Note taking in meetings
Discussion
Afternoon PH.
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on a better way to take notes in meetings.
I was supporting a work friend in a grievance meeting, bit out of my depth if I'm honest, but was purely there for moral support.
One thing I did notice though. In the meeting there was the Personal Manager, holding the meeting, another manager who was taking notes, my colleague and myself.
It was all a bit stop start. My colleague would start explaining something, before the manager taking notes would ask him to stop so she could catch up. He would then lose his flow.
It seems fine for small meetings, I've had a couple of them and its been less than a page and not a lot said (fairly straight forward). But this went on for a bit.
Does anyone have any suggestions on ways that could be better? The only one I can think of is with a tape recorder, but that seems a bit OTT for a supermarket.
I have no idea if it will change anything, but it did seem a bit of a crap way to do things.
Thanks
.
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on a better way to take notes in meetings.
I was supporting a work friend in a grievance meeting, bit out of my depth if I'm honest, but was purely there for moral support.
One thing I did notice though. In the meeting there was the Personal Manager, holding the meeting, another manager who was taking notes, my colleague and myself.
It was all a bit stop start. My colleague would start explaining something, before the manager taking notes would ask him to stop so she could catch up. He would then lose his flow.
It seems fine for small meetings, I've had a couple of them and its been less than a page and not a lot said (fairly straight forward). But this went on for a bit.
Does anyone have any suggestions on ways that could be better? The only one I can think of is with a tape recorder, but that seems a bit OTT for a supermarket.
I have no idea if it will change anything, but it did seem a bit of a crap way to do things.
Thanks
.Get a voice recorder app for your phone.
I do loads of meetings where I need to capture lots of information. If I can't have an additional person there, I use the voice recorder function so that the meeting can flow naturally.
I always have my phone with me, so no need to carry a second device.
Always tell people you are recording them though.
I do loads of meetings where I need to capture lots of information. If I can't have an additional person there, I use the voice recorder function so that the meeting can flow naturally.
I always have my phone with me, so no need to carry a second device.
Always tell people you are recording them though.
Do the notes need to be a transcript?
When I do assessment days I take copious amounts of notes. However I don't write what was said word for word.
I just focus on getting the key things verbatim and ignore or summarise the rest. Takes a bit of practice but can be done accurately and in real time.
On occasion I have to do it 1:1 which is hard, much better if all you have to do is take notes rather than engage in the conversation.
Basically the answer is
a) dedicated quick note taker or
b) dictaphone
When I do assessment days I take copious amounts of notes. However I don't write what was said word for word.
I just focus on getting the key things verbatim and ignore or summarise the rest. Takes a bit of practice but can be done accurately and in real time.
On occasion I have to do it 1:1 which is hard, much better if all you have to do is take notes rather than engage in the conversation.
Basically the answer is
a) dedicated quick note taker or
b) dictaphone
It's a skill that time to get right. I chair meetings and often I'm the one that has to take the minutes too. On occasion I take a few seconds to generate a list of points that have been discussed over the past couple of minutes that but in general I take very few notes and then write the minutes as soon as possible. For larger talking points I use "There was a discussion about…. and it was decided that….."
The note taker shouldn't be requesting pauses so that they can catch up. They should be a completely invisible part of the meeting unless they have anything to actually contribute.
The note taker shouldn't be requesting pauses so that they can catch up. They should be a completely invisible part of the meeting unless they have anything to actually contribute.
I take a lot of notes in my line of work and I've also been in the same situation as OP, being support for a person raising a grievance. Some meetings can go on for a good few hours and a lot can be discussed.
I use a bulletpoint and keyword system to ensure I don't need to pause the meeting to catch up; especially useful when you are the directing the questions/answering, as you need to be able to write notes at the same time.
So I may ask a client to expand on the construction of the riser shaft (size, wall type, slab to slab height etc) and he'll reply with a 10 minute long explanation on how they are building them, timescales, type, sizing, support options, programme scale, access... etc etc.
