Posted by Philip Baskerville in Sep, 2014
An agenda item is one point or distinct part of a meeting agenda that can be specified separately from a group of issues that are to be considered in a meeting. Agenda items can be created by the meeting facilitator who may also invite the meeting participants to request them.
What are Agenda item for a meeting like?
An Agenda item for a meeting is like completing a family breakfast order form when staying over in a hotel room. Each item on the breakfast menu needs to be discussed with the family members to decide what food or drink is to be ordered in each category (Juice, fruit, jam, hot food, hot drink). The breakfast menu also needs to be completed by a certain time for it to be effective.
What is the purpose of Agenda item for a meeting?
Agenda items for a meeting provide a series of specific points that outline the order of the meeting agenda and therefore the flow of the meeting discussions. Agenda items provide a sequential structure to allow meeting participants to focus and discuss the deliverables from each point. In business meetings of deliberative bodies, the agenda may also be known as the orders of the day. Agenda items are “time boxed” or allocated a specific period of time to ensure discussion is focused on actionable outcomes and the broader meeting purpose is achieved. Agenda items provide an option for meeting attendees to provide input into meetings particularly in relation to their areas of concern.
What are the different types of Agenda item for a meeting?
- Informational agenda item – These agenda items usually involves a one-way presentation to provide background information to meeting participants. There is no need to reach agreement on this type of agenda item. Meeting participants need only absorb the information being presented because the decision may have already been made or it has been made by a higher authority.
- Advisory agenda item – These agenda items are included when a decision has not yet been made and the meeting facilitator wishes to seek advice, feedback, or input from the meeting participants. These agenda items allow participants to share concerns and give opinions about the items being discussed.
- Problem solving agenda items – are agenda items where the purpose is to actually come to a problem resolution during the course of the meeting. A meeting is an ideal forum for this activity as it can draw on the collective intelligence and problem solving expertise of a group of participants often from cross-functional areas. Quite often an advisory agenda item from one meeting becomes a problem-solving agenda item at the next when a choice needs to be made.
- Request for help agenda item – This category of meeting agenda items involves a participant asking others in the group for help on some issue or project. Often these agenda items become followups for the next meeting as additional information needs to be researched and compiled.
What are the components or elements of an Agenda item for a meeting?
- Item Number – the number that represents the order in which the agenda item is planned to be discussed on the meeting agenda
- Subject – a short title that describes the issue to be discussed
- Background – relevant information relating to the importance of the issue and links to previous actions, previous decisions, other topics or reference to previous meetings.
- Category – Either: Informational, Advisory, Problem solving, Request for help
What terms are used when setting Agenda item for a meeting?
- Agenda – a list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting.
- Meeting – an assembly of people for a particular purpose, especially for formal discussion.
- Issue – an important topic or problem for debate or discussion.
- Attachments – an extra part to be attached to an agenda to help inform participants of an issue
- Facilitator – someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan and achieve them
- Decisions – a conclusion or resolution reached after a meeting consideration
- Group – a number of people or things that are located, gathered, or classed together
- Consensus – a general agreement
Where can I find more information about a Agenda item for a meeting?
- http://seedsforchange.org.uk/facilitationmeeting
- http://www.imglv.com/articles/Hold_Productive_Meetings.pdf
- http://people.ucalgary.ca/~design/engg251/First%20Year%20Files/effect_meet.pdf
