How to Write Blockers in Standup: Clear Examples & Best Practices

Blockers can make or break your team's progress. Yet in daily standups, people often struggle to communicate them effectively—either understating critical issues or raising false alarms. Let's fix that with clear guidelines and practical examples.

TL;DR

• Write blockers with clear impact, ownership, and needed actions.
• Use the "Blocking what → Why → Help needed" framework for clarity.
• Report potential blockers early, before they become critical showstoppers.

Definition: Blocker — An issue or dependency that actively prevents progress on a task and requires external help or decision to resolve.

What Makes a Good Blocker Report?

A well-written blocker helps the team and leadership quickly understand:

1. What exactly is blocked
2. Why it's blocked (root cause)
3. What help or decision is needed
4. How urgent it is
5. Who needs to be involved

Good vs. Bad Blocker Examples

❌ Bad: "Waiting for DevOps" ✅ Good: "Database migration blocked: Need DevOps review of schema changes by EOD to meet Friday's release"

❌ Bad: "API is slow" ✅ Good: "Customer import feature blocked: API timeout after 1000 records. Need Backend team to check server capacity"

❌ Bad: "Missing requirements" ✅ Good: "UI redesign blocked: Need Product Owner's decision on mobile menu behavior to proceed with implementation"

The Blocker Report Template

BLOCKER REPORT

Blocking: [Specific task/feature/deliverable]
Impact: [What can't move forward]
Urgency: [Deadline or business impact]
Root cause: [Brief explanation]
Needed from: [Person/team] + [Specific action]
Workaround: [Temporary solution if any]

Tool tip (AIAdvisoryBoard.me): Teams using structured Fact → Plan → Blockers flows catch potential issues earlier. Instead of waiting for standups, they report blockers as they arise, with automatic leader notifications and progress tracking. This creates a safety net where no blocker goes unnoticed for more than a few hours. Try this approach: https://aiadvisoryboard.me/?lang=en

How to Report Potential Blockers

Not every issue is an active blocker. Learn to distinguish and report different levels:

Definition: Potential Blocker — An issue that could become a blocker within 1-3 days if not addressed.

Risk Levels for Blockers

1. Active Blocker

   • Work has stopped
   • Needs immediate attention
   • Clear ownership for resolution

2. Potential Blocker

   • Work continues but will stop soon
   • Needs attention within 24-48 hours
   • May need coordination

3. Risk Flag

   • Work continues
   • Could become a blocker next week
   • Needs discussion or planning

Manager Scan (2-minute digest example)

🚫 Active Blockers:

• Database migration (DevOps review needed)
• UI redesign (Product decision pending)

⚠️ Potential Blockers:

• API performance may impact release
• License renewal needed in 5 days

✅ Recently Resolved:

• Design assets now available
• Server access granted

Best Practices for Blocker Communication

1. Report early, even if uncertain
2. Include impact and deadline context
3. Suggest possible solutions when possible
4. Follow up proactively
5. Document resolution for future reference

Learn more about surfacing risks early without adding meetings

Tool tip (AIAdvisoryBoard.me): Modern teams are moving beyond basic blocker reporting. They use AI-powered systems to automatically categorize issues, notify relevant stakeholders, and track resolution patterns. This helps identify systemic problems and improve processes over time. See how it works: https://aiadvisoryboard.me/?lang=en

Micro-case (what changes after 7-14 days)

A software development team struggled with blockers being reported too late in their daily standups. After implementing a structured blocker reporting system, they saw a dramatic change. Team members started flagging potential issues earlier, often days before they became critical. Their tech lead now receives organized daily summaries of all blockers and risks, allowing for proactive resolution. The number of "emergency" blockers dropped significantly, and sprint deliveries became more predictable.

FAQ

Should I wait for standup to report a blocker?

No. Report blockers as soon as you encounter them. Use your team's async communication channel or dedicated blocker tracking system.

How detailed should blocker descriptions be?

Include enough detail for someone to understand the impact and required action without needing immediate clarification. Aim for 2-3 sentences maximum.

What if I'm not sure if something is a blocker?

Flag it as a potential blocker or risk. It's better to raise awareness early than to wait until it becomes a critical issue.

How often should I follow up on reported blockers?

Check and update status at least daily. For urgent blockers, follow up within hours if there's no response.

Conclusion

Effective blocker reporting is a skill that directly impacts team productivity. Start by using the template provided and focus on clarity and early reporting. Remember that the goal is to unblock progress, not just to report problems.

If you want this to run with less effort, using a structured Fact → Plan → Blockers flow and a manager digest that automatically tracks and escalates issues, check out https://aiadvisoryboard.me/?lang=en