A small reference notebook
Read a result before repeating an action
Separate the steps
Submitting an action, observing it finish and checking the intended result are different steps. A useful record distinguishes them. When the outcome is uncertain, start by finding out what happened rather than assuming that the action never ran.
Choose a small control
A check is more informative when there is a known working comparison. Keep the comparison close to the question being asked. Changing the input, the tool and the environment together may produce a different result without explaining which difference mattered.
Repeat with a reason
Repetition helps when it tests a changed condition or a clear hypothesis. Repeating an unchanged action can add noise, and some actions can create additional work each time they run. Write down the reason for the next attempt before making it.