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Do you know that there are some very simple and effective tips to make a standup meeting super successful. We have the complete list. Read on!

Stand up Meeting

The literal meaning of Stand Up Meeting is simply to stand up and attend the meeting. All the participants circle in a particular area and share their daily progress and discuss obstacles. Standup meeting has become a popular tradition for Agile teams.

Such meetings are great to keep an organization centered and in the same direction. Even though their implementation is not challenging, there is a requirement of practice and experimentation to make the most of your regular meetings with co-workers.

The digital era has made it easy for remote teams to have stand up meetings as well. In this article, we will discuss the best practices, rules, participants of a daily stand up meeting, and how to set up the meeting agenda.

Also Read: Performance Appraisal | A how-to guide for everyone

What is a standup meeting?

A stand up meeting is a brief recurring meeting that happens between a team. The aim is to get an overview of the crucial tasks that have been completed, are in process, or are yet to be started.

Virtual stand up meetings are common for software development teams but are becoming increasingly prevalent in other fields of operation – marketing, project management, product creation, and many more.

This is because having a short scrum meeting offers a fresh and above all effective alternative to traditional round-table meetings, which many of the current employees dislike. The challenge is not only because of the length of these typical sessions but also because they can be carried off-track quickly.

This happens even if a clear agenda is established which results in wastage of time, resources and reduced potential for workflow. To deal with these issues, a standup meeting is the best solution.

Did you know? It has been found that the number and length of meetings have escalated in the last 50 years. Executives are said to spend about 23 hours a week on average on meetings. The numbers have risen from under 10 hours in the 1960s.

Also Read: Performance Management Process | An ultimate read for best results

What are scrum stand ups?

As per the Scrum guide and framework, the purpose of scrum standups or agile stand up is to check the progress of the sprint goals and align the sprint backlog accordingly. The duration of the scrum daily stand up meeting is of max 15 minutes attended by the development team and scrum master. There are 3 daily scrum questions discussed in a scrum daily standup meeting.

Daily standup meeting format

The standard daily standup meeting format has been explained in simple terms below,

1. Meetings ought to be short – not over 15 – 20 minutes must be the target. 
2. Hold the daily standup meeting consistently, that is, at the same time and on the same platform. It’s a fun practice to play a special song to call the members. 
3. Every member of the team must attend the meeting.  
4. Meetings must not be delayed if a member is late or cannot make it to the meeting.
5. In the scrum meeting format, the key participants of the stand up meeting are the development team, scrum master, and the product owner
6. The three critical scrum meeting questions discussed are: what did you do yesterday, what will you do today, and are there any impediments or risks. A mandatory inclusion in the standup meeting format.

Tip: Conduct the daily scrums in the morning for better workflow.

Also Read: Performance Goals | A priceless list of tips to succeed

How to set up a scrum meeting agenda?

A standard standup meeting can sometimes feel fragmented and too focused on individuals. Members might think that the focus is not on the progress of the entire project. This can lead to meetings becoming chaotic and time-consuming and therefore, they will lose their strength.

Thus, it is very important to have a stand up meeting agenda in place so that it remains short and addresses the necessary pointers. Include the following morning meeting questions in the daily agenda,

1. What was done by you yesterday?

This is a short overview of what happened yesterday (and if something was not completed, why?). In the stand up meeting agenda, ensure each participant focuses on the following aspects of what was done yesterday,

• The tasks completed
• Obstacles faced
• Guide or assistance required for conducting any activity

The participants must not unnecessarily engage in detailed discussions or deal with out-of-the-track topics in a stand up meeting. This is not the moment for every person to take their whole to-do list. The work that composed their intense focus time and the activities relevant to everyone in the team should be the focus of attention.

2. What goals have you set for yourself today?

Here, every team member can tell what they want to achieve for the day. This will make them responsible for what they will say at the standup meeting the following day. This element allows the scrum master to get a sense of how his team feels about how their efforts have an effect on the team’s general goals and how participants feel about the speed of the sprint.

Each participant must speak about the goal to be achieved in alignment with the overall program objectives and strategy. The scrum master monitoring the daily standup agenda must ensure this aspect is strictly adhered to. As per the goals stated the next day’s scrum agenda can be decided upfront.

Setting up Scrum meetings agenda aids in tracking the progress of the sprints and the backlogs which eventually impacts the product backlog and the fulfillment of the user stories. This increases the comfort level of the entire scrum team. You can fulfill your objectives to be attained as specified in the stand up meeting agenda.

3. What is blocking your progress?

Is there something that prevents members from doing a job? There may be technical limitations here, dependence on departments and teams, and personal constraints (reservations for holidays, sickness, and the like).

It is a best practice to track all the blockers both technical and non-technical in the daily scrum meeting agenda. Each of them can be tracked to resolution and closure after due deliberation. You can then mark them as closed in the stand up meeting agenda document.

Also Read: Employment History | A comprehensive guide

Remote standup management – how to conduct effective remote standups?

Conducting virtual stand up meetings can be quite tricky in the beginning. Therefore, it is essential to know the requirement for how to have effective remote standup meetings.

1. Establishing a meeting in a daily standup

To get going, pick a time that is consistent for every person who should be present for the regular stand up. We highly recommend you schedule it at the beginning of each workday. It allows you to synchronize your plan for the day and avoid communication errors.

The focus on the process in a daily standup meeting is followed in the Kanban methodology. Whereas the focus on the people is more prominent in stand up agile methodology.

In both approaches, it is vital for stand up management to firm up the date and time of the stand up meeting convenient for all the stakeholders. Set the agenda according to the approach you want the meeting to take. There are two approaches to a standup meeting. These are,

• Focus on the process 
• Focus on the people

Tip: It is recommended that you choose to focus on the process to achieve a clear idea of the status of your project in a short time. Laying focus on people can lead to long meetings at times.

2. Determining the order of speakers in key in stand ups

Determining the order of speakers is vital in stand ups so that everyone speaks about their progress and next course of action. Some scrum calls are held as per the sequence of the product backlogs or sprint backlogs depending on the scheduled completion dates.

