Help for NENA-ADM-008 Agenda and Notes Form

Note: This is draft page to accompany a draft version of the NENA-ADM-008 Agenda and Notes form. Both the form and this page are subject to change.

Introduction

The NENA-ADM-008 Draft Agenda and Notes form is used for NENA meetings to prepare the proposed agenda and to document the essential results of the meeting.

The person preparing the agenda completes the fields shown in salmon/tan/orange and the meeting's note taker completes the sections in light blue. The note taker should distribute the form as soon as possible after the meeting to serve as DRAFT notes/minutes.

Accessibility

The ADM-008 Agenda OR Notes form is designed to satisfy the Accessibility tests in Microsoft Word. Formatting options are restricted to help keep the form from violating the accessibility rules. Once edits are made, you can verify that accessibility has been preserved by running the accessibility test. That is done by clicking on Check Accessibility in Word's Review tab. Among the kinds of edits that can cause accessibility warnings is the insertion of a graphic without entering Alternative Text information.

The form is restricted. Locked. Protected. But you can stop the protection.

The form is distributed with formatting restricted to a limited number of formats as shown in its styles. As distributed, it conforms to Word's accessibility standards. If it is necessary to stop the editing protection, you can click on Restrict Editing in the Protect group in the Review tab of Word, then click Stop Protection at the bottom of the Restrict Editing panel. Be aware, however, that the some formatting changes may threaten the accessibility status of the document.

Preparing the Agenda

These steps assume that you have already set up the meeting in NWS (NENA Workspace) and that the notes for the previous meeting have been uploaded to the group's notes folder.

The header

Group Name

Click on "Group Name" to select the field. When you type in the name of the group, the text will change to the Header style.

Link to NWS Meeting Information

This text becomes the link to meeting information on NWS (NENA Workspace). To get the link, follow these steps:

1. Log on to NWS from your browser.
2. Click on Communities/My Communities/
3. Select your group (community) from the Community Navigator box.
4. Click the Events tab.
5. Click on the entry for this agenda's meeting.
6. Copy the URL (all of the characters in your browser's address bar).
7. Select the text Link to NWS Meeting Information in the header.
8. Click on Insert, then Link, and paste the URL into the Address box.

Meeting Date

Click on the drop-down arrow of the Meeting Date field to open the date selector.

Agenda

Since you're preparing the Agenda, click on the Agenda check box.

Notes

When the meeting starts, the note-taker will un-select the Agenda box and click on the Notes check box.

Attendance

The initial ADM-008 file has one line for Group Member attendees and one line for Authorized Observer attendees. The first step with a new Agenda is to add enough lines in each category to support the number of attendees. To add lines, use the automatic copy/paste function built into the table.

1. Click somewhere in the row you want to copy/paste (1).
2. Click the + sign (2).
3. The row is automatically copied and pasted directly below, expanding the table.
4. Do this as many times as necessary to expand the table to the correct number of attendees.
5. Enter the names of the members and check the appropriate boxes for their roles or excused status. Meeting organizers are encouraged to identify the Meeting Chair, Note-taker, Document Editor before every meeting. The voting status should be set based on the voting status for the member as configured in NENA Workspace.

If new members join later, they can be inserted at any row in the table by selecting a row to copy, then clicking on the + sign to copy and insert a new row. The contents of the row will be copied and would need to be replaced with the new member's information.

Use the same process to add rows to the Authorized Observer table.

Opening Questions & Statements

No preparation is required for the Opening Questions & Statements section.

Previous Notes Review and Approval

Enter link to previous notes on NENA Workspace

Previous Notes and Approval Table

This text becomes the link to the notes document for the previous meeting on NWS (NENA Workspace). To get the link, follow these steps:

1. To get the link (1) to the previous
2. Log on to NWS from your browser.
3. Click on Communities/My Communities/
4. Select your group (community) from the Community Navigator box.
5. Click the Workspace tab.
6. Select Documents.
7. In the Documents folder selector box, select the Notes folder.
8. In the Notes folder, click on the name of the notes file for the last meeting.
9. Copy the URL (all of the characters in your browser's address bar).
10. Place the cursor in the field below the text Link to previous notes on NENA Workspace (1).
11. Paste the URL into the Address box.

