Keep a useful observation
A useful observation begins with a small question. Decide which result would help answer it before choosing what to collect.
Read · observe · return to a useful question
Working Notebook
Readings on observing a small task, keeping its limits visible and leaving a useful result.
This notebook begins with observations and follows the question into a few related readings. Each note introduces one distinction, gives an ordinary example and ends with an idea to carry into a small check. Use the index to choose a starting point and return to it when the question changes.
Explore the notebook
Start here
Choose a useful starting point
Draw the boundary before collecting detail
A clear boundary makes a note smaller and more trustworthy. It tells a reader which conclusion the evidence can support.
Compare two attempts fairly
Two numbers become a useful comparison only when their conditions are known. The differences around the numbers can matter more than their size.
A route through this collection
The opening reading, keep a useful observation, introduces the main question. The next two readings offer different ways to look at it: draw the boundary before collecting detail and compare two attempts fairly.
Each reading stands on its own and links to its neighbours. Follow the section list to a useful distinction, then return to the index when the question changes. A short record of what you observed will be more useful than reading everything at once.
Choose a note from the full index, or read how this notebook is arranged.