This approach assists in maintaining efficient stand up management meetings. Some of the ways in which you can determine the order of speakers are,

• Passing the baton – When a person is done with his/her presentation, he/she passes the turn to a team member of his/her choice. Following this, the person chosen has to speak and the process continues until all members have spoken. 
• Workflow state – Make those team members who are closest to finishing their tasks talk first and the order follows.

3. Give an alarm before the daily scrum meeting starts

We suggest you pick either a funny tone or song or any classic music from a film to give the meeting a positive connotation. Queen’s all-time hit “We rock you” will be a perfect example.

Another way to practice this stand-up idea would be to set up a calendar notice just ahead of the meeting. Better still, set an alarm to show that 15 minutes went by since the meeting was launched. This acts as a timekeeper and allows you to provide information more concisely.

An alarm eventually alerts the participants in the daily scrum meeting of the duration spent and the time left for further discussions. Normally the scrum master acts as the timekeeper in the standup meeting. He or she may also appoint some other participant to keep track of the time.

Also Read: Team Building | Everything you must know

4. Hold meetings for small teams

Conducting a standup meeting for large groups defeats the purpose of keeping it short. Divide large groups into smaller groups and conduct different meetings for each of them. Ensure that each is not more than 15 minutes long.

Usually, as per agile methodology and scrum framework, the scrum teams are divided into a maximum of 3 to 9 members, not more than that. This helps in the smooth execution of scrum standup meetings. The reason being the teams are segregated based on similar user stories or product backlogs.

5. Begin the meeting with a physical activity

Nothing can crank up your energy in the morning like some physical activity. We recommend that you select an easy activity like jumping jacks or squats. When choosing the number of reps, bear in mind the form of your team.

The concept of initiating the scrum stand up meeting with some physical activities is more prevalent when you have a team working remotely at various locations. It acts as an icebreaker and boosts the energy level. You can select between light or medium-level exercises depending on the eagerness of the participants.

Also Read: Disgruntled Employee | A complete guide

6. Begin the meeting according to priorities

The only way to keep the team engaged and on the same page is to address items with the highest priority at the beginning of the stand-up. There are two types of workflows – initiatives and tasks. Initiatives are major projects that are divided into several tasks and linked together.

When the meeting is held, first talk about the initiatives and mention the tasks done only if they are not associated with an initiative but still have higher priority. You will only be able to stay abreast of progress on the very important things by going through the initiatives and not getting distracted by personal tasks. These tasks are anyway an inevitable part of the workday.

Any prevalent risks hampering the schedule of the program must be prioritized and discussed at the beginning of the stand up management discussions. It is important to segregate the tasks on hand according to their importance and priority, for easy tracking of the status in the daily call stand up meeting.

7. Always keep the project management tools visible to all members

This can be in the form of software such as Sprintly. Doing so will help you see what has been accomplished and what takes longer than planned for your team. For groups that spend a long time answering key questions, this is particularly useful. It also results in a big productivity boost for the team to study the project management tool just before the meeting.

For members working remotely, the screen must be shared displaying the status progress in the project management tools leveraged by the teams. For a face-to-face stand up meeting, the project management tools can be projected on a big screen for clear visibility.

Also Read: Employee Handbook | Critical items that you must know!

Streamlining daily standups

Daily standups, when done incorrectly, are another blockage that hinder the progress of your team. Take stand up meetings as a platform to completely use collaboration rather than a number of individual records.

A standup meeting is a quick and efficient way to inspire your team to be on the same page on a daily basis. Here are some suggestions on how to organize and effectively run your standup meeting,

1. Focus on the overall picture in daily meeting

The progress of the entire project should be supported by individual progress. When they share their progress, make sure that team members keep this in mind.

In the daily meeting, it is recommended that the team members understand the big picture of the program. This will help them to share their progress or achieve their outcomes more efficiently. Besides, it will be easy for the scrum master to conduct the stand up meeting effectively.

2. Take on the board from right to left

Concentrate on what you have nearly completed and how you can wrap up in order to keep a watch on the baton. We tend to read information from left to right instinctually, but the tasks nearest to completion are on the right of the team development board.

Each success generates momentum, like ticking things off the to-do list. Starting with the “about done” and “done” activities is an excellent way to improve the morale of the team. The more you tick off the completed activities from the To-Do List starting from right to left in the standing meeting, the easier it is to calculate the % of progress.

The team is inspired to work towards the goal. Besides the pending items in the daily standups can be listed down separately and as per the scrum format, receive concentrated focus.

3. Emphasize on what is critical

Check for the blockages that the entire project suffers from. Take this time with team members to ask about obstacles hindering workflow. Do not allow the meeting to be sidelined by little discussion and brand new topics, but you can have a thorough discussion of how to tackle the most urgent challenges.

Discussing the immediate challenges affecting the overall progress of the program is essential. Seek for resolution of the issues in the scrum standup meeting but do not overindulge. If some concerns require additional focus, conduct separate additional meetings for resolution.

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4. Address blockages

Even when work is ongoing, bottlenecks are being created and debt flows up. Take a look at the oldest elements of the project during stand-ups. Aging diagrams display how long each element spends in the process and in each process state.

This will help you know where the project is slowing down. Priority must be given to finishing work items that go beyond the normal cycle time.

Try to understand the blockages for the specific items, exceeding the expected completion time. Address them one by one in the daily scrum meeting involving experts from the particular technology or domain. The product owner and the scrum master play a critical role in these activities.

5. Come to an agreement on the priorities for each day

Moving the project forward would rely on the right order for many people to perform dependent tasks. Utilize the daily standup for the objectives and top priorities for the day to get everybody on the same page.

It is advisable to utilize the daily Kanban board to understand the tasks at hand. Prioritize the tasks based on the list mentioned, who are the owners and the expected completion time. Seek consensus from all attending the daily standups on the action items.