Previous Notes Review and Approval Disposition

If your group requires that acceptance of previous notes be formally approved with a motion, second, and vote, those steps with labels for Motion: and Second: can be entered prior to the meeting. Many groups simply consider the previous notes to be approved if no one objects. For them, no additional preparation is required.

Agenda Review and Approval

If your group requires that agendas be formally approved with a motion, second, and vote, those steps with labels for Motion: and Second: can be entered prior to the meeting. Many groups simply consider the agenda approved if no one objects. For them, no additional preparation is required.

Announcements

The meeting organizer may choose to prepare the Announcements section for anticipated announcements prior to the meeting.

To add rows to the announcement table, follow these steps.

1. Click somewhere in the row you want to copy/paste (1).
2. Click the + sign (2).
3. The row is automatically copied and pasted directly below, expanding the table.
4. Do this as many times as necessary to expand the table to the correct number of anticipated announcement sources.
5. Enter the names or roles of those expected to make an announcement. If announcements have been provided to the meeting organizer, they could be entered prior to the meeting.

Agenda Items and Tasks

Agenda Items consist of two tables; the Agenda Item table, itself, and one or more Task tables associated with the Agenda Item.

The initial ADM-008 file contains one Agenda Item for each of three categories. "First Actions," "Unfinished Business," and "New Business." Duplicating Agenda Items and Tasks are easy. The instructions for using the duplication feature are below.

How to set up Agenda Items and Tasks

The peach-colored header section contains the Agenda Item title (bold) and the background or summary of last meeting notes below the title. The blue "Discussion Summary" section should be blank prior to the meeting.

Here are the suggested steps to set up an Agenda Item:

Replace Agenda Item with a title of the item.

On the line below the title, enter the background information about the item. The background should include links to any documents or sites that are expected to be opened during the meeting. This not only saves time during the meeting but also gives attendees the opportunity to preview the material before the meeting. This section may also include a brief summary of the last time this item was discussed.

Note: Accumulating all previous meeting notes is not recommended.

Do not enter information in the Discussion Summary section prior to the meeting. That section is reserved for notes made during the meeting. The notes in this section are intended for one meeting only. When preparing for the next meeting, the preparer may copy the notes from the Discussion Summary into the peach Agenda Item section for the next meeting's agenda.

How to set up Tasks

For Agenda Items that have tasks left over from previous meetings, the Task table from the last meeting's notes may be copied into the Agenda Item in the First Actions or Unfinished Business sections.

How to duplicate Agenda Items

Only one Agenda Item and Task is included in the basic form. An automatic duplication feature can be used to duplicate the Agenda Item & Task table. The duplication feature copies the selected table and its contents and pastes the copy directly below it. If you know how many Agenda Items you need for your meeting preparation, copy the blank tables using this process:

1. Click somewhere in the peach-colored field (1) to select the table.
2. Click the + sign (2) to duplicate the Agenda Item.

Repeat the process until you have enough Agenda Items.

If you need to add more items after you've entered information in them, you can duplicate a filled-in table and edit the contents as needed.

How to duplicate Tasks

If you know how many Notes tables you need for an Agenda Item, copy the blank Task tables using this process:

1. Click somewhere in the Task table (1) to select the table.
2. Click the + sign (2) to duplicate the Task.

Repeat the process until you have enough Tasks.

If you need to add more Tasks after you've entered information in them, you can duplicate a filled-in Task and edit the contents as needed.

Agenda Categories

Agenda Items and Tasks are divided into three categories that usually appear in the order that they are expected to be discussed in the meeting.

