Introduction: What You’ll Learn
Sometimes a standup brings up questions or blockers that require product, design, or other stakeholders — but they’re not in the room. This simulation helps you navigate those moments by keeping the meeting focused and productive while recording unresolved issues for follow-up.
You’ll practice:
- Handling missing stakeholder input
- Maintaining team momentum
- Recording and escalating questions
- Avoiding unproductive speculation
Step-by-Step Simulation
Scene 1: Opening the Standup
Facilitator: "Morning! Usual format — quick updates, plans, and blockers. I’ll start."
Facilitator (as a developer): "Yesterday I reviewed Sara’s PR and started implementing the cache layer. Today I’ll finish that. I’m also waiting to confirm if we’re caching per session or globally, but I’ll flag it with Product after standup."
Facilitator: "Thanks. Sara, go ahead."
Scene 2: Teammate Updates
Sara: "Yesterday I worked on the export feature, and I need clarification on which formats we’re supporting. I pinged the PM, but no reply yet. Today I’ll refactor the export module."
Facilitator: "Noted. Can you drop that question into the product thread and tag the PM? If not, I can help follow up later. Alex, you’re up."
Alex: "Yesterday I tested the new onboarding flow. One test case failed — not sure if it’s a bug or an edge case. I want to check the intended behavior with Product."
Facilitator: "Okay, can you post the details in Slack and tag Product so we don’t lose it? Good to pause rather than assume. Priya?"
Priya: "Still working on the mobile styling. No blockers, but curious if the nav bar is final. I saw some conflicting mockups."
Facilitator: "Thanks for raising it — let’s add that to the design follow-up list. Leo?"
Leo: "All good on my side. Yesterday I deployed the changes to staging, and today I’m starting tests on the reporting API."
Facilitator: "Nice — thanks, Leo."
Scene 3: Wrapping Up and Recap
Facilitator: "Recap: Sara needs export format confirmation, Alex is checking test behavior, and Priya needs nav bar clarity — let’s each follow up in our threads and tag Product or Design as needed. I’ll help summarize anything still open later today. Thanks all — good standup today."
Mini Roleplay Challenges
Challenge 1: Sara starts guessing what the export format should be.
- Best Response: “Let’s not decide without clarity — we’ll wait for confirmation and use placeholder logic in the meantime.”
Challenge 2: Alex pushes to mark a bug even though Product isn’t present.
- Best Response: “Let’s log it clearly and wait on confirmation. It’s better to be aligned than fast here.”
Challenge 3: Priya seems frustrated by the lack of answers.
- Best Response: “Totally get it — let’s make sure we get a reply today. I’ll escalate if we don’t hear back.”
Optional Curveball Mode
Try these twists:
- PM is unexpectedly out all week.
- Design contradicts Product direction from earlier.
- A teammate wants to just "go with their gut."
How do you lead with confidence when info is missing?
Reflection Checklist
Standup Flow
- Did I avoid speculative discussion?
- Did I capture all questions needing follow-up?
- Did I keep the meeting focused?
Communication
- Did I reassure teammates without making promises?
- Did I model clarity under ambiguity?
Leadership & Tone
- Was I steady and composed?
- Did I close the loop on unclear items?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Letting the meeting devolve into guessing
- Making assumptions on behalf of others
- Dismissing concerns without logging them
- Forgetting to follow up async