Taking better meeting notes can help you stay on top of actionable tasks and key deliverables. Any important discussion that happens will be documented in your meeting notes so you or your team can refer back later. Here are a few tips on how you can make sure that your note-taking methods are effective.
1. Choose a note-taking method that works you
There are several different note-taking methods out there, and it's important to find the one that works the best for you based on your role and personal learning style. Some of the most common note-taking methods include:
Cornell method: In the Cornell method, your notes take the form of two columns: one small column on the left side and a larger column on the right. The left column highlights key ideas from the meeting, while the right column drills down into the details of the key ideas. Conversation will naturally shift from one topic to the next, so catching the key idea on the left, and drilling down finer details on the right can help you stay organized.
Outline method: Ideally, your team shares the meeting agenda beforehand. If they do, use that as an outline for your notes. List those key points out based on the agenda. Then, as the meeting progresses, take notes underneath each agenda item.
Quadrant method: Separate your notes into four different quadrants, and label each section as general notes, action items for self, action items for other team members, and questions. In the general notes section, jot down key points and important details from the meeting. The rest of the quadrants are reserved for the items that fall underneath those headers.
Slide method: If your meeting is a presentation, ask the presenter if they're willing to share the slide deck with you ahead of time. You can then add any notes you have to specific slides as the speaker is presenting.
2. Ditch the laptop—use pen and paper instead
Research shows that taking notes by hand is better for remembering conceptual information long term. When taking meeting notes, you're more likely to focus on the key points of the meeting since it's almost impossible to write everything down verbatim. Not having your laptop will also prevent you from trying to multitask during the meeting.
3. Don't write everything down verbatim
Trying to copy meeting notes down word for word is a waste of both time and energy. A meeting consists of a lot of conversation—but not every part of the conversation is necessary for those reading meeting notes later on. Write down the key points that are discussed, the outcomes of that discussion, and any next steps so that you can focus on the actionable work that matters most.
If you're hand writing your notes, use shorthand, symbols, acronyms, or abbreviations to get common phrases or ideas onto the page quickly. Just be sure to create a legend or a key beforehand so you know what your shorthand means later on.
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