First Actions

"First Actions" are agenda items that should be addressed before any other items. There are several reasons that agenda items would be entered in this category:

• Some attendees or guests involved with the topic may have limited time to participate.
• Some items will take only a short time and the remaining items may consume the rest of the meeting.
• Some items are time-sensitive and need to be addressed before the next scheduled meeting.

Unfinished Business

Agenda items from previous meetings are included in this section. When preparing the agenda, it is recommended that only a brief summary of the topic and condensed discussion notes from the previous meeting be included in the peach Agenda Items heading. Keeping extended previous notes in the agenda item heading is not recommended.

New Business

Agenda items not previously handled are included in the category.

Chat Box

The Chat Box section is where the Chat Box contents are copied at the end of the meeting. No preparation of this section is needed prior to the meeting.

Saving the Agenda

The recommended file name format when saving an Agenda file is Agenda for <group name> YYYYMMDD.docx, e.g. Agenda for References Working Group 20200331.docx. Typically, agenda files are uploaded to the Agenda folder in the group's NENA Workspace documents section. They should be uploaded as a revision to a previously saved agenda file.

Taking Notes

The designated note-taker will use the ADM-008 Agenda form as the basis for taking the meeting's notes.

Preparing the ADM-008 form for note-taking.

In preparation for a meeting, the note-taker edits the agenda for the meeting and makes these changes:

• Uncheck the Agenda check box in the form's header, and check the Notes box instead.
• Uncheck all the check boxes in the Present column in the two Attendance tables.

Attendance

At the beginning of the meeting, Update the Attendance tables to reflect any changes in the roles, voter status, and Excused status of any members. When the roll is taken, indicate who is present and add any new members or guests.

Attendance rows can be added anywhere in the table by clicking on the row and then clicking on the plus sign on the right of the table. The plus sign adds a copy of the row below. Then replace the information in the copied row with the correct attendee's information.

Attendance rows can also be deleted if a member is no longer on the roster. To delete a row, click in the left margin next to the row to select it and press the delete key on your keyboard.

Opening Questions & Statements

IPR Policy and Patent IPR

If there is a response, note all disclosures here, including name of individual making the disclosure, employer, brief description of the disclosure (the official disclosure will be the responsibility of the individual making it, or their employer, and will be on the applicable official form), and Patent Number(s) (if provided).

Conflicts & Duplication of Work

If there is a response, enter the details of the conflict and the identity of the group performing the duplicative work.

Previous Notes Review and Approval

When the previous notes are reviewed, the results should be entered in the Disposition field. If the group's policy requires a formal motion, second, discussion, and vote on the acceptance of the agenda, the details of that process may be entered. Some group may just approve the agenda and enter "Approved" in the Disposition field.

Agenda Review and Approval

Agenda changes should be made with a note with a brief summary of the changes made in the Disposition field. If the group's policy requires a formal motion, second, discussion, and vote on the acceptance of the agenda, the details of that process may be entered. Some group may just approve the agenda and enter "Approved" in the Disposition field.

Announcements

If there are any announcements, enter the name of the person making the announcement and the summary of the announcement. If you need more rows for unexpected announcements, add rows as shown above.

Agenda Items in First Actions, Unfinished Business and New Business

Enter the essential summaries of the discussions and any decisions made in the Discussion Summary field of each item.

Adding Graphics

If graphics (like screen prints) are added to the notes, in order to conform to accessibility guidelines, they must be annotated with "alternative text." To do that in Word, select the graphic, right click, then select "Edit Alt Text."

Chat Box

At the end of the meeting and before the Join.Me session is closed, copy the contents of the Join.Me Chat Box into this section.

Saving the Notes

The recommended file name format when saving a Notes file is Notes for <group name> YYYYMMDD.docx, e.g. Notes for References Working Group 20200331.docx. Typically, notes files are uploaded to the Notes folder in the group's NENA Workspace documents section.