How to Take Meeting Notes (Free Template)
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Were you wondering what the best note-taking technique is for you? Keep reading to find out the most common techniques and the step-by-step process to write more effective meeting notes. Spoiler alert: With one method, you will not even have to take notes yourself.
But first, let's get some definitions clear.
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What Are Meeting Notes?
Meeting notes serve as documentation of significant discussions and crucial observations made during a meeting. These may range from deadlines, action items, to novel concepts or subjects that arise during the meeting. Taking effective meeting notes is essential for keeping track of important details and decisions made. Appointing a designated note taker ensures that accurate and comprehensive notes are captured, enhancing team focus and efficiency.
Meeting notes vs Meeting Minutes
Meeting notes and meeting minutes are often used interchangeably, but there are some key differences:
- Meeting notes are less formal and often include the note-taker’s own observations and interpretations, while minutes are an official record of what happened in the meeting.
- Meeting notes are usually for personal or internal team use, while minutes may be shared with external stakeholders or become part of the organization’s official documentation. Meeting minutes are especially important in a board meeting for auditing and legal purposes.
- Meeting notes can be in any format (outline, mind map, etc.), while minutes typically follow a set structure.
Ultimately, both meeting notes and minutes serve the purpose of capturing what happened during a meeting, but minutes are a more formal and structured approach. Decide which makes sense for your specific meeting and team.
Types of Meeting Notes
Meeting notes can vary depending on what you want to convey. You can choose from different styles: business meeting notes, staff meeting notes, weekly meeting notes, personal reflection notes, collaborative notes, project-specific notes, and collaborative note-taking. Each type serves a specific purpose. For instance:
- Business meeting notes summarize crucial discussions and action points from a business meeting
- Weekly meeting notes can outline highlights from each week’s meeting
- After-meeting notes can offer a quick recap of what happened and what needs to be done next
- Collaborative note-taking allows team members to contribute to and edit meeting notes in real time
Meeting Notes Template
Meeting Notes Template - GoogleDocs
To help you get started with effective note-taking, we've created a free meeting notes template in Google Docs. You can then make a copy of the template and start using it right away. You can add your company logo, change the colors, or modify the sections to better suit your team's requirements.
The Benefits of Taking Good Meeting Notes
Writing meeting notes can help ensure that all participants are on the same page and that everyone’s ideas and input are captured and recorded. It also helps to keep the meeting on track and helps participants to stay focused. Some key benefits of taking meeting notes include:
- Capturing important details and action items discussed
- Providing a written record for future reference
- Helping all attendees have a clear understanding of what was covered
- Saving time by not having to rely on memory alone
- Capturing key takeaways for easy reference and future meetings
What to Include in Your Meeting Notes
When taking meeting notes, be sure to capture:
- Date, time, and location of the meeting
- Names of meeting participants
- Main topics and agenda items discussed
- Key decisions made
- Action items assigned, including who is responsible and any deadlines
- Any other important details or observations
How to Take Meeting Notes
Taking meeting notes can be very tricky and often lead to a messy chunk of words on a piece of paper. However, by avoiding common pitfalls such as including irrelevant information or having disorganized notes, you can elevate your note-taking to the next level. Use the following tips to take effective meeting notes:
1. Create a meeting notes template
Having a set up meeting notes template can be extremely helpful in keeping a consistent format for all your notes, whether they are formal minutes or just personal observations. This will allow you and anyone else who views the notes to easily understand their contents and structure.
You can also try to find inspiration from an existing template. This can help save time and effort, as you don't have to create one from scratch. However, if you cannot find a suitable pre-made template, you can create your own. To do this, first brainstorm all the elements you want to include in the template, and then structure it according to your preferences. This way, you can have a custom template that you can use repeatedly for years to come.
2. Try different note-taking techniques
What works best for others might not be the right technique for you. Try out some of the methods mentioned above to see what works best for you. The most effective way of taking notes should enable you to effortlessly capture the essential points and make them easily understandable for future reference.
