I searched around the forums a bit and obviously big meetings like Management review need a formal agenda, minutes, corrective actions, etc.
However, what about weekly production meetings and such?
Leaving aside 9001, may I suggest step back a moment and think about what you're trying to achieve? The prime purpose of having some kind of
records (not necessarily minutes!) is ... well, how do I say this without sounding tautological? So that there
is an objective record of what was done, or what was said, or what was decided, to refer back to if needed. Because it's good practice - which is why the Standard requires it.
Management/strategy/planning meetings that don't generate any kind of record definitely bother me. But don't make too much of a rod for your own back - an agenda can just be a scribbled list on paper - it doesn't have to be formally typed up, etc.
Production/toolbox-type meetings I'm a bit mroe relaxed about, but why would you not want some kind of record? They're useful to show all kinds of things, from internal training and monitoring to CA, process improvement, etc etc. And usually they generate decisions or actions, eg, in future, we should do XY and Z. Now in
some organisations this is remembered. Some. At times. But
without any records at all, it's surprising how often it's 'forgotten' or overlooked or not properly followed up, or lags....
I've seen far too many organisations 'think' they were managing themselves well without having records... and believe me, they weren't. Memory varies - that's one reason why having records is a good idea.
At my work, the sales manager, production manager and shipping manager get together twice a week to do a quick rundown of "hot" items, problems, solutions, etc.
Sounds like good stuff to me...associated with controlling processes, corrective action and all that 'trivial stuff'? If there's no records at all... how do you demonstrate it's done? And if they don't even have a scribbled list of actions, how does the relevant manager make sure what was agreed gets done? Even if the
manager just scribbles the action in their diary (say), that's good enough. Or there's a quick summary posted on the notice board. I'm sure they won't want to (much easier to stay all verbal)... but we're about improvement, remember?
I tried a couple of times to have them at least write down their own action items and give them to me to distribute, but not everyone turned them in so follow up was difficult.
You don't say.
Is follow up (by relevant manager) done? How? And how can this be demonstrated to a third party? What kind of follow-up are we talking about? Trivial stuff (clean up the lunch room) or important stuff (eg, Joe to get the calibration records up to date)?
if you’re not addressing something directly brought up in the International Standard it probably doesn’t require minutes.
I think this takes too narrow a view, and limits thinking to 'just the minimum in the Standard'. But I'm reassured that you go on to say:
Having said that – I document the minutes of all our meetings. It is just a good insurance policy. It also keeps items that need to be addressed out in front of management.
Well, precisely.
No, not all meetings need minutes. But many if not most would benefit from it. And not all records a/need be minutes or b/need be exhaustive either. Many meetings could be recorded perfectly well with just an agenda (what was discussed) and a list of any actions (things to be done, by who and when by).