Published on March 11, 2013

At Atomic Object in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the meeting mode is stand up.
At Atomic Object in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the meeting mode is stand up.  Then why is the office dog sitting down?

Rachel Emma Silverman, in a recent post in the Wall Street Journal, commented on the growing popularity of stand-up meetings.  Also known as a “huddle” or “scrum,” the stand-up meeting is a hallmark of software development workplaces that emphasize “Agile” development and its associated values of speed, flexibility, and innovation.  I can guess the impact the stand up meeting has on meeting length (shorter) and employee fitness (better, since standing requires more energy than sedentary sitting).  But what impact does the stand-up meeting have on interpersonal communication?

I’d love to hear from anyone reading this post about the effect on communication.  At least this meeting mode is stationary.  I recently heard of walking meetings, in the style of the West Wing.  That has got to be much, much worse!