The Art of Visual Minuting
- Julia Bakay
- May 20
- 2 min read
Traditional minuting has been around since the beginnings of time. From ancient scribes recording decisions of rulers, to secretaries documenting board meetings, the purpose has always been the same: to create a written record of what was said and what needs to happen next.
Why Take Minutes at All?
Minutes give structure to meetings. They record key points, decisions, and actions so people can follow up, stay aligned, and be held accountable.
It’s functional, yes—but these bullets rarely inspire reflection or make a lasting impression. That’s where Visual Minuting comes in.
What is Visual Minuting?
Visual Minuting transforms the content of your meeting into visual summaries—usually a mix of handwritten notes, sketches and illustrations. These are created in real-time or based on recordings, by a professional visual minute-taker.
What Makes Visual Minuting So Effective?
It’s not just eye-catching; it’s effective. Visual minutes help people:
Retain information better
See the bigger picture at a glance
Re-engage with ideas after the meeting ends
Connect with each other
When people see their thoughts and contributions reflected visually, it creates a stronger sense of presence and shared understanding. Visual minutes can spark conversations, clarify misunderstandings, and make everyone feel more heard and included.
They're particularly useful in workshops, strategy sessions, and events where energy, creativity, and big ideas are flying around.
The Art of Visual Minuting – Why Aesthetics Matter
Well-crafted visual minutes do more than inform—they inspire. When something looks beautiful, we’re more likely to engage with it. Aesthetics matter because they draw us in. Good visual and cognitive design invites people to stop, look closer, and reflect.
Aesthetically pleasing visuals don’t just sit in a folder—they also get pinned to walls, shared in newsletters, and revisited in future planning. They become part of the culture and memory of the meeting, workshop, or conference itself. And that’s the art of Visual Minuting: creating something that not only captures your event, but keeps it alive.
Meet your professional visual minute-taker
Hello, I'm Julia Bakay
As a classically trained artist with degrees in Education and Systems Thinking, I can help by creating a beautiful and logical depiction of your conversations, real-time!
Read on to see and learn more!