An async standup meeting format allows teams to stay updated and connected without the constraints of a real-time meeting. Here's a comprehensive format, incorporating best practices:

1. Platform Choice:

• Dedicated Standup Tool (Highly Recommended): Tools like Geekbot, Standuply, Range, DailyBot, or JIRA Stand-up apps automate the process, offer reporting features, and integrate with other workflow tools (Slack, MS Teams, etc.). These are designed specifically for asynchronous standups.


• Project Management Software (e.g., Asana, Jira, Trello): Use comment sections, tasks with progress updates, or dedicated fields to share standup information. Requires more manual effort.


• Communication Platform (Slack, MS Teams, Email): Less ideal, but can work if you create a consistent and organized channel/thread. Can become disorganized quickly.


• Document/Spreadsheet: Can work for very small teams, but difficult to scale and lacks automation.

These are the three fundamental questions every team member should answer:

• What did you work on yesterday (or since the last standup)? Focus on accomplishments, completed tasks, and progress made. Be specific! "Worked on the website" is vague. "Implemented the user authentication feature on the website" is much better.


• What are you working on today (or until the next standup)? Plan for the day, outlining key tasks and priorities. Provides visibility into the team's workload.


• Are there any roadblocks or impediments preventing you from doing your work? This is crucial for identifying and addressing potential issues early. Be specific about the problem and what support you might need.

Consider adding these questions to provide more context or focus on specific areas:

• What are your priorities today? (If not covered in the "working on today" question)


• What are your goals for the week? (Good for longer-term alignment)


• What help do you need? (More direct than just listing roadblocks)


• What did you learn yesterday? (Promotes continuous learning)


• Whom did you collaborate with yesterday? (Highlights team interaction)


• What are you grateful for? (For building a positive team culture – use sparingly!)


• What are you excited about? (Also for positive culture, can be related to work or not)


• Anything blocking anyone else? (Encourages team to help each other)


• What's your mood like today? (Allows for awareness of team well-being - optional and requires trust)

• Frequency: Typically daily, but can be adjusted based on team needs (e.g., every other day). Consistency is key.


• Timing/Deadline: Set a clear deadline for submissions (e.g., 10:00 AM local time). This ensures everyone reads the updates before starting their day. Staggering deadlines based on time zones can be helpful for distributed teams.


• Format Consistency: Ensure everyone uses the same format and answers all questions. This makes updates easier to read and compare.


• Reading & Engagement: Emphasize the importance of reading everyone else's updates. Encourage brief acknowledgements ("Thanks!", "+1 on that", "Good luck!") to show you've read the update and to foster a sense of connection. Don't overdo it with unnecessary replies.


• Roadblock Resolution: Address roadblocks outside the standup thread. Encourage team members to schedule separate calls or use direct messages to discuss solutions. The standup is for identifying problems, not solving them.


• Regular Review: Periodically review the standup process with the team. Are the questions still relevant? Is the process efficient? Make adjustments as needed.

• Tool Setup: Configure the tool to ask the agreed-upon questions (e.g., the core three).


• Schedule: Set the schedule for when the tool will send out the questions to each team member (considering their time zones).


• Team Members Respond: Each team member receives the questions via Slack/MS Teams and submits their answers.


• Summary: The tool compiles all the answers into a summary and posts it to a designated channel.


• Follow-up: Team members read the summary and follow up on any roadblocks or issues offline.

• Channel: Create a dedicated channel called #standup or similar.


• Bot (Optional but Recommended): Use a bot (if possible) to post the standup questions at a set time each day. This helps maintain consistency.


• Template: Provide a template for team members to copy and paste into the channel each day:

**Name:** [Your Name]
    **Yesterday:** [What you worked on]
    **Today:** [What you're working on]
    **Roadblocks:** [Any issues you're facing]

• Replies: Encourage short, relevant replies to acknowledge updates or offer help (e.g., "Great work!", "I can help with that roadblock").


• Thread Discipline: Ensure all standup responses are posted as replies to the initial bot message (or the first message of the day). This keeps the channel clean and organized.

• Be Concise: Keep answers brief and to the point. Standups are not for lengthy discussions. Aim for a few sentences per answer.


• Be Specific: Avoid vague statements. Provide concrete details about your progress and plans.


• Be Honest: Be upfront about roadblocks and challenges. This allows the team to provide support and find solutions.


• Focus on Progress: Highlight accomplishments and progress made, even if it's incremental.


• Avoid Problem Solving in the Standup: Identify problems, but discuss solutions offline.


• Encourage Team Engagement: Promote a culture of reading and acknowledging each other's updates.


• Regularly Review and Adjust: Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the standup process and make adjustments as needed. Ask the team for feedback.


• Lead by Example: Managers and team leads should actively participate in the standup and demonstrate the desired behavior.


• Time Zone Considerations: For distributed teams, be mindful of time zones when setting deadlines and schedules. Consider using tools that adjust to each team member's local time.


• Respect Time: Async standups are meant to save time. Avoid unnecessary chatter or lengthy responses.


• Visuals: Use screenshots, GIFs, or short videos (where appropriate) to illustrate your updates.

• Flexibility: Team members can contribute updates at their convenience, fitting it into their workflow.


• Improved Focus: No interruptions for a scheduled meeting.


• Reduced Meeting Fatigue: Eliminates unnecessary meetings.


• Better Documentation: Creates a written record of progress and roadblocks.


• Inclusivity: Gives all team members an equal opportunity to contribute, regardless of their location or communication style.


• Accommodates Different Work Styles: Introverts and those who prefer written communication may find it easier to participate in async standups.