Midweek PLC Musings

Programmers Notebooks, what are they for? No they are not a design tool. They are a memory aid and progress reference. Remember you are working with a bunch of people who know more about their specialty that you do. Most of the engineering notebook practice guidelines found on the net are concerned with patent or engineering studies (lab work) and school related concerns. So the advice there is of limited use. In the pursuit of what I might call field-engineering, no matter if you are programming, doing systems design, network related stuff, your notebook is way more important than your computer even!

So what should it look like?

   You should find a source where you can buy a few books just like this: Bound books, not spiral bound, with black covers. It is important if you ever have to show your book to a lawyer or judge that there can be no issue that pages might have been removed (or added fro that matter). And you want all your books over the years to be the same so you can store them on a shelf, together.

What should your entries look like?

   You should only make entries on the right hand pages. Yes, yes it is wasteful. Should I tell you what my first prof in electro-mechanical engineering told the class when people started handing in assignments with both sides of the pages written on? He said you don’t use both sides of your toilet paper - do you? So don’t do it. I’ll give you a better reason for it shortly.

The actual entries.

   You should write with a pen. I don’t, I write with mechanical pencil. But I work for myself, so I can have some leeway. If you are an employee you should write with a pen, on the right hand pages. After a meeting, at the end of the day, or at the start of a new day - you might want to go over your notes and restate them or expand on them. Don’t alter your original notes! You now write on the left hand pages. Its also a spot for sketches or explanations that require a bit of sketching for a client.

You need a notebook if you are going to a meeting.

   Don’t discount the power of looking part of. When you and the other eight people whom you don’t even know yet start entering the meeting room, just by carrying similar looking notebooks puts you visibly in the club. You belong there.

You need the notebook if you are visiting a client/customer.

   Having the notebook in hand will serve a number of objectives: After the introduction, if you are standing, it gives you something to do with your hands. As soon as something even mildly important is being said, if you open the notebook and there is a new fresh page visible with the date and time of the meeting already entered - and possibly the name the individual(s) you are meeting already entered - that solidifies a great first impression. Writing down key points of what is being discussed will help you later when discussing or writing notes, about what happened.

You need the notebook if you are doing work that is being observed by a client.

   Just as with the client meeting notes, notes you are taking about the equipment you are working on - when you being observed shows that you are careful in your approach. That you are creating a record as you go. That will help you sometime later when there might be a question about details recalled. Your words will likely weigh more because people have observed you writing things down.

You need the notebook when making phone calls.

   The use of your notebook when making phone calls is that again you enter the time of the call and your objective - the outcome that you would like to achieve. Then, when the call is progressing you are free to take notes -especially what the other party is saying, recording their position. Being able to pay attention and restate the other party’s points, makes you better able to negotiate the outcome you need, because the other side feels they are being heard/understood.

You need the notebook when observing equipment operation on site.

   Every time you work on a client site, you have the feeling that you will never forget the details. But of course you do. So write down nameplate data, measurements and outcomes, as well as concerns. And if other people on site state concerns or make claims write those down as well. You might, while embroiled in the activities make only single word or abbreviated entries (after all it is not nice for someone who somewhat confidentially shared something with you - to see that you are writing it down).

I hope you get the idea, you need to have the notebook with you - period!

Over to you: How are you using yours?