Content of the agenda

If your agenda is too brief or too vague, you will deprive participants of the opportunity to be well prepared.

Agendas for formal meetings such as AGMs and board meetings will generally:

• have more detail 
• use formal language 
• have a more structured layout 
• contain cross-references to other meeting documents. 

Agendas for less formal meetings such as ad hoc committees or department meetings will generally: 

• be more brief 
• use less formal language
• contain jargon and concepts specific to the meeting participants. 

An agenda may contain these headings:

• Welcome 
• Sequencing of agenda 
• Attendance/Apologies 
• Minutes of previous meeting 
• Correspondence 
• Reports, such as Report from the Chair, Report from the Treasurer
• Business arising 
• General business: Topics for discussion/resolution 
• General business: Topics for information 
• Other business
• Next meeting. 

Use the menu below to continue.

  Developing an agenda