Smarter Week

How to automate it

How to automate “turn interview and workshop notes into findings”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

120 min
typically, once a week
60%
of the time can be automated
Easy
to set up

Fix 1 of 2

AIBest fix

Have AI pull themes and quotes across all your interview notes

Upload transcripts or notes from all interviews; AI groups them into themes with supporting quotes, which you check and sharpen into findings.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Record and transcribe interviews with consent (Teams, Zoom, Otter or Granola).
  2. 2Remove names if your client agreement requires it.
  3. 3Upload all transcripts to an approved AI with the prompt below.
  4. 4Check quotes against transcripts and write the "so what" yourself.
Prompt to copy
Here are transcripts of [NUMBER] interviews with [WHO] about [TOPIC]. Identify the main themes. For each theme: a one-line finding, how many interviews mentioned it, two or three direct quotes with the interview ID, and any disagreement between interviewees. Then list surprises and open questions. Do not invent quotes; use exact wording only.

[ATTACH OR PASTE TRANSCRIPTS]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot · Dovetail · NotebookLM

Fix 2 of 2

AI

Let an AI notetaker write the notes and the recap

A notetaker records the meeting, writes the summary and action items, and you send the recap in one click.

Typically saves about 75% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Check which notetaker your company allows: Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion, Google Meet "Take notes for me", Otter, Fireflies or Granola.
  2. 2Turn it on for your recurring meetings and tell attendees it is on.
  3. 3After the meeting, review the action items and fix names or owners.
  4. 4Send the recap straight from the tool, or paste it into email or chat.

Tools: Copilot in Microsoft Teams · Zoom AI Companion · Google Meet "Take notes for me" · Otter, Fireflies or Granola

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you had AI find themes and quotes across a set of interview transcripts?
You upload all the transcripts and AI groups what people said into themes with exact quotes, so you start from a draft instead of a pile of notes.

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

HourLeak · the 8-minute work audit

How many hours does this cost you?

The free 8-minute check works out where your week goes and gives you your top fixes. The team scan does the same for everyone and adds it up, so you know which leaks to fix first.

Answers are anonymous. Leaders only see team totals.

Other common tasks for Consultants