The template
MEETING AGENDA
Meeting: [title]
Date and time: [date, start - end]
Where: [room / link]
Facilitator: [name] Note-taker: [name]
Attendees: [names]
PURPOSE
[One sentence: what this meeting must achieve]
BEFORE THE MEETING
- [Document or data to read] ([name] shares by [date])
AGENDA
| Time | Topic | Lead | Outcome needed |
| 0:00 | Welcome and purpose | [name] | Shared understanding |
| 0:05 | [Topic 1] | [name] | Decision / Input / Update |
| 0:20 | [Topic 2] | [name] | Decision / Input / Update |
| 0:40 | Actions and next steps | [name] | Owners and dates agreed |
PARKING LOT
[Topics to handle elsewhere]Principles
- Start with the purpose. If you cannot state it in one sentence, you may not need the meeting.
- Name the outcome per item. "Decide on launch date" produces a decision. "Launch date" produces a chat.
- Time-box every item, and keep the last five minutes for actions and owners.
- Share it in advance with any reading that attendees need.
- Use a parking lot for topics that do not belong, so they are acknowledged but not argued.
How long should an agenda be?
For a 30-minute meeting, three to four topics is plenty. If an agenda needs more than six items, ask whether it should be two meetings.
After the meeting
Carry the agenda items into your notes or minutes, so each topic has a result. If you use MeetMemo, the agenda is stored with the meeting and is searchable later. See AI meeting notes. For client calls, pair this with the client meeting notes template.
A filled-in example
MEETING AGENDA
Meeting: Website status, Northwind Studio
Date and time: 19 Oct 2026, 11:00 - 11:30
Facilitator: Alex Note-taker: Dev
PURPOSE
Confirm the design direction and agree what Northwind must supply for launch.
BEFORE THE MEETING
- Design options PDF (Dev shares by Fri)
AGENDA
| 0:00 | Purpose and recap of last week | Alex | Shared understanding |
| 0:05 | Design direction | Dev | Decision: option A, B or C |
| 0:15 | Copy and hosting access | Priya | Dates agreed for both |
| 0:25 | Actions and next steps | Alex | Owners and dates |Common mistakes
- Topics without outcomes. "Budget" is not an agenda item. "Decide whether to include phase two in the budget" is.
- Too many items. Overpacked agendas lead to rushed decisions or overruns.
- No one assigned to take notes. If everyone assumes someone else will, nobody does.
- Skipping the agenda for "quick" calls. A two-line purpose and three bullets is enough.