The Basics of Organizing For Data Science: Why Document A Meeting

This is the third in a series on The Basics of Organizing For Data Science.

In this series:

• Why Agendas;
• Why Prepare For A Meeting;
• Why Document A Meeting;
• Why The [ACTION REQUIRED] email tag;
• Why The Bullet Point.

Why Document A Meeting

• Because data is getting generated by people;
• Because data is getting organized or disorganized;
• Because the probability of full quorum approaches 0 as the number of participants increases to 12 and beyond;
• Because decisions are at their clearest when they are documented and circulated;
• Because those that come after you can trace the intuition for a decision.

Which Meetings To Document

• Meetings with a strong decision component should be documented;
• Meetings with a very strong situational awareness component should be documented;
• Meetings of peers engaged in thoughtcrime or thoughtcrime planning should not be documented.

When To Document A Meeting

• As the meeting is happening, live.

When Not To Document During A Meeting

• Somebody says “Off the Record”, “Just between us”, “Privately…”.

How/Where To Document A Meeting

Several possible ways, here are two:

Live Google Document

• Copy and paste the agenda into the document;
• Share the document with all participants;
• Put the agenda up on a screen where it’s visible;
• Invite free-for-all documentation;
• Record notes under each agenda item;
• All participants are free to correct the record as it is produced.

Intra-Email Document

• Open up blank email;
• Copy and paste all meeting invitees into the send box, add yourself;
• Copy and paste the agenda into the email;
• Pound out notes;
• Invite corrections;
• Say ‘BYE!’ and hit send on the email.

Who Documents A Meeting

• Ideally, all participants;
• If nobody else is doing it, you can immediately boost your value by doing it;
• Some chairs are able to document and facilitate at the same time.

What To Document

• Participants;
• Facts;
• Observations;
• Solutions;
• Problems;
• Interpretations;
• Options;
• Considerations;
• Constraints;
• Decisions;
• Next Steps.

Conclusion

• Meetings happen for a reason;
• Meetings have an objective;
• The results of the meeting, either in reaching the objective or not, should be documented;
• The results should leave a residue for those who didn’t make it, for those who did, and for those who will come later.