Transcribe SME Interviews With Otter.ai and Extract Proposal Content

Go to otter.ai and click "Sign Up." Create an account with your email or Google account. Choose the free Basic plan.

For Zoom integration:

1. In Otter.ai, click your name → Settings → Integrations
2. Click "Connect" next to Zoom
3. Authorize the connection

After connecting, Otter will automatically join and transcribe your Zoom meetings when enabled.

At the start of every SME interview, say clearly:

"I'll be recording this session so I can focus on the conversation rather than taking notes. The recording will be used only to draft the proposal section — it won't be shared outside the proposal team. Is that okay?"

This is both a legal requirement in most states and good professional practice. If the SME declines, use Otter.ai on your own device to transcribe your side only and take manual notes.

For Zoom calls:

• Start your Zoom meeting as host
• Otter.ai will automatically join as a participant if you've enabled "Automatic join" in settings
• You'll see the Otter bot join as "[Your Name] Otter Notetaker"
• The transcript begins populating in real time in your Otter.ai dashboard

For in-person or phone interviews:

• Open the Otter.ai app on your phone
• Tap the large orange microphone button
• Place your phone where it can pick up both voices

Use the questions you generated using the Level 1 prompt guide ("Generate SME Interview Questions"). These questions target evaluation-relevant content — specific examples, measurable outcomes, differentiators.

Focus entirely on the conversation. Let Otter.ai handle the notes.

Within 5 minutes of ending the interview, open Otter.ai and:

1. Skim the transcript (Otter displays both speakers labeled separately)
2. Use the highlight feature (select text → click the highlight button) to mark the most valuable statements — specific metrics, project examples, differentiating approaches
3. Add an Action Item note for any follow-up questions you need to ask

What you should see: A full transcript with speaker labels, timestamps on each line, and your highlights marking the content to extract.

After the interview, paste the full transcript (or highlighted sections) into Claude:

For section drafting: "Here is the transcript of an interview with our cloud architect discussing our zero trust implementation approach. Extract the key technical points that would be most compelling in a DoD proposal section emphasizing Technical Approach and Innovation. Organize by: approach/methodology, differentiators, specific metrics/outcomes, risk mitigation. [paste transcript]"

For specific section writing: "Use the information from this interview transcript to write a 400-word technical approach section for [section topic]. Focus on specifics from the interview — named tools, specific metrics, concrete examples. [paste transcript]"