6. Make use of engaging language with your team

Instead of  posing questions such as “what did you do yesterday,” begin the conversation with “what obstacles have you overcome?” If you are the leader, remember that you have the potential to encourage and discourage your team members.

Choose your words wisely. Progress is linked to the energy of the team. The daily standup is an inspiration if the leader is understanding. Respecting each other’s work and assisting members to resolve their issues are the key success criteria of most of the work stand up meetings.

Be polite, gentle, and kind while interacting with the attendees of a technical stand up meeting. Usage of engaging languages by both the Scrum Master and Product owner boosts up the motivational level of the team.

7. Strive to maintain a healthy and positive meeting environment

If performed incorrectly, standups may feel like surveillance, indicating a lack of faith in the ability of members to handle themselves. Standups are mistaken as reporting at times. However, encouragement and guidance from the rest of the team are the greatest advantages in standups.

Remember that standups establish the mood for the day for all team members. Keep them upbeat and positive. Do not discourage, but encourage the team during the stand up meeting.

Daily standups are not merely to scrutinize the progress of each team member but to ensure their obstacles are addressed too. Guide and assist them to perform better and ensure they stay positive in completing their work.

Tip: Always remember that standup is a collaborative effort. Guide your words and behavior accordingly.

Also Read: Employee Handbook Template | An ultimate read for best results

Stand up meetings rules & guidelines

Follow these stand up meeting rules to earn maximum benefits from your daily remote scrum meetings.

1. Do not wait for every team member in daily stand up meeting

Start the meeting at the scheduled time so that your time and that of those already present in the meeting do not go to waste. Daily stand up meeting is of shorter durations and hence proper utilization of the time is important. Besides one of the best stand up meetings rules is not to slice away the bandwidth of the members as it may severely hamper the deadline of the program.

2. Keep stand up meetings short

This is the most important point for a standup meeting which is why it has been emphasized again. Go by the agenda and stay efficient. As per scrum meetings rules, the duration of the stand up meetings must be 10 to 15 mins maximum.

The agenda must be fixed with action items. Cumulatively the items must adhere to the time frame of the stand up meeting. Never overshoot the duration.

3. Agile standup meeting is best when everyone stands up!

The meeting is called a standup meeting because members are expected to stand up and talk. Remember to do so. Even for remote teams, this can work over video calls. One of the recommended rules in scrum stand up meeting is not to remain seated.

This helps in conducting the meeting fast and with due attention from all members. Status updates can be collected efficiently and issues discussed constructively. Hence instill this particular aspect in your list of stand up meetings rules.

4. Do not let team members ramble

It is very important that the team members stick to answering the 3-4 morning meeting questions concisely. Every point that they make must be relevant to the whole team. Ensure that you intervene when a member begins talking about something that is not associated with the whole project.

Usually, it is the responsibility of the scrum master to ensure each of the members are specific in their responses and do not engage in unnecessary conflicts. All the agenda items in the agile stand up meeting must be covered within the time frame with proper resolution and future action items.

5. Do not introduce new ideas

Remember that this is not a meeting for planning. Refrain from bringing up any new ideas in a standup meeting.

One of the stand up meetings rules is to discuss the daily or weekly progress or scrum update, issues faced and any guidance needed. Refrain from introducing discussions on new requirements, new prospects, new technological advancements, or new domain concepts in the standing meetings.

6. Do not make it like a status review meeting

The goal of every speaker must be to keep the team aligned with the overall progress on a project. Do not formalize your presentation too much. It is recommended that detailed explanations of each initiative or task be avoided.

Since the duration of a stand up meeting is short, the discussion on the status update or progress must be limited to the scope of the activities. For detailed discussions on any specific subject, arrange separate meetings with only the concerned stakeholders.

Also Read: Performance review examples | A priceless list of tips to succeed

Stand up meeting best practices

Stand up meeting best practices must be followed strictly to ensure the smooth functioning of the discussions. You can adapt the stand up meeting ideas from the following subsections about daily scrum best practices and apply them in your daily or weekly stand up meeting.

1. Duration of a scrum session

You must limit the duration of a scrum session or daily stand up meeting between 10 to 15 minutes. A daily scrum standup meeting for a long duration tends to become unproductive, and monotonous. It is one of the stand up meeting best practices companies must follow to respect the bandwidth of the team members.

2. Scrum meetings best practices on behavioral characteristics

Here are some of the recommended scrum meetings best practices on behavioral characteristics of the team attending agile daily standup meetings,

1. Be punctual and on time in the stand up meeting
2. Be polite, gentle, and kind
3. Be a good listener
4. Participate as a team; one of the important stand up meeting best practices

3. Daily stand up for remote members

The audio and video conference facilities must be efficient while conducting daily stand up for remote members. You must form a dedicated digital workspace where remote members can participate in effective stand up meetings. The progress reports can be shared online and screens shared for faster delivery of the stand up meeting.

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Who must attend a stand up meeting?

In this section, we will discuss the key stakeholders that need to be present in a stand up meeting. In the daily scrum call or stand up meeting, there can be representatives from multiple teams. The reason being in agile methodology, scrum teams are segregated based on technological or domain expertise.

1. Participants in daily standup meeting

The key participants in a daily standup meeting are,

1. Development team members must mandatorily attend the stand-up meeting
2. The Scrum Master owns the development team and hence should attend the Agile Standups
3. The Product Owner may or may not attend. Recommended to attend since the person defines user stories and prioritizes the product backlogs.

2. Participants in scrum of scrums meetings or standups

Scrum of Scrums meetings or standups is important for managing multiple teams working in parallel in a program. The key participants are,

1. Chief Scrum Master for coordinating between the teams in the stand up meeting
2. Scrum Master of each team
3. Any important member from each scrum team like a senior technical person

3. Participants in weekly standup meetings

In the weekly standup meetings, the key persons who need to be present are,

1. Program or Project Manager for tracking the progress and status in the stand up meeting
2. Product Owner to share the progress and discuss issues or risks
3. Scrum Master(s) to share the details on the backlogs completed

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When, where and duration of a stand up meeting

A stand up meeting or daily scrum meetings usually occur for 15 minutes. The stand up time is fixed and is monitored strictly for any overshoot. Some programs demand weekly scrum meetings which can be extended to 30 mins.