My notes will consist of:
1) Risers - 18 week prog. - slab to slab 4m - no walls, steels only - cost implication for 5x5m? - 40x40x4mm box at 3600mm - cost option flooring GRP - Risers 2&3 main vent - Model Revit avail 23/5
That is pretty much it. While the structure of the notes is erratic and useless to most people, there is more than enough info for me and I can easily produce a clean set of meeting notes if I do it within a few days.
Having a quick writing style helps as well. Day to day I use a block capital style of writing to keep everything clear and simple for others; in meetings I use a very italic joined up style that I can write with quickly and smoothly.
For comparsion, in the grievance meeting I attended; I produced 4 sides of A4 in approximately 45 minutes. The HR rep taking notes managed 2 sides and need an additional 15 minutes at the end to catch up...
Practice, lots of practice.
I use a bulletpoint and keyword system to ensure I don't need to pause the meeting to catch up; especially useful when you are the directing the questions/answering, as you need to be able to write notes at the same time.
So I may ask a client to expand on the construction of the riser shaft (size, wall type, slab to slab height etc) and he'll reply with a 10 minute long explanation on how they are building them, timescales, type, sizing, support options, programme scale, access... etc etc.
My notes will consist of:
1) Risers - 18 week prog. - slab to slab 4m - no walls, steels only - cost implication for 5x5m? - 40x40x4mm box at 3600mm - cost option flooring GRP - Risers 2&3 main vent - Model Revit avail 23/5
That is pretty much it. While the structure of the notes is erratic and useless to most people, there is more than enough info for me and I can easily produce a clean set of meeting notes if I do it within a few days.
Having a quick writing style helps as well. Day to day I use a block capital style of writing to keep everything clear and simple for others; in meetings I use a very italic joined up style that I can write with quickly and smoothly.
For comparsion, in the grievance meeting I attended; I produced 4 sides of A4 in approximately 45 minutes. The HR rep taking notes managed 2 sides and need an additional 15 minutes at the end to catch up...
Practice, lots of practice.
phil y said:
Company I work for will not allow recording of interviews/disciplinaries, must be done with a note taker. Really makes your arm cramp, and is very stop start as you said. May be the same policy in force in your company
Q - If an employee records a meeting covertly, can they use it as evidence at an employment tribunal?Yes. Employment tribunals take a generous view on what evidence is admissible. The fact that a meeting is recorded in secret does not mean it cannot be used as evidence.
The exception here is that the covert recording of private deliberations (for example, discussions about what the outcome to a disciplinary hearing should be) may not be admissible due to public policy reasons. The case law in this area suggests, however, that even these deliberations may be admissible if the employee involved says that they are the only evidence of alleged discrimination.
I record a lot of meetings without people knowledge to take comprehensive notes, they never know and just think im good at note taking & have a good memory.
Note recording a meeting covertly may breach DPA depending on circumstance. Once you've written it up its best to delete the file.
StevieBee said:
I was talking with my Mum on this recently - she's a long retired Secretary of the old school and still an avid user of Shorthand.
Although its use is limited these days, I do sometimes think that it could still be a useful tool in some situations.
Although its use is limited these days, I do sometimes think that it could still be a useful tool in some situations.
Slight diversion but my OH is good at shorthand and a very fast typist, properly trained. I remember when she returned to the workplace and my kids saw her for the first time doing some work at home. They were perplexed by shorthand and could not believe her keyboard speed. The look on their faces!
Bungleaio said:
It's a skill that time to get right. I chair meetings and often I'm the one that has to take the minutes too. On occasion I take a few seconds to generate a list of points that have been discussed over the past couple of minutes that but in general I take very few notes and then write the minutes as soon as possible. For larger talking points I use "There was a discussion about…. and it was decided that….."
The note taker shouldn't be requesting pauses so that they can catch up. They should be a completely invisible part of the meeting unless they have anything to actually contribute.
