Here Lies Another Dying Skill

How a Missing Skill is Quietly Sabotaging Learning and Work

As I’ve learned by working with students and young professionals, not everyone has this fundamental skill, and it’s wreaking havoc undetected. That skill is note-taking.

I’ve been surprised by how often this skill is overlooked. And no, it’s not because they have exceptional memories! In fact, it’s often their struggles to recall details that highlight their lack of notetaking skills.

While I don't actually know how this happens, I do know that establishing clear expectations and spending time to talk about these invisible or foundational skills is underemphasized. It's as if people are expected to learn these things through osmosis. As if skills were contagious like the flu and just by being in the room with parents or professionals, you'll pick up the habits that set you up for success.
Wouldn't that be nice?

So let me ask, how does someone get to be in their late 20s or even a college sophomore without a skill this important? Like I mentioned, I'm not sure, and I welcome the discussion. The topic of schools and their role and responsibility in development is a hot topic these days. I keep hearing how admissions are down, and faculty are being laid off with the rest of the industries they train for. Which doesn’t help those trusting schools to provide the exposure and training they don’t know they need.

It's painful to hear about educational layoffs and budget cuts because, like many things, it’s a self-fulfilling problem with money winning the debate. Between the baby bust, the digitization of learning, and a generation focused on working smarter, not harder, I’m not at all surprised that schools have struggled to evolve fast enough.

With this in mind, are schools becoming results-oriented environments? I've seen examples that suggest that some are. I'm still not convinced, but it does beg the question, how are people trained on fundamental professional practices? And why aren’t these gaps in knowledge being spotted or addressed?

Back To My Notes

Let me say that, active note-taking isn’t always appropriate. Focusing on trying to capture everything can occasionally get in the way of being present and actually hearing what’s being discussed.

That said, for lectures, fast-paced meetings, training sessions, or even conversations with your manager, there isn’t always an opportunity to ask for clarification on the spot. That’s why note-taking is such a critical skill—it’s your first line of defense for staying organized, engaged, and prepared.

But here’s the thing: note-taking isn’t just about jotting things down. It’s about actively listening, capturing key points, and creating a resource you can rely on later. Just the act of taking notes changes how you engage with others. Whether you’re onboarding as a new hire, learning a new skill, or building relationships, this skill can be a game-changer for workplace success.

A place for AI

AI provides so many amazing tools to help us work smarter, not harder. At what point does reducing work actually hinder our ability to learn? I haven't explored AI-generated notes much myself, but I know one thing: I retain information better when I physically write things down.

The act of writing by hand is commonly believed to help people retain and connect with their writing more than digital alternatives. This is because it involves complex motor skills and cognitive engagement, which can lead to improved comprehension and memory.

The question then becomes, does the working smarter not harder ideology translate to learning? I suspect not. And in this lies a question I’m not equipped to take on; does using AI in the learning process help or hinder how much information is retained?

Here’s what Chat GPT had to say on that topic:
Using AI in the learning process can both help and hinder information retention, depending on how it is used:

How AI Helps Retention:

✅ Personalized Learning: AI can adapt to a student’s learning pace, reinforcing concepts they struggle with.
✅ Instant Feedback: AI tools provide immediate corrections and explanations, improving understanding.
✅ Spaced Repetition: AI-powered flashcards (e.g., Anki, Quizlet) optimize review timing to boost long-term memory.
✅ Interactive Engagement: AI-generated quizzes and summaries make learning more dynamic and interactive.

How AI Can Hinder Retention:

❌ Passive Consumption: If learners rely too much on AI-generated summaries without active engagement, retention suffers.
❌ Reduced Critical Thinking: AI-generated answers can limit problem-solving and deep learning if students don’t analyze information themselves.
❌ Lack of Personalization in Note-Taking: AI-generated notes may not match an individual’s learning style, leading to lower retention compared to handwritten notes.

And now we’re back to notes!

So far, I’ve overlooked what qualifies as a good note. I suspect most people focus on facts, but there is something I’ve found in my experience to be arguably more beneficial when on the job, which wouldn’t come up during school even if note-taking was taught. I also include how the key participants feel about what’s being said and decided on.

What’s interesting about that is that this information can better prepare you for future work and discussions than just the facts. Knowing that the executive is resistant to an idea might influence you to back that idea up even if you received their go-ahead. These kinds of observations turn note-taking from a hard skill to a soft skill.

Note-taking can be overwhelming when trying to decide whether something is important or not in real-time. The reality is that practice really does make perfect (or at least better) here. You'll be on the right track if you can capture the points below.

• What was the meeting about? What was the purpose of the discussion?

• What problem was being reviewed?

• What decisions were made?

• How did the group feel about the topic/decisions? Was there anyone who didn’t fully agree?

• Were there any instructions relayed? What were those steps?

• What will I need/want to remember after this discussion?

• What hindsights were discussed? Did the group have a learning that can help in the future?

• What assumptions were confirmed or debunked?

• Was there anything brought up that didn’t get resolved and needs future attention?

• What are the next steps? Who is responsible for those actions?

Notes don’t have to be pretty while taking them as long as you can read them yourself. If you plan on sharing your notes in a recap, you can clean them up for others afterward. Focus on high-level with key specifics as needed using the above bullet points as a guide for what to capture.

Future Habits Starts Today

There are some easy practices to strengthen this habit.

When managing teams: Encourage members to share recaps of meetings or training sessions. Including follow-up questions, key takeaways, and action items not only improves retention but also fosters accountability and collaboration.

When managing students/interns/early-career professionals: Help them develop note-taking and other foundational skills by encouraging them to refer to their notes as their first line of defense to promote self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

As a student or early-career professionals: Volunteer to be the note-taker whenever possible. Send recaps and request feedback. And by using your notes as your main reference, you will learn what information is note-worthy.

How do you take notes? Have you found AI tools useful, or do you stick to pen and paper? Is there another option that helps you more?

For more strategies to prepare your team or help individuals level up, check out The Design Internship Handbook or reach out to learn about working with me. Let’s ensure your team is ready for anything!