Brainforge Knowledge

meeting-workflow-guide-template

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Meeting Workflow Guide

How to Organize Discovery Knowledge for [Project Name]

Overview

This guide explains the two-pronged approach to organizing meeting information:

  1. Meeting Agendas (Individual) - Detailed pre and post meeting documents for each stakeholder
  2. Discovery Wiki (Central) - Aggregated knowledge base that synthesizes learnings across all meetings

Meeting Workflow

Before the Meeting

  1. Create or review the meeting agenda
    • Copy MEETING_TEMPLATE.md and rename with pattern: YYYY-MM-DD_stakeholder_topic.md
    • Fill in objectives, questions, and demos requested
    • Send to stakeholder as preview (optional)

During the Meeting

  1. Take live notes

    • Use the Notes section at the bottom of the agenda document
    • Capture key insights, technical details, and quotes verbatim
    • Check off demos and walkthroughs as completed
    • Record action items with owners and due dates

  2. Create transcript (optional but recommended)

    • Use Granola, Otter.ai, or similar tool
    • Save transcript in /meeting_transcripts/ folder
    • Format: stakeholder_topic_MM_DD_YYYY.md

After the Meeting

  1. Update meeting agenda with post-meeting summary

    • Add summary section at the top (use template structure)
    • Capture Key Learnings (3-5 bullet points)
    • Answer key questions by referencing question numbers
    • List decisions made and next steps
    • This becomes the digestible version of the meeting

  2. Update Discovery Wiki

    • Open DISCOVERY_WIKI.md
    • Update relevant sections:
      • Team and Stakeholders: Mark discovery status as complete
      • Systems and Integrations Inventory: Add new tools and systems discovered
      • Feature Requirements: Add or clarify feature specifications
      • Current Workflows: Document their process
      • Pain Points and Opportunities: Add findings
      • Technical Infrastructure: Fill in technical details
      • Quick Wins Identified: Add new opportunities
      • Open Questions: Remove answered questions, add new ones
    • Update Change Log at bottom with date, author, change, and stakeholder

  3. Create follow-up tasks (if applicable)

    • Add action items to project management tool
    • Schedule follow-up meetings if needed
    • Request access to systems or repositories

File Organization

[project-folder]/
  DISCOVERY_WIKI.md                          # Central knowledge base
  MEETING_WORKFLOW_GUIDE.md                  # This file
  meeting_agendas/                           # Individual meeting prep and summaries
    MEETING_TEMPLATE.md                      # Copy this for new meetings
    2025-01-15_stakeholder_topic.md
    [future meetings]
  meeting_transcripts/                       # Raw conversation transcripts
    meeting_01_15_2025.md
    ...
  meeting_notes/                             # Legacy or supplemental notes
    ...

When to Use Each Document Type

Use Meeting Agenda when:

  • Preparing questions for a specific stakeholder
  • Taking live notes during the meeting
  • Creating a summary for that specific stakeholder or meeting
  • Following up on action items from that meeting

Use Discovery Wiki when:

  • Looking for information across all stakeholders
  • Understanding the full picture of a system or feature
  • Identifying cross-functional pain points or opportunities
  • Onboarding new team members to the project
  • Preparing weekly status reports

Use Meeting Transcript when:

  • Needing exact quotes or verbatim context
  • Revisiting nuanced discussions
  • Clarifying what was said versus interpreted

Best Practices

Meeting Agendas

Do:

  • Keep post-meeting summary concise (1-2 pages maximum)
  • Reference question numbers when answering (e.g., “Q14: Yes, they use…”)
  • Use checkboxes for action items (helps with tracking)
  • Include context for decisions made (not just “we decided X” but “we decided X because…”)

Do not:

  • Copy entire transcript into the agenda (link to it instead)
  • Leave questions unanswered (mark as “TBD - follow-up needed” if not covered)
  • Forget to fill out Resources Mentioned or Requested section

Discovery Wiki

Do:

  • Update within 24 hours of meeting while details are fresh
  • Use consistent formatting (tables, bullets, etc.)
  • Add cross-references (e.g., “See kickoff meeting on [date] for details”)
  • Mark status with tags: [DONE], [IN PROGRESS], [UPCOMING], [ISSUE], [INFO]
  • Keep Open Questions section up to date (remove when answered)

Do not:

  • Duplicate information (if it is in multiple sections, reference instead)
  • Let the Change Log fall out of date
  • Add information without a source (note which meeting it came from)
  • Leave placeholder text (e.g., “TBD”) for more than one week

Quick Reference: Where to Document What

Information TypeMeeting AgendaDiscovery WikiLocation in Wiki
Questions to askYes (pre-meeting)NoN/A
Answers to questionsYes (summary)YesRelevant section
Stakeholder contact infoYes (header)YesTeam and Stakeholders
System or tool discoveredYes (notes)YesSystems and Integrations
Feature requirementYes (summary)YesFeature Requirements
Pain point identifiedYes (summary)YesPain Points and Opportunities
Quick win opportunityYes (summary)YesQuick Wins Identified
Follow-up action itemYes (action items)NoUse PM tool
Open questionYes (if specific to meeting)Yes (if cross-functional)Open Questions
Process or workflowYes (summary)YesCurrent Workflows
Technical detailsYes (notes)Yes (if important)Technical Infrastructure

Example Workflow: Kickoff Meeting

Step 1: Before Meeting

  • Copy MEETING_TEMPLATE.md to 2025-01-15_kickoff_client.md
  • Fill in objectives and questions about platform ownership and tech stack
  • Review SOW and existing documentation

Step 2: During Meeting

  • Take live notes in agenda document
  • Record transcript with Granola or similar tool
  • Check off demos as completed

Step 3: After Meeting (same day)

  • Add post-meeting summary to agenda
  • Update Discovery Wiki with new information
  • Save transcript to meeting_transcripts folder
  • Create follow-up tasks in project management tool

FAQ

Q: What if a meeting is short or informal and does not need a full agenda?

A: Still create a lightweight version with just the post-meeting summary at the top, or add quick notes directly to the Discovery Wiki with a reference in the Change Log.

Q: Should I update the Discovery Wiki during the meeting or after?

A: After. Focus on taking good notes in the agenda during the meeting, then synthesize into the Wiki afterward.

Q: What if information changes (e.g., a feature requirement gets revised)?

A: Update the Discovery Wiki and add a note in the relevant section (e.g., “Updated [date]: Changed from X to Y per client feedback”). This is why the Change Log is critical.

Q: How do I handle sensitive information (e.g., API keys, credentials)?

A: Do not store actual credentials in meeting notes. Note that they were shared and where they are stored securely (1Password, AWS Secrets Manager, etc.).

Q: What if someone disagrees with what is documented?

A: Discovery Wiki is a living document. Update it based on corrections, and note the change in the Change Log. Consider this a working draft until stakeholder sign-off on final requirements.

Questions or suggestions for this workflow?

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