3. Alternate the person who takes notes
The practice of rotating the role of the meeting note-taker is a great strategy to improve meeting notes and involve your team in meeting success. Just designate a different team member to take notes each time. This will encourage collaboration and eventually, team members may volunteer for the role. However, if you do not want to rotate this role but rather want to outsource this task, ask Jamie to take notes for you. This way everyone in the meeting can fully focus on participating in the meeting. Additionally, using collaborative platforms allows team members to contribute to and edit notes in real time, ensuring a dynamic and thorough record of meeting notes.
4. Don't write down everything word for word
This is probably one of the most common mistakes when taking notes. In meetings, it's not necessary to capture every single word that was said. Doing so would be a waste of time and effort. Instead, focus on capturing the main discussion points in bullet form and creating labels or color codes for important decisions or insights. This approach helps you keep track of the main points and stay focused on the conversation.
5. Document questions and answers that arise
Having a record of questions and answers posed during meetings can be beneficial for everyone involved. This is because if one person has a question, it's likely that others have similar queries. By documenting these questions and their answers, you can easily refer back to them later without having to reach out to someone for clarification. This also allows other team members to quickly access the information they need without having to ask the same questions repeatedly.
6. Designate a follow up section in your notes
When you're taking notes in a meeting, it is always recommended to set aside a designated section of the notes for topics that need to be further addressed after the meeting is over. This can be referred to as the "follow up section" where you have space to note down everything that needs to be followed up on after a meeting ended. Including specific next steps and action items with due dates is key.
7. Assign clear action items
In meetings, it's important to document any tasks that need to be accomplished and assign specific people to take on those responsibilities. This can be done by recording the details of each task, including the context, the person assigned to it, and the deadline. Be sure to capture all the critical action items discussed.
8. Using automated notes to keep track of everything
By using AI meeting tools such as Jamie you can automate your note taking process and achieve peace of mind during your meetings. Automated meeting notes make sure nothing is missed during your meetings and at the same time give you the freedom to fully focus on participating in the meeting.
9. Always take the time to recap your meeting
After each meeting, it's a good idea to create a brief summary while the information is still fresh in your mind. This recap should cover the main points discussed and any tasks that need to be completed before the next meeting. This summary will serve as a useful reference for future discussions.
10. Share your meeting notes with all participants
Once the team meeting has ended, share meeting notes with all attendees. This will benefit everyone, particularly those who were unable to attend the meeting. The notes will help them stay up-to-date and not feel left out during the next meeting. Additionally, if any important details were missed, someone from the meeting can update the notes for the entire team to stay aligned.
Proven Tips for Taking Good Meeting Notes
When taking meeting notes, it is important to take detailed notes which capture the main points discussed during the meeting. It is also important to ensure that the notes are organized and easy to understand. The notes should be written in a way that makes them easy to refer back to and that preserves the overall flow of the meeting. It can also be helpful to include the date, time, and location of the meeting, as well as the names of the meeting attendees, to provide context for the discussion.
In order to have accurate and structured meeting notes, it is important to have a clear meeting agenda beforehand. Having a well organized meeting and meeting agenda is the key to having good meeting notes at the end. It is important to have a clear understanding of the overall goal of the meeting in order to include the relevant key points in the meeting notes afterwards.
The Different Methods of Taking Great Meeting Notes
When taking meeting notes, it is important to use an appropriate note-taking method. This depends on the type of meeting and the preferences of the attendees. Some of the most common note-taking methods include the Cornell Method, the Outline Method, the Mapping Method, and the Charting Method. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages and should be chosen based on the needs of the meeting.
The Cornell Method for Meeting Notes
The Cornell Method is perhaps the most popular note-taking method and involves writing the main topic at the top of the page and then subdividing the page into three columns. The left column is for keywords and phrases, the middle column is for notes and comments, and the right column is for summarizing the key points. This method is ideal for meetings that involve a lot of discussion and information sharing.
