Explanation: The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the Developers to inspect their progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary1. It is a key opportunity for the Developers to plan their work for the next 24 hours and collaborate on any challenges or impediments2. If the frequency of the Daily Scrum were to be lowered to every two or three days, three key concerns would be:
The Sprint Backlog may become inaccurate. The Sprint Backlog is the plan for how the Developers will achieve the Sprint Goal, and it is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned[3][3]. The Daily Scrum is a chance for the Developers to inspect the Sprint Backlog and make adjustments based on the current situation4. If the Daily Scrum is less frequent, the Sprint Backlog may not reflect the reality of the work, and the Developers may lose track of their progress and alignment with the Sprint Goal.
Opportunities to inspect and adapt the Sprint Backlog are lost. Scrum is based on empiricism, which means that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed5. The Daily Scrum is an essential event for the Developers to apply empiricism to their work, by inspecting the Sprint Backlog and adapting it to optimize the value and quality of the Increment. If the Daily Scrum is less frequent, the Developers may miss opportunities to inspect and adapt their work, and may not be able to deliver a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint.
Impediments are raised and resolved more slowly. An impediment is anything that prevents the Scrum Team from delivering a product Increment. The Daily Scrum is a forum for the Developers to identify and communicate any impediments that affect their work, and to seek help from the Scrum Master or other team members. If the Daily Scrum is less frequent, the impediments may not be raised and resolved in a timely manner, and may cause delays or quality issues in the product delivery.
References:
1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10
2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 11
[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10
4: Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023
5: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 4
The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 11
The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 14
Developing People and Teams, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023