The age-old standup is a formula that, when run well, works. Right? In the spirit of challenging everything, I set out to try something new, and here is why I don’t plan to go back.
Drawbacks of a Stationary Standup
If you take an honest look, you may find some cracks in stationary standups. When you’re standing around, It’s easy to get distracted and stop paying attention to… what were we talking about? Standing in the same place can constrain creativity and collaboration and updates can become long and meandering. 
Benefits of a Walking Standup
Being outside is awesome (duh), but it’s easier than we realize to move from a climate-controlled house to a car to an office. I’ve enjoyed appreciating the background of smells, sounds, and neighborly interactions on our short jaunts. It’s good for our wellbeing, both mentally and physically, and the walking standup is a great way to make a daily micro-improvement on that front.
There is a physical timebox. Our team has cues along the route that our standup is coming to a close, and it has had a noticeable effect on keeping updates brief and meaningful.
Walking increases creativity and collaboration. Some studies back this up, but I can also tell you through empirical evidence that it’s made a difference for our team. We’re all a little more in tune with each other, and our standups have been more productive.
Tips for Implementing a Walking Standup
Plan a route. We use a small network of quiet streets and alleyways across the street from our office. There is little/no car traffic, so we can walk two or three wide in the street, and this makes it a lot easier to hear. Do you have a park or green space by your office? Even better! I’d recommend avoiding busy/loud roads. Walking standups are a great opportunity to explore lesser-traveled areas in your neighborhood.
Commit to trying it for a period as a team. It’s easy for new ideas to lose steam if there isn’t a driving force behind them. It can take a few weeks to several months to form a new habit. But, once you establish a new norm it suddenly takes less effort.
Talk about your plan for inclement weather in advance. Our team does ours in the morning to beat the heat on summer days. We also plan to continue doing these in the winter. Agreements and planning can go a long way toward consistent follow-through.
If you feel it could be fit for your team, give the walking standup a shot. Yes, there are some direct project benefits to the walking standup, but the real benefits are for us as human beings. When we’re healthier versions of ourselves, everyone wins.
