If you’re hoping to record meeting notes effectively you need to organize and capture information in a manner that is useful in the future. A well-taken set of notes from a meeting can provide critical www.boardroomschool.com/what-are-board-meeting-minutes/ context about past decisions, and can help you remember what was discussed during future meetings, too.

When you’re making notes on paper or using a digital meeting note tool, there are several best practices to follow when taking notes that are effective. 1. Know what you need to keep in mind.

You’ll avoid being distracted by other thoughts if take the time to consider what’s important prior entering a meeting. This can help you understand what the goal of a particular discussion is so that you can make informed decisions on how to approach the issue in the future.

2. If you can, write by hand.

As opposed to typing, writing by hand forces you to pay attention and take in the moment. Research has shown that those who write notes with an analog pen are more conceptually aware after meetings than those who use digital notes. If you’re using a notebook, consider the Cornell note-taking method that divides notes into a left column and a right column. The left column highlights the key ideas from the meetings and the right column is a drill into specifics and key points.

It is also possible to ask participants to talk about their ideas during the meeting. This allows everyone to feel that they are active and have a voice. Write down the action items at the end of each meeting and who is responsible.