How long should a catch-up call last?

What is a catch-up call or a stand-up meeting?

Standup comedy? Is everyone aware of what that is? Mostly a yes. Hmm, but catch up meetings? Do we know what that is? Quite similar in case you’ve been looking hard and long at the term. Standup meetings are your regular short meetings but ones that are held while attendees stand around a table to discuss daily progress and blockers.

Don’t raise your eyebrows just yet. We know what you’re thinking. To answer your question, such a setting is made because these meetings are to be crisp and short. How crisp and short? We shall find out.

Catch up meetings - the origin

The above line could well be the title of a dark office comedy but nope we aren’t deviating from our focus. So, let’s get to know how standup meetings got started, shall we?

So, the legend has it that Jeff Sutherland, the inventor and co-creator of Scrum, routinely showed his team of engineers a video of the rugby team All Blacks performing the Maori warrior ceremony of the haka before every game they played. This pre-game ritual got him and his team intrigued by the energy it charged the rugby team with.

The curiosity led him to dig up old literature and he stumbled upon a paper on a Borland Software Corporation project called Quattro Pro for Windows. They found that this project ran by only 8 people had generated one million lines of software code within a span of 31 months only.

Further scooping led to the discovery that the team would meet every day for at least an hour to discuss their performance and what was hindering it. Big deal, you’d say. But, this regular updating of operations is what led them to attain the feat of the fastest coding on record yet.

Sutherland studied the paper and came up with his own version of such a meeting that he called Scrum along with a guide for the same. Catch up calls are similar to Scrum in the sense that they only do not follow the restrictions laid out in the Scrum guide. So yep, there goes your history class.

The building blocks

Sutherland’s version of the daily catch up meeting had and continues to have a few rules. These rules have turned out to be the important features of the standup meetings that we see today.

1. Everyone, every day, at the same time

The entire team was required to gather every day at the same time, regardless of what time of the day. In case one couldn't appear, the meeting was called off as redundant. This daily flow of communication had one goal - to provide the team with a vital unifying force.

2. Up to 15 minutes

To make sure that only what is relevant is discussed, a catch-up meeting cannot last for more than 15 minutes. In case there is something that requires more attention, it could be taken up post the meeting.

3. Stand up

These short meetings required 100% participation from the attendees. Standing while having these meetings would guarantee that the meetings had everyone’s focus and attention while not stretching beyond 15 minutes. Smart, don’t you think?

4. The 3 questions

What do you think is discussed within those 15 minutes? The answer is simple - only 3 questions. Sutherland studied the core communication that was done in the Borland project and came up with 3 questions that catch-up meetings discuss today moulded to suit their purpose.

What did you do yesterday?
What will you do today?
Are there any blockers?

But, what is the point of catchup meetings?

Keeps everyone aligned: When updates are shared regularly and blockers identified, the team knows what it is doing and is aligned with the goal. Team members know what steps must be taken to move further towards their objective and how best to deal with anything that is obstructing their progress.
Boosts transparency: The process becomes transparent when everyone in the team knows what the other team members are working on. Daily sharing of updates goes a long way in preventing any misunderstanding that may use up precious time later on.
Aids team collaboration: When communication is clear and accommodates all, team collaboration and coordination receive a boost. Standup meetings accelerate this by encouraging problem-solving by the team members when blockers are identified and communicated.
Promotes accountability: Daily sharing of progress ensures team members know what needs to be done and bear responsibility for getting it done on time. This promotes accountability when team members know that they will have to report to the entire team of their progress the next day.

How to make the best use of catchup meetings?

You can have standup meetings all you want. But, if you aren’t doing it right, you won’t get the results you are looking for. Go through the points below to find out how you can make the best use of them.

Automate daily standups with Sup Bot, get back to work!

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A more productive way to achieve results through catch-up meetings is to have a text-based asynchronous online meeting. But, how do you do that? Sup Bot, a standup bot, makes it easy for you.

You can schedule asynchronous standup meetings where teammates report on their progress on the task and anything blocking it. The fact that it is text-based saves everyone a lot of time while also keeping everyone updated on the team’s progress.

The asynchronous feature has a number of advantages over synchronous communication. For one, the sender and recipient do not need to be available at the same time. This allows remote team members and those from different time zones to participate at their convenience.

