Meetings Workflow

Purpose: Ensure efficient communication and collaboration during and after weekly team meetings.

Audience: All developers and contributors who participate in meetings.

Status: Implemented

Rationale

Regular team meetings maintain project coordination and ensure all contributors stay informed about progress, decisions, and upcoming work. This workflow standardizes the meeting process from attendance to documentation approval.

Quick Reference

  • Meeting Time: Monday 9:00
  • Absence Notice: Email meetings@permaplant.net by Sunday
  • MR Approval Deadline: Thursday 23:59
  • Meeting Notes Template: .gitlab/merge_request_templates/Meeting.md

Workflow Steps

1. Meeting Preps

Who: All contributors

When: At least one day before the meeting

Actions:

  • Read through the issues assigned to you in project.permaplant.net
  • If unable to attend, email meetings@permaplant.net a week before or within the week as early as possible please at least one day before in case of doubt, please write even if you can come after all with following information:
    • when you will be active/healthy again, or
    • when you will inform us about updates
  • If you have questions you want to address in the meetings, write to meetings@permaplant.net

Result: We know who will attend, what should be in the agenda and everyone is prepared

2. Meeting Attendance

Who: All contributors

When: Monday 9:00

Actions:

  • Attend the weekly meeting

Result: All team members are up-to-date about next week's task

3. Note Taking During Meeting

Who: Designated note taker (rotating responsibility)

When: During the meeting

Actions:

  • Take comprehensive meeting notes
  • Present notes in BigBlueButton at least during break and at meeting end (or directly write there)
  • Read through notes for clarity and understanding
  • Add extra context or explanations where needed

Result: Clear, understandable meeting notes ready for documentation

4. Meeting Notes Processing

Who: Product Manager

When: Monday after meeting

Actions:

  • Use checklist in MR
  • Add meeting notes to MR if forgotten by note taker
  • Initial review and organization of notes

Result: Meeting notes are properly documented in MR

5. Meeting Notes Review

Who: Project Manager

When: Monday after meeting

Actions:

  • Read through meeting notes and correct mistakes
  • Request review from Product Manager
  • After Product Manager approval, invite all participants to review

Result: Accurate meeting notes ready for team review

6. Team Approval

Who: All contributors

When: Latest by Thursday 23:59

Actions:

  • Review the meeting notes MR
  • Approve the MR if notes are accurate and complete

Result: Meeting notes are approved by all team members

7. Review Reminder

Who: Project Manager

When: Wednesday afternoon

Actions:

  • Remind team members who haven't approved meeting notes yet

Result: All participants are aware of review deadline

8. Meeting Notes Finalization

Who: Project Manager

When: Friday afternoon

Actions:

  • Merge approved meeting notes (branch meetings) into dev branch
  • Create MR for next Monday's meeting (branch meetings)
  • Assign next meeting's note taker and backup (cycle through everyone) and make them co-author of the MR
  • Mark people who emailed meetings@permaplant.net as excused in the new MR
  • Remark everyone who hasn't approved the meeting notes in the previous MR
  • Change due dates for tasks
  • Sort people alphabetically
  • Add known topics to upcoming agenda
  • Add contribution statistics from last week:
    • How many reviews were done
    • How many issues were closed
    • How many issues had (no) progress
  • Tick checklist "Before Meeting"

Result: Current meeting documented, next meeting prepared

Examples

Example 1: Standard Weekly Meeting

Monday 9:00: Team meeting with notes taken by contributor A
Monday afternoon: Product Manager adds notes to MR, Project Manager reviews
Tuesday-Wednesday: Team members review and approve MR
Thursday: All approvals received
Friday: Project Manager merges notes and creates next week's agenda

Example 2: Meeting with Absence

Sunday: Contributor B emails [meetings@permaplant.net](mailto:meetings@permaplant.net) about Monday absence
Monday 9:00: Meeting proceeds without contributor B
Monday afternoon: Notes processing continues normally
Wednesday: Reminder sent to contributor B for review
Thursday: All reviews completed including absent member

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Problem: Note taker forgets to add notes to MR Solution: Product Manager adds notes as backup responsibility

Problem: Team members miss review deadline Solution: Project Manager sends Wednesday reminder, extends deadline if needed

Problem: Meeting notes are unclear or incomplete Solution: Project Manager reviews and requests clarification before team review phase

Open Points

Notes