David Allen Post Meeting Processing

Process meeting notes immediately using David Allen post-meeting note processing to extract decisions, clear actions, and calendar commitments.

4 time blocks, 10 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Scan Raw Meeting Notes: 2 min
Review handwritten pages or digital notes taken during the meeting
File Reference and Trash Non-Actions: 2 min
File meeting background notes into reference and discard fluff
Define Concrete Next Actions: 3 min
Transform fuzzy notes into physical, clear next steps
Assign Owners and Route to Lists: 3 min
Add strict deadlines to calendar and tasks to context lists

About this routine

In the Getting Things Done system, David Allen post-meeting note processing turns raw notes into clear next steps. Leaving notes scattered across notebooks leads to missed deadlines and forgotten commitments. Processing notes right after a meeting converts vague discussion into concrete outcomes.

The workflow focuses on answering a simple question for every note item: What is the next physical action? If an item requires work, you define the exact step, assign an owner, and put it on a context list or calendar. If an item is purely informational, you store it in a reference file or toss it out.

Running this quick 10 minute review while details are fresh keeps your inbox clear and ensures every meeting outcome gets tracked.

Why this routine works

Prevents meeting commitments and decisions from falling through the cracks
Clarifies vague discussion points into single step physical actions
Keeps digital and paper meeting notes organized in reference files

FAQ

How does David Allen process notes after a meeting?

David Allen treats raw meeting notes as inbox items. He scans each note, decides if it requires action, defines the next physical step, and routes non-actionable information to reference files.

How long should post meeting note processing take?

This process takes about 10 minutes when done immediately after a meeting while decisions and details remain fresh.

Sources

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, David Allen