Y Combinator Question 34: Who Is Writing Down Notes at Your Product Development Meeting?

This Y Combinator question delves into the operational practices regarding documentation and communication during product development meetings.

Frederik van Lierde - May 27, 2024

Articles

Y Combinator

Part of the series:
Y Combinator: 40 Questions and 40 Answers

It aims to assess how effectively your startup captures and utilizes information shared during these critical discussions.

Clear and comprehensive note-taking can enhance team alignment, accountability, and the ability to revisit and refine ideas over time.

1. Why Y Combinator Asks This Question

The question probes the procedural aspects of your team’s collaboration and decision-making.Effective note-taking during product development meetings is crucial as it ensures that valuable insights, decisions, and action items are recorded and accessible for future reference.

This practice is indicative of a well-organized and efficient team that values the retention and application of internal knowledge.

2. How to Answer the Question

Discuss the specific methods and practices your team uses for taking notes during product development meetings. Describe any tools or software you use to facilitate this process, such as collaborative document platforms (e.g., Google Docs, Notion, Confluence) or project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana) that integrate meeting notes directly with task assignments.

Explain how these notes are structured, shared, and utilized within the team to drive actions and track progress.

For example, you might mention that a designated team member is responsible for documenting all discussions, decisions, and action items, which are then reviewed at the start of subsequent meetings.

3. How NOT to Answer the Question

Avoid giving vague or non-specific answers that fail to detail your team’s approach to meeting documentation.

Do not understate the importance of this practice by suggesting that note-taking is sporadic or unstructured, as this can reflect poorly on your team’s operational discipline and ability to manage complex projects.

4. An Example, Based on a Tech Startup

Let’s consider a tech startup, CloudComm, that develops cloud-based communication tools. Here’s how they might respond:

Note-Taking Practice: “During our product development meetings, we use a collaborative approach to note-taking. We utilize a shared Google Doc for each meeting where all team members can contribute in real-time. This document is structured to highlight key discussion points, decisions made, and specific action items assigned to team members.”
Use of Notes: “Each meeting’s notes are categorized by topic and linked to our project management tool, Asana, where action items are tracked through to completion. This ensures that nothing gets lost in translation and that all team members are on the same page with what needs to be done next. We review these notes at the beginning of each meeting to follow up on previous actions and update the team on progress.”
Benefits: “This method has greatly improved our project transparency and accountability. It has also sped up our development process by ensuring that all team members understand their responsibilities and the rationale behind decisions.”

Y Combinator examines how startups manage documentation and communication during product development meetings, focusing on effective note-taking to ensure team alignment and accountability.

Leave a comment, an idea, a related blog post on X (Twitter)

X (Twitter)