The scrum daily meetings are held either in a discussion room, meeting room, or the team assembles at a central place near their workstations. For remote teams, the stand up meeting is conducted through audio and video conferencing.

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Top 3 tools recommended for a stand up meeting

The top 3 tools recommended for a stand up meeting are specified below,

1. Cadence – Can be used daily in a stand up meeting for progress update leveraging its standard agile standup meeting template.
2. Neo – Provides meeting workspace for remote teams and provides stand master template for checking daily progress and assign action items
3. DailyBot – Automates stand up meetings, and daily progress reports.

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Comparison – Scrum vs Stand up

Scrum vs Stand up, a comparison matrix is below,

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What are scrum three questions?

The key scrum three questions in a stand up meeting are,

1. What tasks were accomplished yesterday?
2. Which tasks are you planning to complete today?
3. Did you face any risks or hindrances to finish your work?

Each team member answers the scrum 3 questions to the scrum master. He or she can easily judge what work has been completed and what is left to be achieved.

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Note taking during a meeting or call is an ever-green problem. Here is a list of the 30 best note taking apps that you must check out. Read on!

Best note-taking apps

Whether we are working in an office, at home, or anywhere else, there are times when we quickly need to jot down different types of information on a daily basis. This is where note-taking apps come into the picture.

These multitasking note-taking apps lets you take note of everything from text messages to voice memos. Read on to find out our pick of the best note-taking apps across different platforms. These apps are available on iOS, Android, and can be accessed online via the internet browser.

Choose the one perfect for you based on your device and requirements. Meetings necessitate recording of notes for future reference and tracking the action items. They are either noted by the meeting coordinator or the host of the meeting.

Even individuals attending the meeting are required to take notes for their benefit and reference. A common question that often arises is what are the best note taking app available, that are user-friendly and easy to use. The answer is Yes, there are ample note taking software and app present for use.

They are similar to that notebooks and are often available in the cloud which simplifies the ease of sharing with multiple people. They are even efficient to capture pictures, record audio, and take snapshots of web pages. Here’s a list of the best note taking apps we will be covering in this article.

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Why you need the best note taking applications?

Imagine recording notes in a notebook while attending meetings and simultaneously actively participating in them. Difficult right? You may miss noting down many vital points since you need to rely on your writing speed and ability.

This poses a risk for your future reference and correspondence with your team members. It may harm your regular work too. Similar problems may occur while attending training sessions or conferences.

You may fail in capturing essential points or knowledge imparted by the trainer or the speaker. If you leverage and utilize the efficient features of digital note-taking or online note taking app, then your life is easier and risk-free.

You can capture images and screenshots while attending online meetings, training, or web conferences. You can even record the audio of the speaker for listening to them later and utilizing them for your assignments and coordination with your team or manager.

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Top features of digital notebook applications in 2021

As we progress, so does the way of jotting down the information. Pen and Paper have been replaced by the different digital notebook applications that are used to take notes. Let us discuss the top features provided by these applications below,  

1. Notebook software offers flexibility

Digital notebook applications offer flexibility in terms of noting down information. You can record meeting minutes, make a checklist, create tasks, organize different information, save videos and links, etc. Note-taking is not just limited to text if you know where to find the best note taking apps.

2. Best notes app offers convenience

Best note taking apps are convenient to use. There is no need to carry pen and paper everywhere you go. If you have a phone in your pocket, all you have to do is to start jotting down the information on any one of these digital applications. 

3. Electronic note taking allows searching

Writing on paper doesn’t allow you to search for a piece of information within seconds. However, digital applications come with a search option that lets you search anything through all your notes and find it within seconds. Best note taking apps make it simple to keep up with information.

4. Applications allow aesthetic note taking

Digital applications allow you to take aesthetically pleasing notes whether you have good handwriting or not. They offer different options such as text color, background color, tables, shapes, diagrams, sticky notes, erase options, etc. Best note taking apps make it easy to keep information presentable. 

5. Note taking applications provide accessibility

Beyond the ease of convenience to carry information in your pocket anytime and anywhere, the best note taking apps also provide accessibility. The digital applications are supported by multiple platforms, making it easier to edit, copy and add your notes from a laptop, phone, or tablet.

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9 best note taking apps and software

In this section, we will elaborate on the best app to take notes on, its features, and its benefits. You can review them and decide the best one for your professional as well as personal use.

1. Evernote notebook

Evernote is one of the most impressive and best note taking app used in the digital world. It is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems. The app provides the extensive capability to organize notes and search them efficiently. It supports different types of notes in the form of text, audio files, images, screenshots of web pages, and many more.

Some additional features of Evernote include online chatting and collaboration with different members of your team. It has both free and paid plans. Almost all the basic features of the software are available through the free plan. The paid plan provides an additional feature of searching texts in saved PDFs and documents.

Fun Fact: A unique feature of Evernote is the ability to search for text present in the saved images.

2. Glean the rich note app

Glean is specifically designed to teach students how to take their own notes effectively and help them to improve their ability to learn and retain information, resulting in improved student outcomes.

Glean’s simple administration features are easy to use and make it effortless for institutions to invite, manage, monitor, and support hundreds of students at a time. Students can easily capture audio alongside any slides or handouts and mark what’s important using all the information to hand.

Glean works online, offline, and on mobile devices meaning students can learn any time, any place. Students can become active participants away from the physical classroom, interact with their audio and lectures by adding annotations, and mark audio with ‘important’, ‘task’ or ‘review’ labels so that they know to return to those sections later during independent study.

Also Read: Employee Attrition | Critical items that you must know!

