[timfrietas]

This has it's own set of problems, namely, it is more difficult to do this over email than it is to just talk face-to-face; that is, it is slower.

Yes, what the author offers here is asynchronous and most developers love that idea. However, in practice I've seen this method fail more often than it succeeds. Why?

Face-to-face synchronous communication matters. Problems are addressed quickly, brainstorms happen. Personal relationships develop; mentors and mentee relationships evolve. Perhaps another developer had your problem with some pesky JS library last week and gives you just the clue you needed, and so on. I actually think standup meetings are not only not the worst thing ever, but the best thing ever for a growing developer as they allow them to quickly see what others are doing, and quickly get feedback on their own work.