Field note / 04

Change one thing at a time.

Start with a baseline you can repeat. Save the input, the expected output, and the actual result together.

Name the variable

Write down what you are changing before running the experiment. If several conditions change together, the result may not distinguish your hypotheses.

Repeat the result

Some behavior depends on timing or state. Repeat the experiment and report the variation, including unsuccessful runs.

Leave instructions

Someone else should be able to reproduce the observation from your notes without relying on an unstated local setup.