Turn a quick note into a finished document

The first version only needs to capture the observation. The finished version should help another person decide or act. Here is a small example you can adapt.

Capture the observation

# Survey decision

The camera missed two readings during heavy cloud.
We need to decide whether to change the sampling interval.

- Evidence: readings from stations A and B
- Next action: compare a ten-minute interval with five minutes

Record the uncertainty and next action before polishing the wording. Give the note a title you would recognize in Library search.

Turn the next action into a structure

Open New Note… and choose a Plan or Research / Study start if you want a proposed outline. Keep the parts that serve this decision: evidence, options, recommendation and next check. Preview before creating. A blank note works equally well.

Compare the options explicitly

State a provisional recommendation below the table. Link the supporting observations rather than copying every raw reading into the brief.

Review as the recipient

Switch to Read. Check that the heading alone explains the decision, the recommendation follows the evidence and the next action has an owner. On iPhone, inspect the widest table and any diagram. Keep a sentence that explains what each visual means.

Choose the useful handoff

Share Markdown and its attachments if the recipient will continue editing. Export PDF if the recipient needs a stable page. Preview the generated pages and check the last page, long table and diagram before sending.