Daily Standup Phrases
25 ready-to-use phrases for your daily standup — reporting what you did, what you'll do, and what's blocking you.
- Yesterday: What did you complete or work on?
- Today: What is your plan for this workday?
- Blockers: What is preventing you from progressing?
Keep it under 90 seconds. Flag blockers explicitly — don't hide them.
Reporting Yesterday's Work
- Yesterday I worked on…General opening — follow with task name
- I completed / finished / wrapped up…Signal a closed ticket
- I merged the PR for…Specific — tells the reviewer it's done
- I spent most of the day investigating…When you couldn't resolve something
- I was in a lot of meetings — got some time on X between calls.Honest about interrupted focus time
- Yesterday was mostly support / bug fixes / reviews.When there's no single main task
Sharing Today's Plan
- Today I'm planning to / going to…Clear plan — present continuous
- I'll continue working on…Ongoing task carrying over
- My main focus today is…Signals your priority clearly
- I should have this done by end of day.Commit to a concrete deadline
- I'm aiming to get X done by mid-afternoon."Aiming to" = goal, not promise
- I'm going to pair with [Name] on…Mention collaboration plans
- After standup I'll pick up where I left off on…Clear continuation
Communicating Blockers
- I'm currently blocked on…Direct and clear — use early in standup
- I'm waiting on feedback / review / access from [Name/team].Name the source of the blocker
- I can't proceed until [X] is resolved.Shows the dependency explicitly
- The staging environment is down — I can't test until it's back.Infrastructure blocker
- No blockers on my end.All-clear — common and expected phrase
- I'll reach out to [Name] after standup to resolve this.Show you have a plan to unblock yourself
- This might block the rest of the team — can we discuss after?Flag a team-wide blocker without derailing standup
Flagging Risks & Updates
- Quick flag: [issue] — not blocking me but worth knowing.FYI that doesn't need a decision
- I might need help with this later — I'll ping [Name].Proactive, not reactive
- The ticket is more complex than estimated — I'll update the story points.Re-estimate openly
- We may miss the sprint goal if X isn't resolved today.Risk signal — useful for scrum master
- I'll send more detail in a thread / ticket comment.Keep standup brief, put detail elsewhere
Async Standup (Written Slack Update)
- 🕐 Yesterday: [task]. Today: [plan]. Blockers: [none / description].Standard async format — emoji headers help scanning
- Done: [task]. In progress: [task]. Blocked by: [dependency / person].Label-first format — works well in Slack
- No blockers on my end today.Always state this explicitly — don't rely on silence
- Carrying over [task] from yesterday — paused for [reason], resuming today.Transparency about rollover work
- Off until [date]. [Name] is covering for any urgent questions.OOO async standup — name a cover
- [task] is taking longer than estimated — updating ticket ETA to [date].Proactive re-estimate, not an apology
- FYI: I'll be in deep focus today — will check Slack at 12:00 and 17:00.Set expectations for async response times
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'blocked' mean in a standup context, specifically when someone says they're blocked on 'waiting for QA'?
'Blocked' signifies that a task is currently preventing someone from progressing. When reported as waiting on QA, it indicates the developer has completed their portion of the work but needs feedback or fixes from the Quality Assurance team before continuing development. This highlights a dependency and potential bottleneck.
I heard 'TBD' used – what does that stand for in daily standups?
'TBD' stands for 'To Be Determined'. It's a placeholder used when the exact details of a task or its outcome are not yet known, such as the final user story acceptance criteria or specific testing steps. Using 'TBD' allows for transparency about uncertainty and facilitates discussion if needed.
Someone said 'shifting priorities' – does that mean they're changing their task during the standup?
'Shifting priorities' indicates a change in focus, often due to new requirements or urgent issues identified. It doesn't necessarily mean the individual is abandoning their current task, but rather adjusting their immediate efforts based on updated project needs – this should be discussed briefly.
What's the difference between 'working on' and 'progressing with' a feature?
'Working on' simply indicates someone is engaged in a task, while 'progressing with' suggests tangible steps are being taken towards completion. Using 'progressing with' implies demonstrable activity like coding or testing, offering more clarity to the team about the status of work.
I'm not sure if I should say 'done' for a small bug fix – is that okay?
'Done' typically indicates full task completion, including verification. For smaller, low-risk fixes like a minor bug, it's acceptable to use 'done,' but always confirm with the team lead or product owner to ensure alignment and avoid misinterpretation.
What does 'spike' refer to during a standup update?
'Spike' describes a short, focused investigation undertaken to explore a technical challenge or unfamiliar area before committing significant development time. It's often used when the team needs to quickly assess feasibility or gather information for a larger task – it's an exploratory activity.
If I say 'still investigating' - what should I clarify?
'Still investigating' means you are actively researching a problem but haven't yet found a solution. It's crucial to briefly explain the scope of your investigation and any potential roadblocks, allowing the team to offer support or suggest alternative approaches.
What does 'handoff' mean when one developer is taking over a task from another?
'Handoff' signifies the transfer of responsibility for a task from one developer to another. It's important to briefly outline the current state, any known issues, and next steps before formally handing it over to ensure a smooth transition.
I said 'waiting on dependencies' – what should I elaborate upon?
'Waiting on dependencies' indicates that your progress is contingent on another team or component delivering something. You should specify *which* dependency you are waiting for and the impact of its delay to provide context and drive accountability.
Can I use 'researching best practices' as a standup update?
'Researching best practices' is a valid update, but it should be accompanied by a brief summary of what you're researching and your anticipated outcome. It demonstrates proactive learning and alignment with team standards, but shouldn't replace actual development progress.