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Participant Guide

This guide is designed for team members participating in NASA - Not Another Standup App meetings, helping you prepare for and engage effectively in standups and team meetings.

Role Overview

As a Participant in NASA, you have the following capabilities:

  • Prepare updates before meetings using My Update

  • Join and participate in live meetings

  • Add emoji reactions to provide quick feedback

  • Add comments to specific items during meetings

  • View the Team Journal to review past meetings

  • Access My Overview to track your progress

Getting Started as a Participant

Accessing NASA

  1. Open Jira in your browser

  2. Look for the NASA icon in the Jira sidebar

  3. Click on the icon to launch NASA

  4. Select your stream from the dropdown if you belong to multiple teams

Joining Your First Meeting

  1. You'll receive a notification (Slack) when you're added to a stream

  2. Before the meeting, you'll get a reminder to prepare your update

  3. Complete your preparation in My Update

  4. When ready, click Enter Lobby to indicate you're prepared for the meeting

  5. Wait for the Scrum Master or Coverer to start the meeting

![Screenshot Placeholder - alt text: Joining a meeting as a participant]

Preparing for Meetings

Accessing My Update

  1. Open NASA from the Jira sidebar

  2. Select your stream from the dropdown

  3. Click on My Update in the sidebar navigation

Standup Preparation

For daily standups, you'll typically answer three questions:

  1. What did you do yesterday?

    • Add completed work items

    • Include Jira issues you've worked on

    • Mention any achievements or milestones

  2. What will you do today?

    • Add planned tasks for today

    • Include Jira issues you'll work on

    • Mention any meetings or commitments

  3. Any blockers?

    • Add issues blocking your progress

    • Describe what help you need

    • Mention dependencies on other team members

Team Meeting Preparation

For team meetings, you'll add items to specific agenda topics:

  1. Select the agenda topic you want to add items to

  2. Add relevant Jira issues, text items, or headlines

  3. Provide context or comments as needed

  4. Review the Team Update Preview to see what others have prepared

Adding Items to Your Update

Adding Jira Issues

  1. Find the issue in the Suggested Issues panel

  2. Click the + button next to the issue

  3. The issue will be added to your update

Searching for Issues

  1. Click the Search button in the right panel

  2. Type the issue key or keywords

  3. Click the + button next to the found issue

Creating Text Items

  1. Click Add Text Item

  2. Type your update

  3. Press Enter or click Save

Participating in Live Meetings

During a Standup

  1. When it's your turn, your update will be displayed to the team

  2. Briefly explain your items, focusing on:

    • What you've accomplished

    • What you're planning to do

    • Any blockers you're facing

  3. Keep your update concise (typically 1-2 minutes)

  4. Answer any questions from team members

During a Team Meeting

  1. Pay attention to the current agenda topic

  2. When your items are discussed, provide necessary context

  3. Contribute to discussions on other participants' items

  4. Note any action items or decisions that affect you

Interaction Options

  • Emoji Reactions: Click the emoji icon to provide quick feedback

  • Follow-up Requests: Ask the Scrum Master to flag items for follow-up

After the Meeting

Reviewing the Team Journal

  1. Click on Team Journal in the sidebar

  2. Select the meeting date you want to review

  3. See all updates from the team, organized by participant or topic

  4. Check the Follow-up Items tab for flagged items

Checking My Overview

  1. Click on My Overview in the sidebar

  2. Review your metrics and statistics

  3. Track your progress and participation

  4. See upcoming meetings and reminders

Following Up on Action Items

  1. Address any items that were flagged for follow-up

  2. Update Jira issues as needed

  3. Prepare for the next meeting based on outcomes

Best Practices for Participants

  • Prepare thoroughly: Complete your update before the meeting starts

  • Be concise: Keep your updates brief and focused

  • Highlight blockers early: Don't wait until the meeting to mention critical blockers

  • Stay engaged: Listen actively to other participants

  • Use emoji reactions: Provide feedback without interrupting

  • Review the Team Journal: Check what you might have missed

  • Follow up promptly: Address action items before the next meeting

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Can't see your stream: Ask your Scrum Master to verify you've been added

  • Issues not appearing: Check with your Scrum Master about filter settings

  • Can't enter lobby: Ensure you've completed your update preparation

  • Missing notifications: Verify Slack integration settings with your Scrum Master

Next Steps

  • Explore Features to discover all capabilities available to you

  • Learn about Team Journal to make the most of meeting records

  • Check My Overview to understand your personal dashboard

For guidance specific to other roles, see the Scrum Master Guide