The conventional method for recording meetings is to have a scribe keep minutes. This practice is certainly better than keeping no records at all. A more effective and increasingly popular means for recording meetings is to have someone create a visual group memory during the meeting. To do this, one participant uses a flip chart, whiteboard or other shared display to capture a few key items for the group. Everyone sees what is recorded, thus enhancing group responsibility for the group memory.
Participants know when they have been heard because they get visual confirmation.
What to record. Whether you choose to use a scribe who keeps traditional minutes or a recorder who creates a visual group memory, certain things should be captured at every meeting. At a minimum, the recorder should keep a summary of the meeting that includes action items, decisions and open issues. Action items are to-do's assigned to attendees at the meeting. Record the task, the person responsible and the date agreed upon to complete the task.