Running Docs
I’m not sure what the right term is for people like me, but there should be one. I tend to keep iterating through different productivity tools and methods constantly. Some of this I think is a healthy evolution as I learn new things and try to get better at managing myself and my tasks. And some of it is probably a bit unhealthy. I know there are others like me — who just have to try the latest tool / technique — I’m just not sure what they’re called.
Given my propensity to frequent change, I’m hesitant to share my current system with folks since I’m sure I’ll find a flaw in it soon. However, when I find a technique that really shows value and lasts over time, I figure it’s probably got some long lasting value. One of those tools for me is the running document.
I’ve long struggled with how to keep notes for meetings. How should I organize or structure them? For a long time I would just use one document for each meeting — but that becomes cumbersome and just results in a lot of files. Then I started using running documents and I love them.
These are documents that follow a meeting or topic and I just add to over time.I always add newer material at the top of the running document, so that when I open it up I can get the latest information right away. I will typically add a section header with the date for a new entry at the top, and then add my content. I just use basic text documents for this, but I use them in a number of different contexts:
- Internal Meetings I usually just have one document for each meeting with the notes from each. Sometimes I keep this on the team-level with multiple different regular meetings (weekly team meetings, quarterly offsite, etc) in the same document.
- Customer Notes This is one of my favorites — just keep one document with notes from all of my meetings with a customer or partner. Easy to find all the history and context quickly.
- 1 on 1s I don’t take notes in all of my 1:1s, because I want to really focus on the individual and the conversation. However, I try to jot down key themes/ides afterwards — and remember to add topics to discuss next time.
- OKRs This one is a lot of fun to look back at. Some people like to track OKRs in a spreadsheet where they can use formulas for grading. I prefer to just keep them in a document, typically in bullet points. I create a header for the quarter. Top level bullets for objectives, second-level bullets for Key Results. When graded, I add a score in brackets at the front of the line (eg [0.7] Key result 2) and highlight it Green/Yellow/Red. I also add a (non-bullet) line below KRs in italics with details on the results. Having a history of several years of OKRs in one document is just fun.
I hope that run through on how I use running documents was useful. It’s a great way to keep track of things and I’ve really enjoyed it — it’s a keeper!
If your’e curious about tools, I currently use (and love) the Bear app (Mac and iOS) for notes. It’s a simple markdown tool that is both simple and elegant and works perfectly for me. Yes, I’ve played with Roam — but I find that Bear is doing everything I need right now.
Originally published at https://jeffkeltner.com on January 26, 2021.
