Few meetings, gurus tell us, should ever be scheduled for more than 90 minutes. Now a software package allows any team or department to keep a running track of how much the meeting is costing. Groupware designed to enhance the productivity of meetings is a hot commodity. Time is money. Track the cost of meetings and use computer-enabled simultaneity to make them more productive.
Participants spend more time digressing than discussing.
Most meetings in most organizations are decidedly agenda free. The challenge is to keep the meeting focused without stifling creativity or insulting those who stray. People do not convert decisions into actions. People leave meetings with different views of what happened and what is supposed to happen next. Avoid misunderstanding by converting from meeting to focusing on the creation of shared documents that lead to action.