PORTABLE METHOD / 6 STEPS
Build a quick note. A short record for a museum stop when the object deserves more than a glance and less than a full catalogue essay.
Begin with one signal, test it from a second position, then source the name and state the limit. Speed comes from a narrow question, not from skipping evidence.
Start the route 01 Signal Name the visible feature that starts the route: colour, lid, break, contact, repeat or container.
02 Scale Record dimensions, viewing distance and the way a crop or case changes the apparent size.
03 Surface Map paint, glaze, stone, metal, wood, loss, repair and reflection with cautious language.
04 Context Use title, object code, label and display companions to keep the signal attached to one object.
05 Source Match material, date, identity and current access to the exact institutional page that supports each claim.
06 Limit End with what the short route cannot settle and a dated next question for another visit or record.
ONE MINUTE
Find the signal. Choose colour, break, contact, lid, repetition or support. Write one literal sentence before looking at the label.
FIVE MINUTES
Test the surface. Move once, compare scale and note what the case or crop changes. Keep a direct observation beside the museum wording.
TEN MINUTES
Source the name. Attach the object record, image credit and access date. End with one unresolved question rather than a smooth conclusion.
Three rules Start narrow. Test once. Credit precisely.
Portable output One object code, one surface test, one source and one honest limit.
