We’ve all been there. Our manager invites us to the next meeting and asks, “Would you mind taking the meeting minutes for this one?” and suddenly, the weight of responsibility settles on your shoulders. What should you write down? How do you keep up with the fast-paced discussion? Relax. Minute-taking isn’t rocket science. With the right approach, you can get through it with everyone’s appreciation.
To help you master the art of meeting minutes, let us introduce you to our 60/30/10 framework with a few tips along the way. The framework is traditionally popular in design and budgeting methodologies. But we find it’s a great creative approach for getting the perfect meeting minutes too.
Our 60/30/10 minute-taking framework
Our 60/30/10 framework is a simple yet effective method to help you allocate your time and effort across the three key phases of minute-taking:
- Preparation (60%): Success happens before the meeting starts. Use this time to familiarise yourself with the agenda, set up a template, anticipate key points, and communicate with the meeting attendees.
- Minute-taking (30%): During the meeting, your focus isn’t on writing everything down. You’re there to listen and write down the decisions, agreed actions, and deadlines.
- Post-meeting refinement (10%): The final 10% is where good notes become great minutes. Polish, clarify, and refine your notes to create a concise record that saves everyone time and makes you look like a pro.
This structure allows you to work smarter, not harder, and confidently deliver professional results.
60%: Preparation – Win before you begin
Preparation is the most important step, and you’ve already made a start through your research. A bit of upfront effort in preparing your meeting minutes will eliminate the chaos. Consider these tips for your preparation stages:
Tip #1: Understand the agenda
Before the meeting, take time to review the agenda thoroughly. Look at the objectives, the key discussion points, and who’s attending. Knowing these details will help you focus on what matters most during the meeting. If there’s no agenda, request one—this small step can make a big difference in keeping the meeting on track and your notes focused.
You want to ensure you’re familiar with the subject matter, anticipated outcomes, and all the attendee names (and initials).
Tip #2: Set up a template
A template is your best friend when it comes to meeting minutes. It provides structure, keeps your notes consistent, and ensures you don’t miss critical details. Include sections for attendee names, decisions, and action points, and align the template with the meeting’s agenda for seamless note-taking. The more prepared your template is, the less time you’ll spend figuring out what and where to write it.
We recommend setting up your own template, but if you need inspiration, you can download our free template below.
Tip #3: Practice. Practice. Practice.
Minute-taking is a skill, and like any skill, it gets better with practice. Don’t go to your first important meeting and expect to come out with what you want the first time. Before the meeting, try mock notetaking by summarising key points from a video or podcast.
For your first practice session, pick something you personally enjoy and are already knowledgeable of. It could be a group criticism of your favorite film or a discussion on your favorite album.
For the next 2-3 practice sessions, move onto the subject related to the professional meeting topic you’ve been asked to attend. The more you practice capturing information quickly and accurately, the more confident and efficient you’ll be when it’s time to take real meeting minutes.
30%: Minute-taking – Keep it calm
Minute-taking isn’t about typing or writing furiously. First, it’s about listening with intent. Good active listening skills will make you a great minute taker. Then yes, of course, typing and writing at pace is a great skill to work on – but there are plenty of tools and techniques to support and empower you. Here are two tips on how you can use them in the meeting:
Tip #4: Record the meeting
A pessimist here will ask, ‘Why am I taking minutes if I can just share the recording?’ The answer is: How many attendees are going to sit through a two-hour recording? Your job as a minute taker is important. You help to summarise the actions and decisions and communicate them efficiently.
A recording of the meeting is a backup. You may not need it, but knowing it’s there will help you relax, even if just a little. Do make sure to inform all participants and collect consent before the meeting starts. Here are three recording tools to consider:
- Apple Voice Memos: It comes with the iPhone. We can’t not recommend this.
- Voice Recorder: Another free one. If it’s not already on your Android. It should be.
- Otter AI: Otter is a premium recording tool designed for recording, transcribing, and summarising meeting minutes. OK… This one is effectively a digital minute taker, but consider it a tool that empowers you rather than replaces you. A human touch is priceless.
Tip #5: Use shorthand
Shorthand is a system of abbreviations and symbols that lets you write quickly without losing essential details. Developing your own shorthand will save time and help you keep up with fast-paced discussions. Start small and build your shorthand library. Here are a few techniques to try:
- Use initials for names – Replace full names with initials (e.g., “JS” for John Smith).
- Abbreviate common words – Write “dec.” for decision or “act.” for action.
- Skip unnecessary words – Leave out filler words like “the,” “and,” or “of.”
- Use symbols – Use arrows (→) for actions, a tick (✓) for approvals, or a question mark (?) for follow-ups.
- Create a key – Keep a small reference list of your shorthand for consistency.
With practice, shorthand will feel second nature, making your note-taking faster and more efficient.
10%: Post-meeting – Refine and reflect
Congratulations! You’ve survived the meeting. Now comes the polish – because even the best notes need a little TLC. These last few pointers are not so much tips, but more necessities and good practice.
Polish your notes
After the meeting, review your notes while the discussion is still fresh in your mind. Did you miss anything critical? Is there jargon you can simplify? The best meeting minutes are concise, actionable, and free from ambiguity.
Reflect on your process
Ask yourself:
- Did I prepare effectively?
- Were my notes clear and structured?
- What could I do better next time?
Small tweaks in your preparation or execution can lead to big improvements in your confidence and results.
Bonus tip: Apologies for meeting minutes
It’s important to include a record of who attended and who was absent in your meeting minutes. If someone is unable to attend, it’s standard practice to document their apologies. This helps maintain an accurate record and ensures transparency, particularly for formal meetings like board discussions or stakeholder reviews. Here’s how to approach this professionally:
- List all attendees first. Start with the names of those present, typically in alphabetical order or by their role in the meeting.
- Note apologies separately. Use a clear and concise format, such as:
- “Apologies: [Name] (reason if provided).”
For example: “Apologies: Jane Smith (on leave).”
- “Apologies: [Name] (reason if provided).”
- What if no reason is given? If someone’s absence isn’t explained, you can simply note:
- “Apologies: John Doe (no reason provided).”
Including this information creates clarity and shows respect for those who made the effort to inform others about their absence. It also helps attendees understand the context behind any decisions that a particular person’s absence may have influenced.
Bonus tip: What tense should my meeting minutes be?
When writing meeting minutes, always use the past tense, as minutes are a record of what has already occurred. This creates consistency and ensures a professional tone. Meeting minutes should be read as an objective summary, focusing on outcomes, not the ongoing process.
Why use past tense?
Minutes are not a running commentary; they are a record. Using past tense reflects that the meeting is completed.
For example:
- Instead of: “The team discusses the proposal and plans to finalize it next week,”
- Write: “The team discussed the proposal and decided to finalize it next week.”
Stick to neutral language
Avoid using emotive or speculative phrases. Be factual and focus on decisions and actions.
For example:
- Instead of: “There was a heated debate on budget allocation”
- Write: “The group discussed differing opinions on budget allocation.”
Avoid future tense
Even when referring to future actions, minutes should still use past tense to record the decision.
For example:
- “It was agreed that the team would finalize the proposal by next Friday.”
Meeting minutes conclusion
By investing 60% of your effort into preparation, 30% into focused listening, and 10% into refinement, you’ll build a skill that’s indispensable in any workplace. Use this article as a creative framework to start your journey. Check out our guide: Everything you need to know about minute-taking for more insights and resources. Or if you really don’t want to give it a go… consider our professional minute-taking services.
