Consulting frequently feels like a marathon of writing. One is constantly drafting or revising reports, presentations, proposals, meeting minutes, workshop results, letters, budgets, and you-name-it. Documentation is critical on a consulting project for several reasons, a few of which are:
1. Consultant and client learning
2. Consensus building (creating a shared understanding)
3. Fulfillment of contractual commitments
4. Accuracy of findings
5. Capture decisions
Good consultants take copious notes at most meetings. In full view of everyone, they document ideas, decisions, action items, and keep a parking lot of tangential items. It is a key way for consultants to learn about the client, and gather information that will help determine their recommendations. (Afterwards, they always follow up by distributing meeting minutes to all attendees.)
If you are meeting with consultants, and they are not taking notes (or recording the session with your permission), then its quite likely that whatever is being discussed will not be retained or captured anywhere for future use or consideration, nor factored into future recommendations or plans.
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