Talking about yesterday's work | Meetings and standups Tutorial

English for Software Professionals: Meetings & Standups - Talking About Yesterday's Work

This section focuses on phrasing for effectively communicating what you accomplished yesterday during stand-up meetings or project updates. We'll cover common structures, useful vocabulary, and how to handle blockers.

I. Core Structures - The "Three Questions" & Beyond

Most stand-ups follow a simple structure, often based on these three questions:

What did I do yesterday? (Focus: Completed tasks)
What will I do today? (Focus: Planned tasks)
Are there any impediments/blockers? (Focus: Issues preventing progress)

We'll concentrate on the first question here. Beyond just listing tasks, aim for concise and impactful updates.

Basic Structure:

"Yesterday, I [verb - past tense] [task/feature]. This [result/impact - optional]."

Example:

"Yesterday, I finished implementing the user authentication flow. This allows users to securely log in."

II. Useful Vocabulary - Describing Actions & Results

Here's a breakdown of verbs and phrases to help you articulate your work:

A. Verbs for Completion:

Completed: Good for finishing a defined task. "I completed the unit tests for the payment module."
Finished: Similar to completed, often used for larger tasks. "I finished writing the documentation for the API."
Implemented: Specifically for coding tasks. "I implemented the search functionality."
Developed: Broader than implemented, can include design. "I developed a prototype for the new dashboard."
Resolved: For fixing bugs or issues. "I resolved the bug causing the application to crash on startup."
Fixed: Informal version of resolved. "I fixed a minor UI issue."
Refactored: Improving existing code without changing functionality. "I refactored the database query to improve performance."
Reviewed: For code or document reviews. "I reviewed Sarah's pull request."
Tested: For quality assurance. "I tested the new feature on different browsers."
Wrote: For documentation, tests, or code. "I wrote the integration tests."

B. Phrases for Describing Results/Impact:

Which resulted in… "I implemented the new caching mechanism, which resulted in a 20% performance improvement."
Leading to… "I fixed the database connection issue, leading to a stable application."
Allowing… "I finished the API integration, allowing the mobile app to access the data."
Enabling… "I completed the user profile update, enabling users to manage their information."
This improved… "I optimized the image loading process. This improved page load times."
This addressed… "I resolved the security vulnerability. This addressed a critical security concern."

C. Phrases for Partial Completion/Progress:

Made progress on… "I made progress on the redesign of the checkout page."
Worked on… "I worked on integrating the new payment gateway."
Started working on… "I started working on the documentation for the new feature."
Got started on… (Informal) "I got started on refactoring the authentication service."
Approximately [percentage]% complete… "I'm approximately 70% complete with the database migration."

III. Examples - Putting it all together

Here are some example updates, varying in complexity:

Simple: "Yesterday, I completed the user story for adding a 'forgot password' link."
More Detailed: "Yesterday, I implemented the API endpoint for retrieving product details. This allows the frontend to display product information."
Progress Update: "Yesterday, I made progress on the database schema migration. I've migrated approximately 50% of the tables."
With Impact: "Yesterday, I refactored the error handling code, which resulted in more informative error messages for users."
Addressing a Blocked Item (briefly - save details for the blockers section): "Yesterday, I tried to integrate with the third-party API, but encountered an issue with authentication. I'll investigate further today."

IV. Things to Avoid

Too much detail: Keep it concise. No one needs a step-by-step walkthrough.
Technical jargon without context: Assume not everyone is intimately familiar with your code.
Vague statements: "I worked on stuff" is unhelpful.
Blaming others: Focus on the work, not who caused a problem.
Long sentences: Keep it clear and easy to understand.

V. Practice Scenarios

Try phrasing these scenarios as stand-up updates:

You fixed a bug that was preventing users from submitting forms.
You spent the day researching different charting libraries for a new dashboard.
You wrote unit tests for a new function.
You reviewed a colleague's code and provided feedback.
You started working on a new feature, but ran into a problem with the database connection.

This content provides a foundation for effectively communicating your work during stand-ups and project updates. Remember to adapt your language to your team's culture and the specific context of the meeting.