. If you’re ready to tackle your next software development project – from mobile application development to IoT and data management – contact 7T today.
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