3. Microsoft OneNote note taking app

OneNote is one of the powerful and best note taking app and tools provided by Microsoft. The biggest advantage is free and comes along with Microsoft procured a license. It has an amazing feature of taking notes on rules pages through the digital stylus of some smart devices.

You can draw sketches, highlight texts through the stylus. Through OneNote, you can record a video and embed it in the text. You can also embed Excel spreadsheets, Powerpoint, and other Microsoft Office files in the notes.

The tables, images, and text boxes can be positioned wherever needed with ease and comfort. Images and attachments can be dragged and dropped into the notes section. The look and feel of the software resemble that of a notebook and hence can be operated with less effort.

The background can be changed to represent that of a ruled notebook or a textured one. You can also create a specific template for a recurring record of notes. Another interesting feature is you can click a picture of a whiteboard, scan, and upload the image into your text.

OneNote utilizes Microsoft Office’s OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to search texts from the scanned images. It is considered one of the efficient and best note taking apps for the Windows operating system, though there is a free version for Mac. 

Tips: If you possess a laptop running on Windows with Microsoft Office installed, it is advisable to use OneNote as it comes free along with it. It eliminates the need for investing in other note taking software. No doubt it is considered one of the best note taking apps for Windows users.

4. Apple Notes

Apple Notes is one of the best noting taking apps for Mac users. It comes inbuilt along with the operating system. You need not invest in additional plans or license to use Apple Notes. However, it offers 5 GB of storage as part of its Free Plan.

If you need an additional 50 GB of storage then you need to avail yourself of the Paid plans. Apple Notes has some attractive and useful features for both professional and personal use. The greatest advantage is, it comes integrated with the virtual voice assistant of Apple – Siri.

Hence you can either record your notes in the app or ask for Siri’s assistance in doing so. Apple Notes allows you to draw sketches, capture images, record videos and embed the same, attach photos and web pages into your notes, and even sign the documents.

It provides various formatting options for modifying the text as per your requirements. Another important feature of the software is its search capability. It can search texts in images, attachments, and scanned documents.

Note: Apple Notes has a desktop version as well as the iOS app version. The UI is much better, claiming it to be one of the impressive and best note taking apps for Mac and iPhone users.

5. Google Keep – take a note in Keep

For people who are fans of Google, you can use Google Keep. It is one of the most user-friendly and best note taking app, compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems. The UI has a similarity with the Post-It strips we normally use for noting down key To-Dos at our workspaces. 

It has a basic digital note taking features like writing texts, drawing images, adding attachments similar to the best note take app and software. It works comparatively well when used with the other Google Suite of products like Chrome, Gmail, Google Drive, etc.

Notes written in Google Keep can be named with labels and texts colored and highlighted as per your preferences. The text written in the software can be easily synced across all Google apps and used in documents or emails as needed. The free plan provides 15 GB of storage space, for additional storage you need to purchase the paid plans.

Fun Fact: Google Keep notes can be easily sent out as an email directly from Gmail to your team or friends as and when required, even in real-time mode.

Also Read: How to work from home successfully?

6. Bear notes Windows and Mac

Bear is one of the elegant and best note taking app especially for Mac and iOS users. It is comparatively new in the market, with an efficient capability to sync up with various Apple devices through the iCloud capability of Apple.

The unique feature of Bear is its Markdown capability wherein its powerful editor keeps on formatting text as you type in the words. It has several advantageous features for the users for a superb writing experience. Through the usage of Hashtag, you can tag each of your notes and then group them later based on it.

This helps in collating and organizing similar and related notes for easy reference and search. You can select from its list of themes for the background. Additionally Bear has archival features for storing old note files without deleting them.

7. Notion note taking

Notion is one of the best note taking app for teams working collaboratively for a program or project. It can be used in companies or firms and also for organizing any events, seminars, conferences too. It has robust search capabilities, user-friendly UI, and efficient organization functionalities.

Compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems, Notion offers both free and paid plans. The note is referred to like a page in the app and the text written is considered as blocks in a page. You can maintain a To-Do list, embed audio and video files, add images and files as attachments. Under the free plan, it allows the usage of a maximum of 1000 blocks.

Tip: It is advisable to use Notion if you are working with a team and need to take elaborate notes on the tasks assigned to each team member. It is an efficient online note taking tool for project and program managers, allowing them to share the content as and when needed through a shared online workspace.

Also read: Remote Meeting 101: How to have better remote meeting?

4 best note taking app for iPad

Are you looking for the best note taking apps available on iOS? In this section, we’ll share with you the best note taking app for iPad. Once you get familiar, these apps will give you the benefits of writing by hand without giving up on the convenience of digital applications. 

1. Goodnotes – Best iPad note taking app

Goodnotes is one of the best note taking app for iPad. It provides the option to switch from typing to writing based on your preference and convenience. Goodnotes also lets you adjust the sensitivity and palm recognition of the pen to match your handwriting style. 

2. Penultimate – Best notes app for iPad

Penultimate is a free application developed by Evernote and is designed to be the go-to app for Evernote users. This is one of the best note taking app for iPad as it provides a variety of layouts and the ability to search through your handwritten notes. 

3. Notability – Collaborative note taking

Notability has made the experience of sketching and drawing in a digital application extremely delightful. It has to be one of the best note taking app for iPad we have seen. Notability does an excellent job of emulating the handwritten experience, while also allowing resizing and moving the drawings.

4. Noteshelf – Best free note taking app for iPad

Noteshelf is amongst the best note taking app for iPad. It has the unique ability to recognize handwriting in 65 different languages. Noteshelf also allows you to record video notes along with the text notes. It also lets you export your notes to iCloud, DropBox, Evernote, etc.

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3 best note taking app for Mac

Although Apple has provided its own Notes app with the device, it supports only basic functionalities. There are other note taking applications available to be used on macOS.  To take advantage of the best note taking app for Mac, you should explore the apps listed below,

1. Apple Notes – Notebook app for Mac

We cannot begin talking about the best note taking app for Mac without discussing Apple notes. This application comes for free along with the iOS/ macOS devices and lets you take notes either by typing or writing. The notes are automatically backed up to iCloud.

