Why might a Scrum Master need to ensure that the Daily Scrum stays within a time-box?

A Scrum Master must ensure that the Daily Scrum stays within a time-box to maintain focus and efficiency. The Daily Scrum is intended as a short, focused meeting where team members quickly share updates on their progress, plans for the day, and any obstacles they are facing. Keeping the meeting to its time limit encourages participants to be brief and to the point, which maximizes the value of the time spent together.

Time-boxing helps prevent the meeting from drifting into lengthy discussions or casual conversations, which can result in wasting valuable time that could be better spent on productive work or deeper problem-solving discussions in a separate venue. This practice ensures that the Scrum Team remains aligned on their goals and maintains momentum toward completing their sprint commitments.

Additionally, a strictly time-boxed Daily Scrum promotes accountability and encourages team members to prepare for these meetings, enhancing overall communication and collaboration within the team.