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Stand-Up Timer
Tap how many people are speaking today and press Start. Each one gets the same time and the timer moves on by itself.
Person 1 / 6
15 minute standup: time per person by team size
| People | Time each | Whole stand-up |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 |
| 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 |
| 5 | 2:00 | 10:00 |
| 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 |
| 7 | 2:00 | 14:00 |
| 8 | 1:45 | 14:00 |
| 9 | 1:30 | 13:30 |
| 10 | 1:30 | 15:00 |
Turns follow one another with no gap. Two minutes each is the starting point; from eight people the turns shorten so the total stays at or under 15 minutes. Change either number with the steppers.
How to use it
- Tap the number of people speaking today. Six is selected: 2 minutes each, 12 minutes in all.
- Put the timer on the screen everyone faces, or share it on the call. Agree the speaking order, for example down the board or around the circle.
- Press Start as the first person begins. The face shows which turn it is out of the total, such as 3 / 6, and the time left in that turn.
- Three short beeps count down the last 3 seconds and the next turn starts on its own. Press Skip when someone finishes early.
Why 15 minutes
The Scrum Guide timeboxes the Daily Scrum at 15 minutes, whatever the size of the team. The limit defines what kind of meeting it is: a quick look at progress toward the sprint goal and a plan for the next 24 hours, not a status report to a manager and not a design session. Fifteen minutes is too short to solve anything, which is the intention.
Equal turns enforce that without anyone having to interrupt. Two minutes is enough to say what changed and what is in the way. When the beeps sound mid-explanation, it is a sign the subject needs its own conversation with the two or three people involved, after the stand-up.
What to say in your turn
The three classic questions are what I did yesterday, what I will do today, and what is blocking me. They have been optional since the 2020 Scrum Guide, which leaves the format to the team. Many teams now walk the board instead: go through the items from the column closest to done back toward the start, and whoever is working on each item speaks. That keeps attention on finishing work and off individual activity lists.
Whichever you use, keep problem-solving out. The moment two people start discussing a fix, someone says “park it”, the topic goes on a list, and the turn continues. Hold the meeting at the same time and place every day so nobody has to schedule it, and stay on your feet: a meeting people stand through tends to end on time.
Common mistakes
- Solving a blocker in the meeting. Name it, name who will help, and take it offline.
- Reporting to the team lead. The update is for teammates who need to know what you will touch today.
- Listing everything you did yesterday. Mention what moved the sprint goal and leave out the calendar recital.
- Waiting for everyone to arrive. Start at the set time; latecomers take their turn at the end.
- Letting the timer run with nobody willing to press Skip. Unused seconds are not there to be filled.
Questions people ask
How long should a daily stand-up be?
Fifteen minutes at most. That is the timebox the Scrum Guide gives the Daily Scrum. A team of six at 2 minutes each finishes in 12.
How long should each person talk in a stand-up?
About 2 minutes for teams of up to seven. With eight people use 1 minute 45 seconds, and with nine or ten use 1 minute 30 seconds, so the total stays within 15 minutes.
Are the three daily scrum questions still required?
No. The 2020 Scrum Guide dropped them as a prescribed format. Teams may still use them, or walk the board, or use any structure that focuses on progress toward the sprint goal.
What if our team has more than 10 people?
Set the number of rounds and the speaking time with the steppers: 12 people at 1 minute 15 seconds is exactly 15 minutes. A group that large is also a reason to consider splitting the stand-up in two.
Can I use the scrum timer for a remote team?
Yes. Share the browser window in your video call so everyone sees the turn counter and the countdown. Post the speaking order in the chat before you start, since there is no circle to go around.