2. Memo – Sticky note app for Mac

The memo is a simple and elegant app for quickly jotting down notes on your macOS and iOS. Memos work like sticky notes on your computer screen. It is one of the best note taking app for Mac. Use different colors for sticky notes to visually set them apart.

3. Whink – note taking app for Mac

The Whink is one of the most affordable and best note taking app for Mac to multitask, meaning you can take notes while reading a document. The Whink makes writing as simple as writing on a paper. It even allows adding photos, diagrams, and different geometric shapes. 

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Best notebook app for windows

Looking for a note taking tool that helps you jot down your thoughts and ideas in seconds? A good note taking app is indispensable in current times and helps you stay organized. If you are working on a Windows OS, consider one of these notebook app for Windows,

1. OneNote – Good notes for windows

OneNote is one of the best notebook app for Windows for students. It comes into two different variants available on both Windows and macOS. OneNote is organized as a digital three-ring binder with a notebook, sections, and pages. It also lets you sync your notes to the cloud.  

2. Evernote – Zoho notebook windows

Evernote is a free notebook app for Windows that works as an all-in-one digital filing cabinet. It is perfect for someone who has just started taking notes. There are both free and premium paid plans available. The Premium features are enough to let you manage your entire life.

3. Windows 10 Sticky Notes – Best sticky note app for windows 10

If you are a Windows 10 user, you probably wouldn’t have to download the sticky notes app separately. This notebook app for Windows is available free of cost and gives you a few cool features to play around with.

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Two best note taking app with stylus

If you are a Windows user who loves to work with a stylus, we have found out the best note taking apps that you can use. These would help you stay organized. Let us look into the best note taking app with stylus window,

1. Plumbago – best note taking app with stylus windows

Plumbago is the best note taking app with stylus window. It is the latest in-house app for Windows 10. The app has been specially designed for people who love to write and draw. Using a stylus on a surface tablet gives the smoothest experience.

2. SimpleNote – best note taking app with stylus android

SimpleNote is the best note taking app with stylus window that provides the simplest way to keep notes. Sometimes, the best note taking apps might get confusing due to a large number of features. SimpleNote lets you stay organized, helps you collaborate, search for information, etc.

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Best note taking app for Surface

Are you a Surface user? Look into the following best note taking apps to get the maximum productivity out of your Surface devices. The ideal app for you would be based on your use case. We have curated a list of the best note taking app for Surface,

1. Notion – Best note taking app for surface Pro 4

Notion provides free access to the best note taking apps features indefinitely. It provides an all-in-one workplace for your notes, tasks, wikis, etc. It is one of the best note taking app for Surface as it provides flexibility and power. The notion is worth a try.

2. Drawboard Pro – Surface Pro note taking apps

Drawboard Pro is the best note taking app for Surface if you wish to take control of your PDFs. It lets you merge multiple PDFs. If you often work with PDFs in your professional life, then Drawboard Pro is the best note taking app for you. 

3. Evernote student

Evernote provides cross-platform note taking. It is equally great for processing hand-written notes and clipping web articles. A paid subscription to Evernote will let you handle anything that your professor expects out of you. This multipurpose app is the best note taking app for Surface users.

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3 best online notepad applications

Note taking is crucial to help us keep the different information and ideas organized on a regular basis. There are multiple websites available that come with a free online notepad that you can use on the go. Look at some of the best online notepad application options,

1. Hypernotes – Writing pad apps

Hypernotes is an online app with offline access on all major platforms. It is one of the best online notepad applications for personal research, shared wikis, shared documentation, writing projects, etc. Hypernotes is a collaboration-forward best note taking app that offers bi-directional linking, semantic knowledge graphs, and more.

2. Applications like Evernote

Evernote is one of the best note taking app in terms of features and usability. The sign-up process is pretty simple and once you are registered you can immediately get started on the website by clicking on a new note tab. It is amongst the best online notepad app.

3. ClickUp Notepad – A work notes app

ClickUp users are required to register online and download the chrome extension. There are tons of redeeming features on this website that makes it the best online notepad application. ClickUp also consists of numerous tutorials to help you get familiar with the app faster.

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3 best handwriting app Android phones

The best note taking apps on Android allows you to take notes quickly and at your own convenience. Handwriting app allows users to take hassle-free notes without worrying about the annoying auto-correct feature. Here is the best handwriting app Android can support,

1. Memo – Digital note-takers

The memo is a simple note taking app that allows you to take the information down using your fingers or a stylus. The app offers three different pen types to provide a natural writing experience. The tip of the pen can be adjusted. This is amongst the best handwriting app Android offers. 

2. Squid – Quick note app

Squid lets you create handwritten notes on different paper templates. It is also a great platform to fill out forms of all kinds. Squid is the best handwriting app Android supports with a press-sensitive setup to handle your handwriting. Squid is the best note taking app available for free.

3. EverNote app Android

Evernote is an extremely popular and the best note taking app available. It lets you take both handwritten and typed notes. Evernote is undoubtedly the best handwriting app Android supports as it makes use of a variety of media such as sketches, photos, videos, PDFs, web clippings, etc.

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Apple notes for Windows

Windows users cannot access most of the services and apps from the Apple ecosystem. However, there are a few workarounds that will help Windows users to access Apple notes. Use the web to access apple notes for windows. Sign in on iCloud and open the Notes app.

Comparing some of the trending note taking apps

With the best note taking app and software, you can effectively enhance your notes capturing capabilities utilizing them. These note taking apps not only assist you in organizing and maintaining the notes but also provide you several user-friendly features to sync up with different smart devices. Here are comparison among major note taking apps,

1. SimpleNote OneNote comparison

Now that we have learned about the best note taking apps, let us look into the Simplenote Onenote comparison. Both of them are some of the best note taking apps ever made. OneNote app allows simple note management by allowing the creation of separate notebooks and sections whereas the SimpleNote app is slightly restrictive in this area. 

