How to Design a Meeting Agenda

Limit meetings to two hours or less to keep the attention of the attendees.

Meetings set aside time to brainstorm ideas, relay important information, solve problems and plan projects. A meeting must be well-planned to make this time productive. An agenda provides an outline of the intent of the meeting and the items that need to be discussed. A meeting agenda can be distributed ahead of time to allow attendees to prepare questions and input. An effective agenda can be designed in a few simple steps.

Instructions

1. Identify the purpose of the meeting. List the items to be discussed at the meeting. Decide how much time will be dedicated to each item based on the length of the meeting. Prioritize the most important items if time is limited.

2. Place the title and date of the meeting at the top of the agenda. Begin and finish the meeting on a positive note by placing positive items in the first and last positions on the agenda.

3. Write the items to be discussed in outline format. Number the main items and include additional information indented under each one. Add the name of the person responsible for presenting the information next to each main item. Leave room on the page for attendees to take notes under each item.

4. Follow the agenda during the meeting. Stick to the list to make the meeting efficient. Write down other issues that arise to be addressed at another time.

References

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Designing & Facilitating Meetings; How and Why to Use a Meeting Agenda
• American Society of Association Executives; Creating a Board Meeting Agenda; Robert Harris
• PINNACLE Business Solutions; Meetings; How to Compile a Meeting Agenda that Really Works