This message was written in response to a question emailed to several colleagues by a technical communicator seeking advice on how to write meeting minutes effectively. A response to an email message should adhere to the principles of effective emails and proper netiquette. The questions below ask you to think about these principles.
The text beside the email reads - This message was written in response to a question emailed to several colleagues by a technical communicator seeking advice on how to write meeting minutes effectively.
A response to an email message should adhere to the principles of effective emails and proper netiquette. The questions below ask you to think about these principles (explained on pp. 000–00).
1. How effectively has the writer stated her purpose?
2. How effectively has the writer projected a “you attitude” (explained on p. 000)?
3. How effectively has the writer made her message easy to read?
The email reads, «For the past several months, I have been trying to capture the meeting minutes for the McKinley documentation team's weekly meetings. These meetings are well attended (about 10-15 participants) and are fast-paced, with a number of key participants talking very fast and interrupting each other. At first I tried to capture these exchanges with a paper and pen. Sadly, I don't know shorthand. It was impossible.
Now I use a recorder and transcribe the conversations after each meeting. Unfortunately, the recorder I currently use doesn't always pick up low voices but easily picks up rustling papers. The transcription is very time intensive: I spend a lot of time pushing the playback button. My supervisor keeps telling me to stop relying on the recorder and to go back to taking minutes by hand. I totally DISAGREE with her.
Do any of you take minutes and, if so, do you have any suggestions for how to deal with my situation? Your thoughts are most welcomed.
Jessi Jensen
Documentation Specialist II
ProCom, Inc.
jjensen@procom.com
(619) 692-1234»
I always try to avoid taking minutes--it's a SECRETARY'S JOB. It's definitely not something a
TECHNICAL COMMUNICATOR--especially a female tech communicator (we don't want to encourage gender stereotyping)--should be wasting time with. I think it's STUPID to transcribe
WORD-FOR-WORD the talk that occurs in meetings. Is even 5% of the talk of value? I AGREE with your supervisor: you are WASTING a ton of time.
When I can't avoid taking meeting minutes, I bring my laptop to the meeting. I try to have the meeting agenda already open on my word processor. Then I enter points under those headings instead of having to type the headings. I note meeting details (date, team name, names of attendees, etc.), changes to (or approval of) previous meeting's minutes, main topics of discussion, and decisions/action items. If I miss something or am unclear whether a decision was made, I interrupt and ask, "So, let me confirm that I've got this straight." Later, I edit my notes into coherent minutes. Kelly”