2. Comparison – SimpleNote EverNote

SimpleNote EverNote comparison helps us look into the features of the best note taking apps available. SimpleNote, as the name suggests focuses on simplicity and ease of use. However, Evernote provides more options making the user interface slightly complicated and less accessible. Pick one based on your preference.

3. Comparison – Google Keep OneNote

OneNote is a note taking service from Microsoft whereas the Google Keep app is offered by Google. Let us see the Google Keep Onenote comparison. Both of them are the best note taking apps, with brilliant features. Google keep is easier to set up and use as compared to OneNote.

4. Comparing Google Keep vs Evernote vs Onenote

Are you confused about which app to use amongst the best note taking apps available? This Google Keep vs EverNote vs OneNote comparison would help you make a choice. EverNote and OneNote both offer desktop versions as well whereas Google Keep is limited to mobile and web.

5. Comparing Any Do vs Wunderlist

Any Do vs Wunderlist is not an easy comparison to make as both are the best note taking apps. Wunderlist boasts of an easy-to-use and faster UI that helps it easier to find different features. Any Do provide a crisp and minimalist UI with added features.

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Planning to organize a Secret Santa for your team at the office? Here is a comprehensive list of secret Santa gifts ideas you may want to consider. Read on!

Secret Santa Gifts

Secret Santa gifts are a customary Christmas tradition followed in Western countries. Members of a team, department or unit in a company are randomly assigned an individual to whom they have to send gifts from Santa. In other words, each member becomes the secret Santa for someone within the group.

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Origin and history of Secret Santa gifts

The origin of secret Santa gifts can be dated back to 1979/1980. Larry Dean Stewart, an American philanthropist and a millionaire was the pioneer behind this beautiful cult or practice. He had watched the misery of the people suffering in the streets before Christmas when he was once fired from his company.

Larry initiated the idea for secret Santa wherein he donated money to the needy every year in December. Within a span of 26 years, he had donated almost USD 1.3 million to several people by staying anonymous.

When his identity was finally revealed, his popularity spread throughout the world. He left for his heavenly abode in 2007 at the age of 50 suffering from oesophageal cancer. Yet his legacy of gifts for secret Santa is still alive and followed by many organizations.

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How to do Secret Santa at work?

In this section, we will look at how to do Secret Santa at work,

1. Note down the names of the persons participating in the secret Santa gifts celebrations
2. Create a secret Santa wish list for the participants
3. Ask everyone to write their names on a piece of paper and put in a bowl or a basket
4. The papers are shuffled and each person need to pick up anyone paper
5. Fix a date for exchanging gifts for secret Santas
6. Everyone on that day must bring their gifts with the tag carrying the name of the giftee
7. The gifts are then distributed without anyone being aware of the person who brought them.

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Top 30 secret Santa gift ideas

Let us now discuss the top 30 secret Santa gift ideas in the following sub-sections. You can earn a fair idea of the best secret Santa gifts for the employees within an organization. Hence even it is a secret Santa game or activity, these work secret Santa ideas and fun secret Santa ideas for gifts will guide you to plan the event well and to the satisfaction of all.

1. Interesting Secret Santa ideas

One of the interesting secret Santa ideas is to buy dry erase sheets. These sheets can be used at the workplace or home. Can be leveraged to pen down to-do lists or important notes. Price ranges from USD 6 to USD 7. The adhesive behind the sheets are not messy and hence can be considered as one of the handy office secret Santa gift ideas.

2. Best Secret Santa gifts

A wine-infused coffee can be one of the best secret Santa gifts for fellow team members. The price is near USD 20. It’s perfect for someone who loves coffee and wine. The coffee beans are aged inside wine barrels that impart a unique taste; one of the best secret Santa gifts under $25, if that’s what your budget is.

3. Good Secret Santa gifts

One of the good secret Santa gifts your peers or coworkers will appreciate is the cord keeper. The price is approximately USD 10. The product is handmade and comes in a pack of three. So if you want to be a good secret Santa for coworkers, it is one of the best secret Santa gift ideas.

4. Secret Santa list for travel admirers

If you are preparing a secret Santa list for travel admirers, then do not forget to include Travel Cup. The cups are available with or without a lid, with the price varying between USD 14 to USD 22. They have a self-warming system and portable cooling facility. It is one of the creative secret Santa gifts and useful secret Santa gift ideas.

5. Secret Santa gifts under $25

The fruit infuser water bottle is one of the best secret Santa gifts under $25. The price is nearly USD 19. Just dip in the fruits of your choice and enjoy the freshness of the extracted juice. No doubt one of the best secret Santa gifts and secret Santa gift ideas under $25.

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6. Secret Santa messages for coworkers

You can write down some loving or funny secret Santa messages for coworkers with the great secret Santa gifts. The message can be, “Secret Santa has come to town, to gift you a treasure for you to own. Uplift your spirits high above, coz you are bound to be surprised well enough.”

7. Funny Secret Santa gifts

A wine glass with funny messages embedded in it can be one of the funny secret Santa gifts for coworkers or peers. Price is normally within USD 23. It serves two purposes – enlightens the mood with the message from the funny secret Santa and savours the taste of wine. So if you are looking for funny secret Santa ideas, then hope the wine glass is a good option.

8. Secret Santa gift ideas for coworkers

One of the useful secret Santa gift ideas for coworkers is a reusable gift box. The price is near USD 10. It is reusable, microwave safe and dishwasher proof. Most importantly the container is eco-friendly and spacious to carry meals well packed; one of the good secret Santa gifts for coworkers.

9. Secret Santa gift exchange ideas

A leather mouse pad can be one of the genuine secret Santa gift exchange ideas. It can be used at the workplace for easy movement of the mouse on its surface. It is a good inclusion in your list of Christmas gifts for secret Santa, facilitating seamless work at the office or if remotely working from home.