I agree with above, the only thing I would add is if I miss anything I ask 'what is the action from that' or '...so to summarise...' It does take a while to take good notes / minutes, I've been doing it now for about 10 years so I'm used to it, hated doing it for the first few years! I now prefer to take meeting minutes myself to make sure the points I need capturing are noted.The note taker shouldn't be requesting pauses so that they can catch up. They should be a completely invisible part of the meeting unless they have anything to actually contribute.
Livescribe.
http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/
I was introduced to this by a US colleague.
It uses some form of voodoo magic to remember everything about your meeting and be able to play it back at any point or from any point according to your notes using some clever 'spotty' paper. Tiny spots you can't really see.
Basically you can touch the nib on rec/play/vol etc button in the book and the pen silently starts recording. You take notes in the book (or draw pictures, or just write single word bullets).
After the meeting you can touch 'play' and it can either play back the whole meeting or you can jump to sections by touching the drawing or word you wrote at that point. Brilliant.
Then you can connect it to wifi, download the audio, and the writing and replay by clicking around your page.
Recording quality is excellent and capacity is huge.
Starts at $100 or so.
http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/
I was introduced to this by a US colleague.
It uses some form of voodoo magic to remember everything about your meeting and be able to play it back at any point or from any point according to your notes using some clever 'spotty' paper. Tiny spots you can't really see.
Basically you can touch the nib on rec/play/vol etc button in the book and the pen silently starts recording. You take notes in the book (or draw pictures, or just write single word bullets).
After the meeting you can touch 'play' and it can either play back the whole meeting or you can jump to sections by touching the drawing or word you wrote at that point. Brilliant.
Then you can connect it to wifi, download the audio, and the writing and replay by clicking around your page.
Recording quality is excellent and capacity is huge.
Starts at $100 or so.
oilydan said:
Livescribe.
http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/
I was introduced to this by a US colleague.
It uses some form of voodoo magic to remember everything about your meeting and be able to play it back at any point or from any point according to your notes using some clever 'spotty' paper. Tiny spots you can't really see.
Basically you can touch the nib on rec/play/vol etc button in the book and the pen silently starts recording. You take notes in the book (or draw pictures, or just write single word bullets).
After the meeting you can touch 'play' and it can either play back the whole meeting or you can jump to sections by touching the drawing or word you wrote at that point. Brilliant.
Then you can connect it to wifi, download the audio, and the writing and replay by clicking around your page.
Recording quality is excellent and capacity is huge.
Starts at $100 or so.
Contender for the frivolous purchase thread! Looks useful though but I doubt I will be able to claim it on expenses!http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/
I was introduced to this by a US colleague.
It uses some form of voodoo magic to remember everything about your meeting and be able to play it back at any point or from any point according to your notes using some clever 'spotty' paper. Tiny spots you can't really see.
Basically you can touch the nib on rec/play/vol etc button in the book and the pen silently starts recording. You take notes in the book (or draw pictures, or just write single word bullets).
After the meeting you can touch 'play' and it can either play back the whole meeting or you can jump to sections by touching the drawing or word you wrote at that point. Brilliant.
Then you can connect it to wifi, download the audio, and the writing and replay by clicking around your page.
Recording quality is excellent and capacity is huge.
Starts at $100 or so.
Brilliant bit of kit; if you get a phone or dictaphone out everyone knows that you are recording, get a big fat pen out and everyone thinks you have a big fat pen.
My notes usually look like this:
Introductions
Boring
Boring
Interesting
Very interesting
Boring
etc
Then I can re-listen to the interesting bits at leisure and make proper notes. Never miss a thing and call people out who say 'I said that/I didn't say that'.
My notes usually look like this:
Introductions
Boring
Boring
Interesting
Very interesting
Boring
etc
Then I can re-listen to the interesting bits at leisure and make proper notes. Never miss a thing and call people out who say 'I said that/I didn't say that'.
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