Meetings without clarity? Notes that disappear into digital nirvana? Think in a structured way, work efficiently

What the Cornell method can do in everyday working life

What is the Cornell method?

The Cornell Method is a note-taking system developed by American educator Walter Pauk at Cornell University. The aim was to improve learning through a structured note-taking technique. In professional life, the method not only helps with learning, but also with structuring information, retrieving it more quickly and making more informed decisions.

How the method works

1. Prepare worksheet
   The method divides a notes page into four clearly defined areas that together provide an overview, clarity and reflection: additional information in the header, a large notes area on the right, as well as a narrower column on the left for questions and a lower area for the summary.
2. Enter additional information (top section – header)
   In this section, you can enter information that will make your notes easier to find and assign later, e.g. date and time, topic or occasion, name of the meeting or project, and possibly the speaker or people involved. This area is particularly helpful in a professional context to better organize notes in digital systems or project files and make them easier to find.
3. Notes area (right-hand main column – approx. 70 % of the page)
   During a meeting or presentation, you record the necessary information in this area. This means only the statements, facts, tasks or observations and details that are important to you. Make sure you write in bullet points, clearly and as structured as possible. Use paragraphs, bulleted lists, abbreviations or keywords that you can understand. You can also use graphical representations to make it easier to explain complex relationships, for example.
4. Revise the notes and fill in the margin column (left-hand side – approx. 30 % of the page)
   In order to be able to work as well as possible with your notes, it makes sense to go through them again as soon as possible after they have been created and to highlight important points, e.g. by marking or underlining them. Also make sure to rephrase any incomprehensible notes straight away, add any additional information and delete anything that turns out to be irrelevant afterwards.
   The left-hand column is then filled with key questions, key terms or comments on the respective sections. It serves to condense the content and as a quick navigation aid when reviewing later. However, this column was originally intended to be used for learning. By covering the notes, the questions can be worked through individually and answered from memory. However, you can also use this column to note down points that still need to be clarified or that you would like to follow up on.
5. Summary (bottom section – approx. 3-5 lines)
   To conclude, summarize the page in your own words. The focus here is on a summary of the content, i.e. not a mere repetition, but also not a conclusion with specific instructions for action. The aim is to succinctly capture the essence of the notes in one or two sentences. In practice, however, reflection and action often become blurred and this is precisely where the strength of the method lies.

Why the method is so helpful in everyday working life

Whether project management, sales talks or internal training: with the Cornell method you can structure your thoughts as you take notes – and at the same time create a basis for later use.

The advantages:

• You maintain an overview of complex information.
• You can find content more quickly.
• They encourage active listening and thinking.
• They not only document, but also reflect.

The method is a real efficiency booster, especially in hybrid project teams, with changing responsibilities or in knowledge transfer processes.

Cornell in the project context

A lot is discussed in projects, but it is not always clear what was really relevant. Transcripts often end up unsorted on desks or in file folders, making them difficult to find, incomplete or unhelpful. The Cornell method in combination with project management software with a document management function provides a remedy here, because it creates clarity directly when taking notes and thus enables targeted measures to be taken afterwards.

You can use the method to:

• Create transcripts of meetings
• Document decisions
• Make notes on research
• Learn more from seminars, training courses or lectures

You can use the notes themselves afterwards not only to create reports, evaluate retrospectives or lessons learned or prepare follow-up meetings. Their true value lies in the fact that the structured summary simplifies the understanding of a situation, making it easier to make and understand decisions. Measures, tasks and decisions can be derived from the notes.

Conclusion

The Cornell method is not a new trend tool, but a proven means of structuring, reflecting and using information effectively. Especially in project management, which is often characterized by time pressure and a large flood of information, clarity, structure and transferability through the Cornell method are important.

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