Notes are more than small chunks of text that you doodle during calls; they are key pieces of information, captured through effective note-taking methods, that help you remember important details from hour-long meetings. In a business context where you’re exposed to a ton of information, these methods become even more crucial. Your colleagues refer to your notes, and you refer to theirs.
This is why you need to learn different types of note taking methods and master one of them. And that’s exactly what we’ll talk about in this article. We’ll go over:
- Why you need to follow a note taking method
- What note taking methods are out there
- How you can use AI to level up your note taking
What’s the Big Deal with Note Taking Methods?
Imagine a meeting that lasts for two or more hours. There’s no way you can remember the entire session – especially if you haven’t had your morning coffee! You need to take notes that you and your team can later refer to. And not just random notes. You have to give them structure and follow a pattern. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a mish-mash of scribbled notes that you can’t decode! On that note (pun intended), here’s why mastering how to take meeting notes is a good idea:
- You’ll get better at organizing things
If you stick to a specific note-taking method, you can give structure to your notes. This makes them easier to revisit later. You can use all note taking methods to produce well-organized notes. Make sure you pick a method that works best for you.
- It’ll Improve retention
Your brain likes it when information is structured. Different note taking styles are helpful when it comes to this. They result in active engagement with the content, which leads to better comprehension. You’ll find yourself remembering things more easily after practicing note taking.
- It’ll enhanced your focus during meetings
Say no to distractions and use a note taking method to boost your focus during meetings. If you’ve nailed down any note-taking styles, you’ll be more confident in jotting things down. That’s because you won’t get side-tracked easily if you’re zeroed in on taking notes.
- It’ll make follow-ups more efficient
If your notes aren’t up to par, you’ll find yourself scratching your head while staring at your doodles. This won’t happen with a fool-proof note-taking method. One look, and you’ll pinpoint action items, decisions, and other follow-ups.
“OK, I’m convinced. Now which note taking method should I pick?”
Good question, and we’ve got the answer. While it’s hard to pick which methods for note-taking tend to be most efficient, we’ve listed some of the best note taking methods you should try.
Top 6 Note Taking Methods
1. Cornell Method
This method has been around since the 1950’s, and it still works! What happens here is that you divide your paper into three sections:
- Cues/questions: this section is on the left. It’s where you jot down key points or questions during the meeting.
- Main ideas: this section is on the right. It’s where you expand on what’s on the left column.
- Summary: this is at the bottom of the page. It’s where you write a concise version of the entire page.
Even though it’s not perfect for fast-paced meetings, the Cornell Method is systematic and encourages active engagement.
2. Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is a note taking method that throws visuals into the mix. You start by writing down a single word, topic or idea in a circle or box in the middle of your page. Then you draw branches and write down major ideas that are related to your main circle. You can add more branches as you go. What you’ll end up having is a visual diagram of your meeting’s main notes and how they’re connected.
The mind mapping note taking method is one of the most popular note taking styles because of its visual nature. Yet some people find it a bit time-consuming compared to other note taking styles.
3. Outline Method
The Outline method has a hierarchical structure to it. That means you start off by writing the main topic of the meeting on the top. Then you move down the page by adding subtopics and key points. The trick here is to write the subtopics and key points in an indented format. It’s also a good idea to use bullet points.
The linear structure of the Outline Method helps you follow the structure of your notes. You can see how each section connects with the one before it. This versatility makes it an ideal note taking style for any meeting.
4. Charting Method
The charting method of note taking uses columns for different types of information. You can have a column for action items, one for decisions, and one for follow-up tasks.
You’re not limited to your pen and paper for the charting method. You can do charting with tools like Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. It’s a great way for categorizing information and keeping your notes organized. One thing to keep in mind with charting is that you need to prepare everything before the meeting starts. The box note taking method is similar to this one as well.
5. Quadrant Method
The quadrant note taking style is as simple as it gets: take your paper and divide it into four quadrants. Next, label each quadrant. Here’s a blueprint you can use:
- Important and Urgent;
- Important but Not Urgent;
- Urgent but Not Important;
- Not Urgent and Not Important.
Now you know which notes go where. The quadrant note taking method is easy to track, gets rid of clutter, and it’s organized. Just like charting, you need to prepare your quadrants ahead of time.
6. Flow Method
Last but not least, we’ve got the flow note taking method. Think of it as the most free-form of all note taking methods. There are no outlines or hierarchical structures. You just go with the flow as you go through your meeting.
The flow note taking method is great for meetings where everyone is brainstorming. Instead of worrying about formatting or structure, you can jot down ideas and key points more effectively.
Leveling Up Your Meeting Notes With AI
Note taking methods like Cornell, charting, flow and outline are all effective. But there’s a downside to them. In the heat of the moment, they can distract you and eat up too much of your time. What if there were a way to take good meetings notes while staying focused on the meeting? Luckily, there is.
This is where Krisp comes to the rescue. Krisp’s AI Meeting Assistant is equipped with automated transcription, accurate note-taking, and easy sharing features. These allow it to provide a seamless solution for streamlining your note-taking process.
On top of raw transcripts, Krisp also generates summaries tailored to your preferences. It can capture only the essential takeaways and provide a more detailed overview of meeting highlights.
How Does Krisp Work?
- Simple setup: Getting started with Krisp is a breeze. Set it up and join or initiate your virtual meeting. Krisp will work its magic in the background while you focus on the discussion.
- Automated transcription: Krisp’s AI meeting assistant provides accurate meeting notes. Use Krisp, and avoid manual note taking for good!
- AI note-taker: Krisp takes the raw transcripts and chunks them with its AI note taker functionality. Never miss any key highlights, actions terms, discussions and other important details.
Why Choose Krisp Over Other Note Taking Methods?
If you’re looking for an efficient way to take notes, Krisp’s AI Meeting Assistant is the way to go. It ranks higher than other AI-powered tools thanks to its industry-leading technology. If you’re Here are some more reasons why you should go with Krisp:
- Highly Accurate Transcriptions
Krisp’s advanced AI ensures that meeting transcriptions are dead-on. This results in meeting notes that are easy to read and understand.
- Summary Generation
Krisp doesn’t stop at notes — it can generate meeting summaries. You can tailor your summaries to capture only meeting takeaways and action items. If you want to generate more highlights, all you need to do is ask!
- Ease of Sharing
You can share your meeting notes with teammates or stakeholders at the click of a button. Krisp helps you share important information in a way that fits your audience, encouraging teamwork and comprehension.
Wrapping Up
You can create efficient documentation only through mastering note taking styles. Methods like Cornell, the charting note taking method, the flow method, and others are all great options. But, if you really want to up your note taking game, Krisp’s AI Meeting Assistant can help get you there. Try it for free today and transform your note-taking workflow!
