On-Paper vs. Digital Notes: Finding the Right Format for Your Event
When you are new to working with a visual notetaker, deciding between on-paper (graphic recording) and digital notes (digital scribing) can be tough.
This guide will help you understand the pros and cons so you can make the best decision for your participants, space, and budget. If you need help deciding, check out our quiz at the bottom of the page.
Notetaking, Recording, and Scribing… Oh my!
While there is some inconsistency in how these terms are used in the field, here are how we define the terms.
Visual notetaking is an umbrella term we use to describe the process of taking notes using words and images.
Graphic recording is visual notetaking done on a large scale, either on paper or foam core boards.
Digital scribing is visual notetaking done on a tablet using a program such as Procreate, Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Fresco.
Questions to Consider
Are you in person, online, or hybrid?
Either method can be appropriate for in-person events, depending on your space, schedule, and style preference.
Digital scribing is best for online and hybrid events. In online meetings, a tablet can be shown on a shared screen or via a camera feed. In hybrid sessions, a tablet can be projected onto both a screen and an online meeting feed.
Watch this three-minute YouTube video to see sharing options for virtual meetings.
How big is the group?
We recommend digital scribing for groups of 50 or more. With on-paper graphic recording, only participants within 15-20 feet of the notetaker can see the notes drawn live. Digital notes, on the other hand, can be projected on a large screen or multiple screens, making it easier for groups to see the notes, even from far away or on a live stream.
Do you have a second display or split-screen option?
Many conference rooms have only one projector screen that is often reserved for sharing slides. If a second display or split screen is not available, on-paper graphic recording may be the better option so participants can benefit from seeing the notes drawn live.
Do you have an A/V team or IT support?
Digital scribing necessitates a “tech check” with the A/V team, IT support, or tech host to ensure everything works before the event. Our notetakers cannot “troubleshoot” technology or connection issues with projections during the event since they have to concentrate on listening, so having this support is important if you choose digital notes.
What kind of post-session display do you want/can we tape to the walls?
Foam boards and paper create the best displays for in-person meetings and conferences.
Foam boards can be arranged in knowledge towers or a fan to create attractive spaces to remember and discuss meeting notes during events, especially those in large conference spaces or focused on networking.
When displaying paper, it’s best to check with the venue beforehand to ensure the notetaker has permission to tape charts to the walls using wall-safe artist tape. If there’s no space to display paper on the walls, that can create an additional challenge, but we can supply our own “portable wall” when requested if enough space is available.
Digital scribing can still be displayed, but you’ll need an extra monitor or screen, an application for creating a running feed of the images, and a support person who can periodically add images of new notes to the feed. With this option, you can also replay a timelapse video of the notes being created, however, we are not able to edit this video.
How flexible is your budget?
We charge a materials and equipment rental fee for all on-paper graphic recordings. Foam core board shipping can cost between $300 and $500, so digital scribing can be more cost-effective unless the venue charges monitor rental/use fees.
Is the event “green”?
Digital scribing is the “greenest” option for notetaking as it requires no paper and has a lighter carbon footprint. While our standard graphic recording paper can be recycled, foam boards cannot be and usually end up sitting in someone’s garage or tossed in a closet and forgotten.
How will you store/transport the paper or boards?
Our associates generally hand off any paper or boards to clients at the end of the event, but we can ship them to you if requested in advance. After that point, transportation and physical storage become the client's responsibility.
Regardless of the notetaking medium, you’ll receive digital soft copies of all charts. We will store the files for you in our Google Drive, and you can copy and download the files from there.
Where do you want the focus?
Digital scribing is the best way for participants to absorb the notes without getting distracted. Because they can’t see the notetaker, they have a clear view of the notes and are less distracted by the notetaker's skills and actions. This keeps the focus on the content and the expert delivering it.
On the other hand, some meeting organizers like the visibility of seeing the notes physically drawn, as it can create a more personal feel and enable the notetaker to interact with the group more to discuss or reflect on the notes.
