Enhancing Alignment and Collaboration in Daily Work

We dedicate significant hours each day to creating value for our customers. In any organisation, one of the most challenging tasks is establishing a shared understanding of our goals and what they demand from each of us. While the C-level team might achieve clarity through numerous meetings and discussions, distilling this understanding to the rest of the organisation is no small feat. Every discussion helps close the gap, piece by piece, but transferring this clarity into actionable insight across teams remains a significant challenge.

Even in a small organisation like TicketCo, it can be difficult to translate high-level strategies into the daily operations of individual teams. Questions naturally arise: What does this mean for me? How does it impact the way I work? What should I focus on? At TicketCo, we face the same challenges and invest considerable effort to ensure our collective vision is visible not only in our strategy but also in our code and day-to-day priorities.

The Daily Check-in: A Core Practice for Team Alignment

We hold daily check-ins in every team - a 15 min sessions where team leads and key personnel from other teams can listen in and receive updates directly from the source. During these meetings, we “walk the board” for each team member, making it easier for everyone to visualise the discussion, understand its relevance, and identify their responsibilities.

Each team members addresses three essential questions when they talk:

1. What have I worked on since the last check-in?

This serves as a "voice-over" for the current state of the board, helping everyone understand what has been prioritised and why.

2. What do I plan to work on until the next check-in?

Sharing plans provides direction and establishes commitments visible to the team and stakeholders.

3. What do I need to continue producing value?

This could include support within the team or assistance from external stakeholders.

By addressing these areas, the standup fosters transparency and ensures everyone stays synchronised, reducing misunderstandings and aligning priorities.

We practice the "chicken and pigs" philosophy: only team members actively contribute during the check-in, while stakeholders form an outer circle to observe and inspect. After the check-in, we open the floor for questions, allowing stakeholders to seek clarification or provide input. The entire process is designed to take no more than 15 minutes, with an optional 5 minutes for follow-ups. If more time is needed, it can be coordinated directly.

As CTO, I participate in the outer circle, using the Q&A section to address changes, highlight critical issues, and discuss decisions that may affect the team’s focus. I firmly believe that when everyone has access to the same information, alignment naturally follows. My role is to ensure that information is accessible and relatable, translating the organisation’s vision and goals into actionable technical changes and areas for improvement. While the C-level team provides the "why" and "what," it’s up to the teams to determine "how".

A Culture of Transparency and Feedback

A daily check-in should not require extensive preparation. If the state of the board is inaccurate, we fix it during the meeting. The primary goal is synchronization: ensuring everyone understands where we are and where we are headed.

This approach isn’t about aimless wandering, like Winnie the Pooh might suggest, but rather fostering transparency and encouraging feedback:

“I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I have been.” —Winnie the Pooh