Write it down before you fix it
Memory is a lossy format. The incident channel is not documentation.
Placeholder lesson. Replace it with one you paid for.
Every time something breaks, the fix feels obvious and unforgettable. By next quarter it’s gone, and so is the person who knew it.
The rule
Write down what you saw before you change anything. Ugly notes are fine; missing notes aren’t. Future you is a stranger who’s just as tired as you are now.