Note-taking Methods

Choosing a Note-Taking Method

There are a lot of different ways to take notes in the field. You can bring a clipboard and take notes on a printed floorplan, take photos with your phone, use an app to log your notes, use a template form while you walk the building, and many more. We recommend using a mixture of a few different methods because they each have their pros and cons.

	Pros	Cons
Clipboard and Paper	Printing a floorplan is a great way to map and annotate your building audit. A good option for sites/locations that don't have internet access.	You may have to create a digital copy of this data for analysis.
Digital Documents and Tables	Using a phone or tablet to create a digital record can save time during analysis and you can easily share your work with others.	Depending on the app you're using, you may need the internet.
Photos	Taking photos can help you document equipment and give you context to refer back to during analysis.	You need a way to take notes alongside the photos to remember where each photo was taken and why.
Templates and Forms	Using templates, forms, or guided apps are a good option if you're newer to auditing and want something to guide your data collection.	There are a lot of forms, templates, and apps to choose from. Be sure to keep your eyes open during the field audit and not get too stuck to the form.

Items to consider when choosing how you will take notes

note taking example — A screenshot of a student auditor's annotations to a floor plan in the Notability app.

What will you have with you in the field? Just a clipboard or will you carry around a tablet or your laptop? This will affect whether or not you choose a paper form that you have to import into your computer later, or if you choose a digital form and need to bring a tablet or laptop with you to the site.
Will there be access to the internet at your site? The answer to this question will impact how you take notes in the field. If you take notes in a GoogleDoc or a GoogleSheet, you may not have access to it in the field. Also, if you use an app on your phone that relies on the internet, you may not be able to access your information when doing your walk-through.

clipboard notes — Students using clipboards, pencil, & paper to take notes during the Heitman Energy Audit.

Are you working alone or in a group? If you are working alone, you're freer to choose a system of organization that works for you. However, if you're working with another person, the data you both collect in the field needs to be merged together in the end. Spend time finding compatible notetaking methods and tools before you go to the building.