Where have all the notes [flowers] gone, long time passing?
Where have all the notes [flowers] gone, long time ago?
Where have all the notes [flowers] gone?
Cleaners [Young girls] picked them everyone
Oh, when will they ever learn? 2X
Rhymes with Pete Seeger’s “Where Have all the Flowers Gone?”
Yes. Where have all my notes gone? Gone to ether everyone. Sounds familiar? But not funny!
Last month, during the ODLab23, I casually inquired with several attendees about their note-taking habits. Most of them responded with variations of "selectively" or "not anymore." I quickly changed the topic.
Note Taking
But doesn't this run counter to the prevailing trend in OD? In today's world, our organizations are bombarded with an overwhelming amount of information. Some can be: vital or trivial, useful or useless, bought or shared, favorable or unfavorable, and often, it includes misinformation or disinformation. We also have to navigate the blurred lines between fake and real news. Hence, it is crucial for our organizations to have robust personal and organizational memory systems and effective filters to survive in this increasingly unpredictable ecosystem. This is where our humble note-taking practices come into play. And become not just important but absolutely essential.
Note-taking encompasses a wide range of formats and contents. These may include typed documents, handwritten notes (especially for tracking expenses), annotations for online resources (such as PDFs, JPGs, and PNGs), drawings (like diagrams and sketches), audio recordings (from dictations and Zoom sessions), designs (for UX/UI, products, and layouts), links (URLs), codes, tips, hacks, and so much more. Even the traditional grapevines communication channel can no longer keep up with the information overload.
The Habit
Note-taking is a mundane task for some. And a lifeline for a few within an organization. In typical meetings, it often falls to the designated "secretary." However, when it comes to problem diagnosis, whether delegated or not, I always record my own notes, by hand! This practice has become habitual for me. It dates back to my student days and eventually becoming an integral part of my consulting work.
How often do we jot down notes with the intention of using their contents in the future? And only to forget about them later on. These notes contain kernels of ideas but lack a clear description of their original intent. How frequently do we carefully review each of them when searching for solutions? I recall a time when PCs were expensive and scarce, I would always inquire of my clients, "Where should I store my notes for this engagement?" Of course, this question has now become obsolete. Or has it?
The Instruments and Devices
My note-taking journey began with pencil and paper, eventually transitioning to PCs, where I used a keyboard and mouse. At times, I employed an electronic pencil and iPad or simply my fingers on my smartphone. With more practice, I've become adept at using my smartphone for all note-taking needs. So, whenever the urge strikes, I use whatever device is convenient.
The Apps
The realm of note-taking apps is vast. On average, about 5 new ones emerge each month. These apps may reside on your servers, in the cloud, or on your personal devices.
In my early PC days, I started with Google Keep but later switched to Apple Notes, which has become my default choice for personal use. For my consulting practice, I initially began with Notability but eventually fell in love with Evernote. Both excel at both taking and organizing notes. I also dabbled with Paper (Dropbox), Craft, Bear, Coda and Ulysses, all of which I found appealing but felt they were leading me closer to word processing. Note-taking, to me, should capture the moment in text, image, or audio without the “usual temptation to edit” constraint of a word processor. Don't you agree?
Then, I encountered Notion and Obsidian, which are database-centric. They convinced me that they could serve as my "second brain." However, I soon realized that they came with steep learning curves, prompting me to resume my search for the ideal note-taking solution once more. Now am fascinated with Scrintal, Fabric (both are still in Beta), and Anytype because of their capacity to collect motes from anyone in the organization. And display them in a whiteboard like a knowledge map for visualization.
Here’s professional note taking for busy people.
What’s Right for You?
Matching your note-taking preferences with the right app is akin to discovering a home that perfectly suits your needs. Switching between note-taking apps can be stressful, expensive, and exhausting in the long run. To ensure that note-taking is tailored to your preferences, consider your specific needs and understand the four distinct note-taker personalities.
The Notetaker values quick and effortless note-taking and would benefit from features such as voice dictation and text-to-speech transcription.
The Sketcher thrives on creating drawings and diagrams, necessitating tools like shapes, arrows, and text boxes within their mind maps and stickies.
The Collector enjoys amassing vast amounts of information, making cloud storage and searchable notes essential features for their chosen app.
The Organizer prefers a structured approach to note organization and benefits from features like folders, tags, whiteboards and labels within a note-taking app.
Apps like Logseq, Obsidian, and Scrintal offer knowledge mapping capabilities, connecting all notes together in meaningful ways, whether for personal use or within an organization. These insights can be particularly powerful for visual thinkers and users of mind mapping tools.
The Practice
In my practice, I've observed that my notes hold influence with some key individuals within my client organizations. Though not planned for, I am often requested to conduct brief sessions on effective note-taking and how it can be leveraged at both individual and organizational levels.
Notes, much like our organizations, require regular organization themselves. Without a proper structural framework, your data can quickly devolve into a chaotic mess. Given the sheer volume of information, consistent sorting and organizing of your notes are essential to maintain their usability.
Mastering note-taking at the individual level can significantly enhance an organization's ability to compile, interpret, and derive meaningful insights by combining all notes into a cohesive knowledge map.
As individuals embark on the journey to create this map, they can develop remarkable competencies in communication, coordination, and collaboration within and across teams. And the organization and its co-actors in the ecosystem.
But wait!
AI is invading the note-taking space. Shall we let it in?
NOTES
Forthcoming OD Courses:
1.OD Conversation: Knowledge Management Driving Organizational Sustainability with Mr Alexander “Deng” Kibanoff on September 19 via Zoom.
2.Process Observation and Analysis with Dr Josephine Perez on October 10
3.Designing Effective OD Interventions with Dr Miel Reyes on Nov 15.
4.Dr. Ed Canela and Dr. Rex Bernardo, Al: Opening More Access to Economic Opportunities: A brief session and conversation A Free Webinar sponsored by the Camarines Norte PWD Knowledge Resource and Tech4Ed Center in partnership with DICT Region IVA-Laguna on September 20, 2023, Time: 10 to 11:30 am via Zoom. Click to register.
THE ODBOT. I am proud to announce that we have created our own ODBOT running on Llama 2 to 7 by Meta. Be the first to access the ODBOT here.