Protocol
Huddle when reality invalidates the plan
Do not keep executing the old plan while privately admitting it is obsolete.
When it fits
- Conditions, workload, team availability or evidence change enough that the existing plan is no longer reliable.
When to avoid it
- A huddle is a replanning tool, not a recurring status meeting with no changed decision or action.
Why it matters
Pause briefly, state what changed, identify which part of the plan is now invalid, redistribute work or alter the sequence, and restate the updated plan. Any team member should be able to call the huddle when they see a material change. End when the new shared plan is clear.
Steps
- The team leaves with an updated plan that explicitly responds to the changed condition.
An example
A key expert becomes unavailable during a cutover; the team huddles to reduce scope and reassign the validation role.
Check your result
The team leaves with an updated plan that explicitly responds to the changed condition.
Keep this limit in mind
- A huddle is a replanning tool, not a recurring status meeting with no changed decision or action.
Connected ideas
Useful withGive one person the incident command
Evidence and sources
AHRQ TeamSTEPPS recommends a huddle when conditions, membership or plan effectiveness change enough to require replanning.
A huddle should change the plan or shared state; recurring updates without a decision need are a different meeting.
Monitoring and Modifying the Plan: Huddle · Monitoring and Modifying the Plan