The process of taking minutes can be a lengthy task. It is important to structure the notes so that they are easy to comprehend, contain the most pertinent information, and provide an overview of the meeting.
To save time, whoever is taking minutes should make an outline or template with placeholders for specific information directly before the meeting gets underway. They will spend less time deciding which information to record, and more time taking notes and listening to the key points of the meeting.
Having an agenda is another effective way to make sure your meeting is planned and has a specific purpose. This allows everyone to stay on track and avoid straying off the topic which could cause problems in recording accurate minutes.
You should aim to have your minutes completed as soon as you can. This will be simpler if there’s an outline of the agenda you can refer to during the meeting. In addition, there are many tools, typically powered by AI which can record the minutes on your behalf and provide a report of the content discussed during your meeting which can be super helpful if you’re short on time.
Asking the meeting leader to distribute the minutes by email is a great idea. This will allow you to include those who were unable to attend, and make sure that everyone has the minutes. It’s also recommended to review the minutes for proofreading to ensure whether they’re correct and clear of any errors or omissions.