[charred_patina]

I started working at a lab where I am the only SWE and everyone else is a scientist. I have a lab notebook, but I don't use it properly (thankfully nobody gets on my case about it). I usually just use it as a short-term working memory, but it helps me keep track of the progress I've made. It's nice to look back on something I was working on two months ago and see all my thoughts written down about which library to use or architecture to use. Looking back at my past struggles gives me a sense of accomplishment and progress.

That said, I usually try to preserve the results of my "experimentation" in documentation with the software, so I can share it with others. It's a good sign when people never talk about X to me, and I end up asking them if they ever used X and they tell me "I just used your documentation". Best feeling ever.