"Scrums"

We hold daily chats. You can find all sorts of "scrum" techniques on the web...

• Usually in the morning. However, choose what works best based on everyone's availability. We have folks scattered across time zones on most of our projects.
  
• Telecon or IRC channel
  

Purpose:

• Check in to see how people are doing using the following jira filters:
  • Resolved in last 24 hours
  • Helps to see what was closed since the last chat
    
  • Current Milestone
  • Resolution: Unresolved
  • Fix Version/s: <whatever your current iteration is>
    
  • Sorted by: Priority descending, then Assign To ascending, then Key descending Unresolved
  • Scrum View
  • Resolution: Unresolved
  • Status: In Progress
  • Fix Version/s: <whatever your current iteration is>
  • Sorted by: Fix Version/s ascending, then Priority descending, then Key descending
• Make sure there are no conflicts or blockers.
  
• Anticipate next steps for developer's coming off of tasks.

If you can't make the meeting, not a problem. Simply email the group your status that morning or the night before.

Some guidelines:

• Keep 'em short and sweet
• Do not bog down into problem-solving (REAL hard to do <g>)
• Note the discussions that are needed and line them up right after the meeting with the right people.
• Viewing the Jira List, ask yourself...
  • What did you do yesterday?
  • What will you do today?
  • Are there any blockers in your way?

The intent is to keep the members of the team informed of what each person has committed to doing. Since it is a short meeting and the discussion is on yesterday and today's tasks, it does not take long for everyone to be caught up. When the design has many interrelated parts, small bits of promises and achievements to each other are significant. If Jeff & Andrew are waiting on some definition to one part of the system that Mark is working on, the team senses the critical nature of Mark's work. The team leader knows that Mark needs to finish and will strive to help Mark make that happen. Though ultimately what Mark, Andrew, and Jeff do is for the product and the end customer, these daily commitments:

• help build team confidence in each other
• make the activity more near-term and required for your colleague
• allow folks to offer up suggestions later on if they might have an idea that could help

Some Do Nots

• It is not a managerial status report tool