What is the Daily Scrum and what is its purpose?

Question

IT Interview Practice · Accepted Answer

The Daily Scrum (often called the standup) is a **15-minute event for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and re-plan the next day's work**. It is held at the same time and place every working day. It is for the Developers, by the Developers — not a status report to a manager.

## How it works

A common format is each person briefly covering:

```text
- What did I do yesterday that helped meet the Sprint Goal?
- What will I do today toward the Sprint Goal?
- Do I see any impediment in our way?
```

The three-question format is optional; the real purpose is to **synchronize and adjust the plan**, not to recite a script.

## Concrete example

A developer says "I'm blocked on the staging environment." The team agrees who will help right after standup — the blocker is captured, not solved inside the 15 minutes.

## Common pitfalls

- Turning it into a status meeting for a manager.
- Solving problems in detail during the standup — take those offline.
- Going over 15 minutes or skipping it when "nothing's new."

## Why it matters

A short daily sync keeps the team aligned and surfaces blockers within a day instead of at the end of the Sprint.

Keeping it focused and time-boxed respects everyone's time while still catching issues early.

How it works

Concrete example

Common pitfalls

Why it matters

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