Parking Lot

The Parking Lot is a visible list — on a whiteboard, shared document, or chat — where the facilitator notes topics that emerge during a meeting but cannot be discussed within the available time. Topics are “parked” and addressed after the meeting with only the people involved.

How it works #

When someone raises a complex issue during a standup, the facilitator says: “I’ll note it in the parking lot, we’ll discuss it afterwards.” The topic is not ignored — it is simply moved to the right context, where it can be addressed without wasting time for those not involved.

What it’s for #

It is the most underrated tool in standup and meeting management in general. It allows saying “we’ll discuss it later” without the topic being forgotten. It solves the “thread killer” problem — those discussions between two people that block the entire meeting.

Why it matters #

Without a parking lot, the facilitator has two bad options: let the discussion expand (and the standup overruns), or cut the topic (and someone feels ignored). The parking lot offers a third way: acknowledge the topic’s importance and guarantee it will be addressed, but at the right time.