Data Meeting Toolkit

How to Use It

Think of the toolkit as a flexible guide you can adapt to your needs. 

Use it to:

• Plan and organize effective data meetings
• Facilitate discussions that lead to insight and action
• Document outcomes and keep momentum going

Whether you’re hosting a one‑time meeting or building a recurring process, the toolkit supports success before, during, and after every conversation.

Toolkit Components

Explore the toolkit through four easy‑to‑navigate tabs:

1. Roles & Protocol 2. Before the Meeting 3. During the Meeting 4. After the Meeting

1. Roles & Protocol

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Roles in a Data Meeting: Define essential roles and responsibilities to maximize participation and align efforts.

Data meetings are most effective when team members serve specific roles for planning and conducting the meeting, including a protocol lead, meeting facilitator, notetaker and timekeeper, and stakeholder participants. Individuals can play one or multiple roles, and each role has specific responsibilities. Identifying key roles, clarifying responsibilities, and strategically including stakeholders in data meetings can help maximize participation and align meeting efforts with desired outcomes.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Including Stakeholders in Data Meetings

 

Data Meeting Protocol: Step‑by‑step guidance for planning, conducting, and following up on meetings.

The protocol explains steps to follow before, during, and after a meeting. Groups can use the protocol during a single meeting or series of meetings as part of a recurring decision-making process. Meeting organizers and participants can use the protocol’s strategies and facilitation tips to help ensure that they pay careful attention not just to what happens during the meeting but also to intentional planning before the meeting and effective follow up after the meeting.

2. Before the Meeting

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Before the meeting, the protocol lead plans the meeting with input from other members of the meeting team.

1. Determine objective
2. Identify data
3. Identify participants and key responsibilities
4. Organize data to present
5. Prepare and distribute agenda

Before the Meeting

3. During the Meeting

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During the meeting, a designated facilitator guides the data discussion during the meeting.

1. Do introductions and review key messages
2. Present the data
3. Discuss observations of the data
4. Discuss interpretations of the data
5. Discuss implications of the data
6. Determine next steps for the group
7. Reflect on the meeting’s effectiveness 

During the Meeting

4. After the Meeting

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After the meeting, the protocol lead recaps the meeting and next steps.

1. Distribute notes from protocol process
2. Confirm next steps and timeline for additional actions 

After the Meeting

Examples, Templates, and Additional Resources

Data Meeting Examples

Groups use the meeting protocol to construct meaning from data for different purposes. The protocol steps are the same, but the purposes, desired outcomes, range of stakeholders, and depth of analysis they will undertake may differ. These examples represent just a few of the ways groups can use the data meeting toolkit.

Engaging Stakeholders with State Data

Using Data to Evaluate Implementation

Data Meeting Templates

Editable templates such as customizable participant and process agendas, action plan templates, and follow-up checklists help with planning and conducting meetings.

Before the Meeting Planning

Sample Participant Agenda

Sample Process Agenda

Sample Data Meeting Notes Catcher

Sample Action Plan

Follow up Checklist

Additional Resources to Support Data Use

Materials on data culture, visualization, privacy, and stakeholder engagement.

Data Culture and Quality

Data Presentation and Visualization

Data Privacy and Security

Stakeholders and Data Use

Toolkit Sources