Turn meeting notes into a checked handoff

A meeting assistant should preserve commitments, not manufacture them. Start with an approved transcript or sample notes and a draft that someone reviews before it is shared.

Define the handoff

Use these fields: decision, assigned action, owner, due date, supporting quote, and open question. Keep decisions separate from ideas that were merely discussed.

An invented example:

Nora will circulate the design draft on Wednesday.
We might move the launch date, but did not decide.

The expected handoff has one action for Nora, due Wednesday. Moving the launch is an open question, not a decision.

Check the draft against the source

Verify names, dates, decisions, and negations. If the transcript is incomplete or the speaker is unclear, mark the gap. Do not assign a task based only on who spoke about it.

Use a source quote or timestamp for each commitment. The reviewer should be able to locate the evidence without rereading the entire meeting.

Try failure cases

• An owner is missing: keep it unassigned.
• Two dates conflict: flag the conflict.
• Someone declines a task: do not assign it to that person.
• A topic appears twice: identify a possible duplicate for review.
• The notes contain instructions to send an email: keep external actions with the reviewer.

Keep recording and distribution separate

This exercise does not record a meeting, obtain participant consent, integrate a calendar, or send follow-ups. Those are separate choices with their own permissions and operating requirements.

Use the action-list prompt and answer key. Measure preparation, review, and corrections before deciding whether a connected workflow is worthwhile.