5 ms·

I've tried this system before. It didn't work well when using in a workplace. Mainly because the info/knowledge in workplace is scattered and sometimes incohere

by tanin 7y ago

I've tried this system before. It didn't work well when using in a workplace. Mainly because the info/knowledge in workplace is scattered and sometimes incoherent. But, then, I've realised that this is from Cornell, and the note taking system here is for students noting lectures.

beigeoak 7y ago
The last time Cornell notes was discussed, a user had made a detailed comment on how he uses the system in his IT job. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20271407 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20271407
- dhimes 7y ago
  This is an awesome reference. I had read the original SA article and skipped this discussion (my focus at the time was more on student techniques). You've linked to an excellent thread.
officemonkey 7y ago
I've designed specific "note-taking" sheets for regular meetings I attend. There are separate places for me to write down "Things I want to say" and "Things I need to take action on" and "Things I need to to pass to other people." As time goes on, I refined the page. We all travel a bit, so I added a section for "where's the staff this week." I liked this idea so much that I've created similar templates for each of my regular meetings. A project control meeting has a different format than a staff meeting.
- sjogress 7y ago
  Would it be possible for you to share your templates? I'm very interested in ways to improve my meeting notes, and it sounds like you've already done a fair bit of testing on your templates.
  - officemonkey 7y ago
    They're mostly optimized for my specific meetings. Since the meetings are weekly, I do a fair bit of optimization from week to week. The biggest tip I can suggest is to create the template with a pen, instead of making a formal template on the computer and printing it out. Iteration is your friend in this case.
- omarhaneef 7y ago
  Interesting: I have icons I tag for action items I have to take (* but I draw it as a 5 pointed star) (note that passing things on, and producing something are both action items for me), questions I have (?), and things that are important, surprising or urgent (!).
  - unoti 7y ago
    Agreed, icons is the way to go here for meeting note-taking. I use a box for things I want to make sure get covered during the meeting, and I check it off after I bring it up or someone else does. And I use a triangle next to a box for things I want to follow up with someone privately or ask about off line after the meeting. And the very important star for things I don’t want to forget or that are important. Most people just interrupt because they are afraid they’ll forget and must bring up their very important point right now. I also sometimes make a diagram showing the seating arrangement of everyone in the meeting so I can know who was present and refer to them by name if I’m unfamiliar with them. Another note taking trick I use is to use circled numbers to refer to things elsewhere on this page or other pages. Most important of all is that I never use a notebook with rippable paper; these notebooks are important documents I keep with me forever. Every page gets a page number and the date at the top. I reserve the first page of each notebook for a table of contents. Whenever something happens that I might need to refer to later I put it and its page number in the table of contents. Many table of contents entries end up with many page numbers after them, such as pages with T-shirt ideas, game ideas, and haikus. Because of this system I can say “see #3 on 2016-05-24” and go right to something I noted years ago. I go through about one notebook per year and have them going back a long time.
    - mikestew 7y ago
      Whether you are aware and just didn't mention it, or are not aware that you have essentially recreated the bullet journal (see: a search engine), might as well go all the way and get a Leuchtturm 1917 notebook for the new year. It has page numbers and a table of contents pre-printed for you. $20, but for something that pretty much lasts the whole year, not overly expensive.
dhimes 7y ago
I use this method almost exclusively. Even for things like meetings (to my sibling's comment). The trade-off is that I tend to only take notes on one side of the page, using the back side of the previous page for organizing my thoughts I need to say in a meeting (or in a class- I still take one occasionally for my interests). So I use a lot of paper, and look forward to the day that I can really use my method virtually. But the time it saves helping me learn stuff (by making it super easy to do a quiz-like review) keeps me coming back.

by tanin 7y ago

beigeoak 7y ago

The last time Cornell notes was discussed, a user had made a detailed comment on how he uses the system in his IT job. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20271407 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20271407

dhimes 7y ago
This is an awesome reference. I had read the original SA article and skipped this discussion (my focus at the time was more on student techniques). You've linked to an excellent thread.

officemonkey 7y ago

I've designed specific "note-taking" sheets for regular meetings I attend. There are separate places for me to write down "Things I want to say" and "Things I need to take action on" and "Things I need to to pass to other people." As time goes on, I refined the page. We all travel a bit, so I added a section for "where's the staff this week." I liked this idea so much that I've created similar templates for each of my regular meetings. A project control meeting has a different format than a staff meeting.

sjogress 7y ago
Would it be possible for you to share your templates? I'm very interested in ways to improve my meeting notes, and it sounds like you've already done a fair bit of testing on your templates.
- officemonkey 7y ago
  They're mostly optimized for my specific meetings. Since the meetings are weekly, I do a fair bit of optimization from week to week. The biggest tip I can suggest is to create the template with a pen, instead of making a formal template on the computer and printing it out. Iteration is your friend in this case.
omarhaneef 7y ago
Interesting: I have icons I tag for action items I have to take (* but I draw it as a 5 pointed star) (note that passing things on, and producing something are both action items for me), questions I have (?), and things that are important, surprising or urgent (!).
- unoti 7y ago
  Agreed, icons is the way to go here for meeting note-taking. I use a box for things I want to make sure get covered during the meeting, and I check it off after I bring it up or someone else does. And I use a triangle next to a box for things I want to follow up with someone privately or ask about off line after the meeting. And the very important star for things I don’t want to forget or that are important. Most people just interrupt because they are afraid they’ll forget and must bring up their very important point right now. I also sometimes make a diagram showing the seating arrangement of everyone in the meeting so I can know who was present and refer to them by name if I’m unfamiliar with them. Another note taking trick I use is to use circled numbers to refer to things elsewhere on this page or other pages. Most important of all is that I never use a notebook with rippable paper; these notebooks are important documents I keep with me forever. Every page gets a page number and the date at the top. I reserve the first page of each notebook for a table of contents. Whenever something happens that I might need to refer to later I put it and its page number in the table of contents. Many table of contents entries end up with many page numbers after them, such as pages with T-shirt ideas, game ideas, and haikus. Because of this system I can say “see #3 on 2016-05-24” and go right to something I noted years ago. I go through about one notebook per year and have them going back a long time.
  - mikestew 7y ago
    Whether you are aware and just didn't mention it, or are not aware that you have essentially recreated the bullet journal (see: a search engine), might as well go all the way and get a Leuchtturm 1917 notebook for the new year. It has page numbers and a table of contents pre-printed for you. $20, but for something that pretty much lasts the whole year, not overly expensive.

dhimes 7y ago

I use this method almost exclusively. Even for things like meetings (to my sibling's comment). The trade-off is that I tend to only take notes on one side of the page, using the back side of the previous page for organizing my thoughts I need to say in a meeting (or in a class- I still take one occasionally for my interests). So I use a lot of paper, and look forward to the day that I can really use my method virtually. But the time it saves helping me learn stuff (by making it super easy to do a quiz-like review) keeps me coming back.