Meeting Formats: Stand-Ups, Demos & Retrospectives
Agile projects use a set of regular meeting formats that keep the project on track and everyone aligned. This article explains each meeting type and what you should expect from them.
Daily Stand-Up (if applicable)
A brief (15-minute maximum) internal sync within the delivery team. Covers: what was done yesterday, what is being done today, any blockers. You are not typically required to attend daily stand-ups, but your Project Manager may invite you when there are matters requiring your input.
Sprint Review / Demo
At the end of each sprint, we demonstrate what was built. This is your primary touchpoint for reviewing progress.
- Duration: Typically 30–60 minutes
- Format: Live demo of working software in the staging environment
- Your role: Observe, ask questions, and provide feedback. Formal sign-off happens after UAT, not at the demo.
- Frequency: End of each sprint (typically every 2 weeks)
Sprint Retrospective
After the sprint review, the team holds a retrospective to discuss: what went well, what could be improved, and actions to take forward. You may be invited to join retrospectives for larger projects.
Project Status Meeting
A weekly or bi-weekly meeting between you and your Project Manager covering overall project health, upcoming milestones, risks, decisions required, and budget tracking. These are your most important regular touchpoints — attendance is strongly recommended.
Milestone Reviews
For Waterfall projects or at major milestone points, a formal milestone review meeting is held. This is a gate — both parties must formally sign off on the milestone before the next phase begins.