# Running Effective Standups — Quiz

## Question 1

What is the primary purpose of a daily standup?

A) Report status to the manager
B) Coordinate the team and surface blockers
C) Update the backlog
D) Assign tasks for the day

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Standups are for coordination—helping the team align, surface blockers, and decide who needs to talk to whom. Status reporting to a manager is an anti-pattern that undermines the standup's value. -->

## Question 2

Why do the "three questions" often fail?

A) They're too hard to answer
B) They encourage monologues and status reporting
C) They take too long
D) They don't align with Scrum

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: "What did I do, what will I do, any blockers?" often leads to long recitations of work. People stop listening; the focus shifts from coordination to reporting. Alternative formats (walk the board, blockers first) keep the focus on coordination. -->

## Question 3

What is the recommended maximum time for a standup?

A) 5 minutes
B) 15 minutes
C) 30 minutes
D) 1 hour

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: 15 minutes is the upper bound; many effective teams do 10 or less. If standups run longer, take detailed discussions offline and enforce a strict timebox. -->

## Question 4

When do async standups work best?

A) When the team is colocated
B) When work is highly independent and schedules are flexible
C) When there are many blockers
D) When the manager wants daily updates

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Async works best for distributed teams, flexible schedules, or when work is mostly independent. It saves meeting time but loses real-time discussion—less ideal when lots of coordination is needed. -->

## Question 5

Which is an anti-pattern in standups?

A) Walking the board
B) Starting with blockers
C) Problem-solving in the standup
D) Timeboxing to 15 minutes

<!-- ANSWER: C -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Problem-solving in standup turns a short coordination meeting into a long discussion. The fix: "Let's grab 2–3 people and discuss after standup." Keep the standup short; take deep dives offline. -->

## Question 6

When might you skip standup altogether?

A) Never—standup is mandatory in Scrum
B) When the team is small and in constant contact, or work is low-coordination
C) When the manager is on vacation
D) Only on Fridays

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Standup is a tool, not a religion. Skip or reduce frequency when work is highly independent, the team is very small, or no one finds value after trying different formats. -->