10. Creative Secret Santa ideas for gifts

If you are looking for creative secret Santa ideas for gifts to coworkers, check out the cacti coasters. You can neatly keep them at your workplace or decorate them in your pot for a cute landscape. It’s one of the secret Santa gifts where one can place his or her favourite beverage while seriously working at the workplace.

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11. Useful Secret Santa ideas for work

A mobile lens kit is one of the useful secret Santa ideas for work. The kit is compatible with tablets and smartphones with macro lenses, wide-angle and fish eye. The price is almost USD 26. A universal clip helps to cling to the smart devices. One of the good gifts for secret Santa, convenient and beneficial.

12. The office Secret Santa gifts

One of the best office secret Santa gifts is a couch cup holder. The price is USD 23 approximately. A person can curl over a couch while working remotely at home and use the holder to hold a beverage or drink. So if you are looking for the best secret Santa gift ideas, then the cup holder will be a good choice.

13. Entertaining Secret Santa notes

While gifting secret Santa gifts, it’s good to leave some entertaining secret Santa notes for coworkers and peers. These notes help your Santa bring joy and happiness to individuals. An example can be, “Dashing through the snow, Santa came in early you know. Rush through your gift and enjoy tonight.”

14. Office Secret Santa gifts for techies

One of the good secret Santa gifts for techies is a streaming stick. The price is a bit high USD 50 almost. The majority of the sticks work with a television and numerous apps can be used for watching HBO Movies, Netflix, Pandora etc. One of the ideal office secret Santa gift ideas or secret Santa gifts for coworkers.

15. Finest and best gifts for Secret Santa

If you have to select from the finest and best gifts for secret Santa celebrations, you can think of a bottle loft. The loft can hold up to 6 bottles at once and you can attach them to the ceiling of a refrigerator. One of the secret Santa gifts for guys to appreciate and cherish.

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16. Compelling Secret Santa presents

One of the compelling secret Santa presents is a stainless steel water bottle. Many people prefer such bottles and hence will be a good inclusion in your list of secret Santa gift ideas. The bottle can hold water at acceptable temperatures and they come in various shapes and sizes.

17. Secret Santa themes

If you are thinking about the secret Santa themes that you desire to follow in your workplace along with the team; the best suggestion can be to exchange homemade gifts with each other. One of the good ideas for secret Santa gifts exchange between fellow team members or peers in an organization.

18. Cute Secret Santa gifts

One of the cute secret Santa gifts is a musical pillow. The built-in speaker inside the pillow is a unique concept and can be connected to a player or phone. So if you are searching for some cute secret Santa ideas, then go for this particular option to pipe up someone’s day.

19. Cheap secret Santa gifts

If a coworker loves art, one of the best cheap secret Santa gifts can be a colouring book. It’s affordable and simple and prices are quite low. You can provoke one’s creative ability with this colouring book; a creative and mandatory inclusion in your list of cheap secret Santa gift ideas.

20. Bad Santa gift ideas

Monet funny coffee mug can be listed in your bad Santa gift ideas. You can gift a coffee mug with money funny messages printed on it; one of the bad secret Santa gifts for coworkers or peers. Well, the giftee will surely enjoy a fun-filled time with the coffee mug.

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21. Secret Santa wish list ideas

Here is one of the secret Santa wish list ideas for you to consider while planning to gift to any of your peers or coworkers. A French press since coffee lovers is in plenty. It is one of the classy secret Santa gifts that you can include in your list of secret Santa gifts ideas. Coffee lovers will appreciate and adore the gift.

22. Awesome Secret Santa gifts for guys

For the guys, one of the awesome secret Santa gifts is a wallet. Wallets are considered important by them and would turn out to a perfect inclusion in your list of good secret Santa ideas.

23. Cool Secret Santa gifts

Essential oils can be one of the cool secret Santa gifts; a perfect idea to release stress after working hours. They bring in health benefits, rejuvenates the mood and helps to get over anxieties and tensions. No doubt one of the cool work secret Santa gift ideas.

24. Last minute Secret Santa gifts

If you are unable to manage sufficient time to sort out your secret Santa gift ideas, gift cards are the best last minute secret Santa gifts. Purchase gift cards from some popular brand store and the amounts can vary. Better to be listed in the gifts for secret Santa at work or secret Santa card ideas.

25. Easy Secret Santa gifts

Box of chocolates is one of the easy secret Santa gifts if you are struggling to decide on the appropriate purchase. So to ease your dilemma, this would be a perfect choice and can be a good inclusion in the secret Santa list ideas or gifts. Flavours are available in plenty to select from.

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26. Unisex Secret Santa gift ideas

Perfumes serve among the list of unisex secret Santa gift ideas. It’s one of the secret Santa gifts one can deny to like or appreciate. Package it in an attractive gift wrapper and it will be one of the best secret Santa gifts for a coworker irrespective of any gender.

27. Secret Santa gift exchange questionnaire

A good way to celebrate secret Santa is to prepare a secret Santa gift exchange questionnaire. Through the questionnaire, you will be able to prepare a list of best secret Santa list ideas. You can ask questions related to favourite colour, favourite book, favourite accessory, hobby etc. It will guide you to find out whether you need to go for $25 secret Santa gift ideas or maybe higher.

28. Within $10 Secret Santa ideas

If you are wondering what could be within $10 secret Santa ideas for gifts, the best one is fridge magnets. They are appealing and can be kept at the workplace or home. The magnets can be with a message, a memento of a place or some important personality.

29. Things to ask for secret Santa

If you are confused about the things to ask for Secret Santa, here is an option for you to ask for. A coffee mug since you can use it every day at the workplace and even when working at home. And hopefully, one of the coworkers will listen up to your gift needs and add to the list of ideas for secret Santa gifts.

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30. Unique secret Santa gift

A unique secret Santa gift can be succulents to adorn your work desk. They bring in refreshment and soothe your eyes; a perfect secret Santa the office employees would desire to. Some even believe that keeping succulents enliven the mood and helps to overcome boredom.

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