Startup Idea: Meeting Efficiency Tracking Software

Startup idea to develop a software that tracks and rates the efficiency of meetings within a business. This could be based on time spent, relevance, and progress of discussed tasks. The software could employ smart learning to listen in and understand 'usefulness' during a meeting, or let users input ratings. It would generate detailed reports on meeting efficiency and potentially rate individual performance, promoting productivity and profitability.

As someone who has worked within business large and small I know that one of the most wasteful activities is meetings. People sit around and talk and quite often get little done. Worse, nobody ever keeps track of the usefulness or efficiency of meetings. Therefore I believe what is needed is software that allows for tracking time in meetings and rating minutes on the degree of usefulness of that time spent, i.e. was it work related, did it promote the progression of work, was information disseminated necessary or useful. Ideally such a system could be self run, such that it has a microphone and listens and then uses smart learning to understand what useful means in a meeting. Barring that, it would allow a person to enter rating scales. The system would of course need to create reports that detail the efficiency of meetings, or their usefulness. Perhaps it could even rate individuals on their performance. Such a system would reduce meeting length, force people to stay on topic and remove parts that don't really contribute anything useful. All these things would result in less time in meetings and more time working, making a company more profitable. I have in the past suggested that someone in a meeting be designated as a meeting assessor, but no one wanted to do it because they would be hated. Also, it would likely be very biased.