Now that many of us are back in the office, we can use the many tools available in our office spaces. Almost every boardroom or meeting room has a whiteboard, and they are often misused or neglected. Whiteboards are one of the best tools to capture what is said during meetings when properly used.

Why are whiteboards a great tool for meetings?

Invites Collaboration

When using a whiteboard during a meeting, it’s a great idea to let all participants use the whiteboard. Whiteboards allow people to draw out their ideas in a visual manner and keeps them up in front of the rest of the group. It is much easier to bounce ideas back and forth when participants are getting up and contributing to a whiteboard.

Maintains Focus

A whiteboard is a great way to keep meetings on track and on topic. To keep everyone’s mind focused on the goal of the meeting, write down the goal at the top or in the middle of the whiteboard.

Organizes Ideas

When ideas start flowing during a meeting, people can start jumping from topic to topic and thought processes can get lost. Whiteboards can organize ideas by creating columns or sections that break up the content of the meeting. When ideas come up about projects that are not related to the focus of the meeting, you can create a “parking lot” for those ideas at the corner of the whiteboard and jot them down to revisit in a different meeting.

Whiteboard set up ideas for a productive meeting

Start off with a clean board

Clean off the whiteboard of any markings that may have been left from a previous meeting. This will give you a fresh starting point to begin.

Write down your main focus

Write down the main focus of the meeting on the top or in the middle of the whiteboard. This will keep people on track and can serve as a reminder of what the goal of the meeting is.

Segment your whiteboard

If there are several topics that need to be discussed during one meeting, segment your board into the different topics that will be touched upon. This way, when notes are being taken – you can organize the notes into the correct segment of the whiteboard to keep things organized.

Create a space for next steps

Action items often come up during meetings. Designate a section of your whiteboard for next steps so that it can remain separate from the rest of your notes. Make sure to assign tasks to individuals or teams.

Final Thoughts

As new technologies pop up, people often overlook whiteboards because they have been around for decades. However, when used properly, a whiteboard is a simple, yet strong tool to enhance your meetings. Check out Whiteboard.com's selection of whiteboards and glass boards to enhance your meetings.