01

Keep one card per idea

Write a short explanation and its source. Use your own words while preserving the distinction between what the source says and what you infer.

02

Add a surprising connection

Link the idea to a different field or a familiar experience. Explain the connection in a sentence. A connection that you cannot describe may be only a resemblance.

03

Record the difference too

Good comparisons have limits. If a pattern in nature reminds you of an algorithm, identify where the processes differ as well as where they appear similar.

04

Choose a next experiment

Turn one connection into a sketch, example, or question you can investigate. Your collection becomes useful when it changes what you notice or try.