Keep a notebook for your AI experiments.

An experiment is useful when you can explain what you tried and what happened. A short notebook entry is enough. It helps you distinguish a repeatable result from a single impressive example.

Record the conditions

Save the task, tool, date and relevant settings. Copy the prompt and keep a sample of the input when it is appropriate to retain it. Avoid saving unnecessary private data.

Define what success means

Choose a few checks before seeing the result. For a summary, you might check whether key points are retained and whether any facts were invented. For a draft, you might check structure, clarity and how much editing it takes.

Compare attempts fairly

Change one factor at a time. Use the same sample when comparing tools or prompts, and keep a note of where a comparison is limited. A different input can produce a different result.

Save the practical lesson

End each entry with one conclusion and a next step. “Useful for a first outline; still needs source checks” says more than “amazing.” The notebook should help you decide what to repeat, what to change and what to stop doing.