Meeting Notes and Minutes
Overview
Good meeting notes make outcomes durable. They focus on decisions, actions, and key context rather than transcribing everything that was said.
When to Use
- After any meeting that produced decisions or actions
- Formal board / committee minutes
- Workshop or working-session documentation
- Handover notes between teams
Recommended Structure
- Meeting metadata (title, date, attendees, absentees)
- Purpose / agenda
- Key discussion points (brief)
- Decisions made
- Action items (owner, due date, description)
- Open questions or parking lot
- Next meeting (if applicable)
Principles
- Prioritize decisions and actions over discussion detail
- Write action items with clear owners and timing
- Distinguish facts, decisions, and opinions
- Distribute notes quickly while context is fresh
- Keep formal minutes appropriately neutral and precise
Verification
- Someone who was not present can understand what was decided
- Every action has an owner
- Notes are short enough that people will actually read them