--- name: granola-performance-tuning description: | Optimize Granola transcription accuracy, note quality, and processing speed. Use when improving transcription quality, reducing processing time, optimizing templates for better AI output, or tuning audio setup. Trigger: "granola performance", "granola accuracy", "granola quality", "improve granola", "granola transcription better". allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit version: 1.0.0 license: MIT author: Jeremy Longshore compatible-with: claude-code, codex, openclaw tags: [saas, granola, performance, transcription] --- # Granola Performance Tuning ## Overview Optimize Granola output quality across three dimensions: audio/transcription accuracy, AI enhancement quality, and integration speed. Granola's AI (GPT-4o/Claude) produces better output when it has clean audio, well-typed notes, and structured templates. ## Prerequisites - Working Granola installation with meetings captured - Willingness to improve audio setup and meeting practices - At least 3-5 meetings captured to establish baseline quality ## Instructions ### Step 1 — Optimize Audio for Transcription Granola captures system audio from your device. Transcription accuracy depends entirely on audio quality: **Hardware recommendations (by priority):** | Setup | Accuracy Impact | Recommendation | |-------|----------------|----------------| | Wired headset with mic | Highest | Best for solo/remote meetings | | USB condenser mic | High | Best for in-office, multiple speakers | | Laptop built-in mic | Medium | Acceptable for quiet environments | | Bluetooth headset | Variable | May cause dropouts — test first | | Speakerphone in room | Low | Echo and distance degrade accuracy | **Audio configuration checklist:** - [ ] Correct input device selected in System Settings > Sound > Input - [ ] Input volume at 75-100% (not too low, not clipping) - [ ] Audio enhancements disabled (Windows: right-click device > Properties > disable enhancements) - [ ] No conflicting virtual audio software (Loopback, BlackHole, etc.) - [ ] Bluetooth device stable (or switch to wired if experiencing drops) **Room setup:** - [ ] Minimal background noise (close doors, turn off fans) - [ ] Soft surfaces to reduce echo (avoid glass-walled conference rooms) - [ ] Mic within 12 inches of speaker(s) - [ ] Meeting participants using headsets (reduces echo and crosstalk) ### Step 2 — Improve Meeting Practices These behaviors directly improve Granola's output: | Practice | Impact | Why It Helps | |----------|--------|-------------| | State names when assigning work | High | "Sarah, can you handle the API spec?" enables correct attribution | | Use explicit action language | High | "Action item: review by Friday" — AI detects structured language | | One speaker at a time | High | Crosstalk confuses speaker diarization | | Summarize decisions verbally | Medium | "So we've decided to go with option B" — AI captures decisions | | Spell technical terms first time | Medium | "We'll use Kubernetes, K-U-B-E-R-N-E-T-E-S" — improves accuracy | | Type notes during the meeting | High | Your notes give the AI critical context for enhancement | | Brief recap at meeting end | Medium | "To summarize, we agreed on X, Y, and Z" — improves summary | ### Step 3 — Optimize Templates for AI Quality Template structure directly affects the quality of enhanced output: **High-quality template design:** ```markdown ## Summary [2-3 sentence overview of the meeting] ## Key Decisions [Bullet list of decisions made, with reasoning] ## Action Items [Format: - [ ] @person: task (due date)] ## Open Questions [Items that need follow-up or weren't resolved] ## Next Steps [What happens after this meeting] ``` **Template optimization tips:** 1. **Use 5-7 sections max** — too many sections dilute content 2. **Include format hints** — `[Format: - [ ] @person: task]` guides the AI 3. **Put Action Items near the end** — AI processes sequentially, actions at the end capture the full meeting 4. **Add "Verbatim Quotes" section for customer calls** — AI will pull exact language from the transcript 5. **Avoid generic sections** — "Notes" and "Discussion" produce vague output; be specific ### Step 4 — Post-Meeting Quality Review (5 Minutes) After enhancing notes, spend 5 minutes on quality assurance: - [ ] **Summary accurate?** Does it reflect what actually happened? - [ ] **Action items complete?** Are all commitments captured with correct owners? - [ ] **Decisions correct?** No hallucinated decisions or mixed-up attributions? - [ ] **Sensitive content?** Remove anything that shouldn't be shared before posting - [ ] **Missing context?** Add background the AI couldn't know ### Step 5 — Use Granola Chat to Fill Gaps After enhancement, use Chat to improve the notes: ``` "What did Mike say about the timeline?" → Searches transcript for Mike's statements about timeline "Were there any disagreements that aren't captured in the summary?" → Analyzes transcript for conflicting viewpoints "Add the budget numbers that were discussed" → Pulls specific figures from the transcript "Rewrite the action items with more detail" → Expands terse action items with transcript context ``` ### Step 6 — Measure and Track Quality | Metric | Target | How to Measure | |--------|--------|----------------| | Transcription accuracy | >95% word accuracy | Spot-check 2-3 min of transcript vs. audio | | Action item detection | >90% captured | Compare enhanced notes to manual list | | Decision accuracy | 100% correct | Verify all listed decisions actually happened | | Processing time | <2 min for 30-min meeting | Timestamp when meeting ends vs. when notes are ready | | Enhancement usefulness | 4+/5 team rating | Monthly survey: "How useful are Granola notes?" | Track these monthly. If accuracy drops below target: 1. Check audio setup (most common cause) 2. Review template structure 3. Verify meeting practices are being followed 4. Contact Granola support for persistent issues ## Output - Audio setup optimized for maximum transcription accuracy - Meeting practices improving AI output quality - Templates structured for effective enhancement - Quality measurement process established ## Error Handling | Issue | Cause | Fix | |-------|-------|-----| | <85% transcription accuracy | Poor microphone or noisy room | Upgrade to wired headset, reduce background noise | | Action items missed | Vague language ("someone should...") | Use explicit format: "Action item: @person does X by Y" | | Wrong speaker attribution | Crosstalk or no name usage | State names, avoid overlapping speech | | Slow processing (>5 min) | Long meeting or server load | Normal for 2+ hour meetings; check status.granola.ai | | Hallucinated decisions | AI filling template sections | Review before sharing; remove decisions that didn't happen | ## Resources - [Get the Best from Granola](https://www.granola.ai/blog/get-the-best-from-granola) - [How Transcription Works](https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/taking-notes/how-transcription-works) - [Customize Templates](https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/taking-notes/customise-notes-with-templates) ## Next Steps Proceed to `granola-cost-tuning` for cost optimization and plan selection.