The Outline Method for Meeting Notes
The Outline Method is similar to the Cornell Method, but is used for meetings that involve a lot of structure. This method involves writing the main topic at the top of the page and then creating an outline with subheadings and bullet points. This method is ideal for meetings that involve presentations or lectures.
The Mapping Method for Meeting Notes
The Mapping Method is a visual note-taking method that involves creating diagrams and flowcharts to capture the key points of the meeting. This method is ideal for meetings that involve problem-solving or brainstorming.
The Charting Method for Meeting Notes
The Charting Method is used for meetings that involve a lot of data. This method involves creating a chart or table that organizes the data in a way that is easy to read and understand. With this structured method, you can make sure to never miss any important details ever again. This note-taking method can also be done well digitally.
Why You Should Use Automated AI Meeting Notes?
With the help of software like Jamie you never have to worry about taking effective meeting notes again. Jamie works seamlessly with any meeting software and captures the most important points automatically and summarizes the content of a meeting in a smart way. Using Jamie, you will never miss important details ever again and make sure that you have a brief summary and more detailed AI meeting notes of any meeting without having to take handwritten notes and meeting minutes.
FAQs About Meeting Notes
What else do I need to keep in mind when taking meeting notes?
Once the note-taking method has been chosen, it is important to note down what is said during the meeting. It is important to capture as much detail as possible without getting bogged down in the details. It is also important to take notes in a way that preserves the overall flow of the meeting. Another important aspect of taking meeting notes is ensuring that everyone's input is captured and recorded. It is important to note down any decisions that are made during the meeting, as well as any action items that need to be completed.
What to do with the meeting notes after the meeting?
As soon as the meeting has ended, it is important to review all your meeting notes and make sure that they are accurate and complete. It is also important to ensure that the notes are organized in a way that makes them easy to refer back to. Taking meeting notes is an important part of any successful business meeting. Taking detailed and organized notes can help to ensure that all participants are on the same page, that everyone's ideas and input are captured and recorded, and that future meetings can refer back to the notes for reference. It is important to choose an appropriate note-taking method, capture as much detail as possible, and ensure that everyone's input is recorded. Once the meeting has ended, it is important to review the notes and make sure that they are accurate and complete.
How can I ensure my meeting notes are effective?
To take effective meeting notes, focus on capturing the key information discussed, decisions made, and action items assigned. Use a clear notes template to keep your notes organized. Avoid writing down every word, and instead summarize the main points. Be sure to note who is responsible for each action item and by when. Reviewing and sharing the notes promptly after the meeting will help keep everyone aligned on next steps. Taking a few minutes to tidy up your notes while the meeting is still fresh will pay off and result in a useful record.
What are some signs that a meeting is effective?
Some indications that a meeting is effective include:
- Having a clear agenda that is followed
- Staying on topic and avoiding unnecessary tangents
- Active participation and engagement from attendees
- Making decisions and assigning concrete action items
- Ending on time or early
- Participants leave with a shared understanding of next steps
Taking good meeting notes can help facilitate more effective meetings by capturing key information to refer back to and keeping everyone accountable for follow-up actions.
How often should I refer back to my meeting notes?
It's a good practice to review your meeting notes shortly after the meeting to make any needed edits or additions while the discussion is still fresh in your mind. You should also refer back to relevant notes before future meetings on the same topic or with the same group. Meeting notes serve as a helpful record to consult whenever you need to refresh your memory on what was discussed, decided, or assigned. The frequency will depend on the specific meeting and how fast-moving the project or initiative is. For some meetings, you may need to check the notes weekly to stay on top of action items, while for others a monthly review may suffice.
Further Tips to Boost Meeting Productivity
Find out more about the best note taking apps in 2023 here
Find out what else is important when writing meeting notes here
Find out how to take notes in one to one meetings here
How to boost your meeting preparation with this checklist here
Find the best AI meeting tool that can help you boost your productivity by 10x here
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