Additionally, you can get a picture of the team's morale by simply integrating the mood-tracking feature into your standups. The anonymity this feature allows users guarantees the transparency of responses.

Phew! That is a lot of useful features to have on a single tool. But, just in case you’d still like to go the old-school way, we have you covered. Find some useful tips below.

Tips

Hold it at the same time: The consistent timing for regular catch up meetings guarantees that everyone is aware of when it is going to take place and there is no confusion about its time. This helps all team members plan their activities around the meeting and attend them with 100% focus.
Keep it crisp: Standup meetings must be brief. The sole reason for having this meeting for a maximum span of 15 minutes is to ensure that the focus is on what is important and relevant.
Stick to your goal: It is important to pay attention and see if the meeting is going off the tangent. Only the 3 questions - What did you do yesterday? What will you do today? Are there any blockers? - must be discussed in the meeting. It is to be understood that a standup meeting going beyond the standard time limit is a strong indicator that it is deviating from its set agenda.
Have lengthy discussions later: It is possible that issues come up during the regular standup meetings that require more attention and a detailed discussion. But, such lengthy discussions can take up a lot of time and reduce the efficiency of these meetings. This is why it is best to make a note of such topics and take them up later post the meeting.
Encourage participation: Active participation is the fuel standup meetings run on. Ensuring that participants are standing during these meetings takes care of the fact that they are actively listening in addition to speaking during the meeting. 1-minute talk time for everyone can also ensure active participation while limiting the meeting to a maximum duration of 15 minutes.

Why only 15 minutes though?

A lot can be done in 15 minutes or less. You can walk a mile, read a chapter of a book, or even do some basic sit-ups and push-ups. If you think about it, 900 seconds isn't really a short span of time. This timebox is optimal for a stand-up meeting for a number of reasons.

Prevents deviation from goal: Having a time limit sets you up to accomplish only what is required. Working within a time constraint, with the knowledge that the meeting cannot exceed 15 minutes, motivates the team to focus on the meeting agenda without deviating from it. Such focus can even make 15 minutes seem like a lot and get the standup meeting done in much less time.
Ensures efficiency in work: Most catch up meetings take place early in the morning. When communication is clear at the start of the work and does not take up too much time, team members can invest more energy and focus into making the rest of the day productive. This boosts up the quality and efficiency of work.
Encourages listening: Would you listen more attentively if you knew a meeting would end within 15 minutes or if you were informed that it would go on for an hour? Clearly, our listening would be more engaged if the time span was short, since such a short duration keeps us on our toes - quite literally during standup meetings.
Facilitates better decision-making: When team members identify and inform each other of any obstacles hindering their progress, thinking caps can be put on to solve problems immediately within the meeting and make decisions that smooth the road ahead.

Conclusion

There are reasons why catch-up meetings are the way they are. And we have understood why. However, we can always choose to move a rung higher into the ladder. So, if you wish to run your wheels faster and keep your catch up calls even shorter, consider using Sup Bot - a standup bot designed to conduct asynchronous stand-up meetings.

You can simply choose to integrate it with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Webex and let it do the rest for you. So, let’s stand up, and get moving - faster!

Frequently asked questions

1. What is the meaning of catch up call?

A catch-up call is a meeting where participants discuss work progress, review completed tasks, and address any issues that have arisen since their last discussion. This type of call ensures ongoing communication, helps identify and resolve problems promptly, and keeps everyone aligned on goals and next steps.

2. What is a catch up meeting?

Catch-up meetings are brief sessions where participants share their work updates and address any concerns that need attention. These meetings can be one-on-one or involve the entire team. They are designed to ensure ongoing communication, keep everyone informed, and promptly resolve any issues that may arise.

3. What is the purpose of a catch up?

The purpose of a catch-up is to gauge how things are going within the team, discuss recent developments at work, and address any emerging issues or concerns. These meetings help ensure everyone is on the same page, maintaining alignment and promoting effective communication and collaboration.

4. How do I ask for a catch up call?

Request a catch-up call with your team member(s) via email or a communication platform by politely asking about their availability for a quick 15-minute call. Clearly state the purpose of the call and suggest a few time slots to make scheduling easier and ensure a prompt response.