I am a director at a consulting firm. I attend lots of meetings on a diverse set of topics. I need to have the maximum possible recall with the least amount of effort.

The paper then bits approach has been the most successful method I have come across in 16 years of employment.

Paper as the initial capture medium is infinitely flexible. I can draw arrows, diagrams, boxes, any non-text elements that take too long on a computer. And I am not dependent on batteries, drivers, disk space, etc. Things that go bad at the worst times.

Preferably immediately after the meeting but no more than 24 hours later I type in my notes. I have a standard MS Word template I use.

The process of typing the notes in is not only a review but an exercise in restating the facts, summarizing and clarifying things that I did not capture effectively. Most of my learning probably happens at this step.

Afterwards I print out the notes and file them in my planner. I then have a legible, well-written collection of notes to refer back to, which I do.

It also facilitates collaboration and sharing. Nobody wants a photocopy of my handwritten notes, but people are willing to accept them if you have a digital version of yours to offer. At important meetings I will share my notes with my colleagues to insure we all captured the same information.