Async vs in-person stanups

Team standup meetings are a critical aspect of any team's workflow, and they can be conducted in a variety of ways. In-person meetings are a classic way of running a standup, however with the rise of remote work and distributed teams, many organizations have turned to asynchronous standup meetings for a variety of reasons.

In-person standup meetings are when all team members are physically present (and typically standing up around a room). These meetings are normally held in the morning, so that everyone can start the day on the same page. One of the main benefits of in-person meetings is the ability to quickly resolve any blockers that may come up. Since everyone is physically present, it is easy to have impromptu conversations and make decisions on the spot. Additionally, in-person meetings provide an opportunity for team members to build relationships and foster a sense of camaraderie with their peers.

On the other hand, asynchronous standup meetings are held online and team members can participate at any time, regardless of their location or schedule. These meetings are typically conducted using tools such as Slack. One of the main benefits of asynchronous meetings is the flexibility they provide. Team members can participate at a time that is convenient for them, which can be especially beneficial for team members who are in different time zones or on different working schedules. Additionally, because asynchronous meetings are conducted online, a history of what was said is recorded (such as conversation history on Slack) and can be reviewed later, which can be useful for team members who were unable to participate or for keeping a record of decisions made during the meeting.

In conclusion, both in-person and asynchronous standup meetings have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. In-person meetings are great for building relationships and resolving issues quickly, while asynchronous meetings are more flexible and can scale with a team much easier. Ultimately, the choice between in-person and asynchronous meetings will depend on the specific needs of your team. If you'd like to try out asynchronous standups and see if they work for your team, take a look at StandupWizard, a Slack app that automates the standup process for your team.