> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hackersquad.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Engineering Notebooks
> View participant engineering notebooks tracking project iterations and thought process
The **Notebooks** tab in the Event Management dashboard lets you view engineering notebooks created by participants during your event. Access it from the [Event Management Overview](/event-management/overview) by clicking the **Notebooks** tab.
## What are engineering notebooks?
Engineering notebooks are structured logs that participants use to document their project's evolution throughout an event. Each notebook tracks iterations of problem-solving, from the initial idea through implementation decisions.
Notebooks help event managers and judges understand:
* How a team identified and defined their problem
* What approaches they considered
* Why they made specific technical decisions
* How their solution evolved over the course of the event
## Viewing notebooks
The notebooks page lists all engineering notebooks created by event participants. Each entry shows:
| Field | Description |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Title** | The notebook title, typically the project or problem name |
| **Author** | The participant who created the notebook |
| **Iterations** | Number of iteration entries in the notebook |
| **Last updated** | When the notebook was most recently updated |
Click on any notebook to view the full content.
## Notebook structure
Each engineering notebook contains a series of entries organized as iterations. Within each iteration, participants add comments categorized by type:
| Comment type | Description |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **General** | General notes, observations, or context |
| **Problem** | Defines the problem being solved or a sub-problem encountered |
| **Approach** | Describes the approach or strategy being considered |
| **Implementation** | Documents implementation details, code decisions, or technical specifics |
## Iteration tracking
Notebooks are organized by iterations, representing distinct phases of the project:
* **Iteration 1** might cover initial problem research and brainstorming
* **Iteration 2** might document the first prototype attempt and challenges encountered
* **Iteration 3** might cover pivots, refinements, or final implementation details
Each iteration can contain multiple comments of different types, building a complete picture of the team's thought process.
Engineering notebooks help judges understand a team's thought process and can positively influence scoring. Encourage participants to maintain their notebooks throughout the event.
## Using notebooks for judging
Engineering notebooks provide valuable context for judges:
* **Problem understanding** — did the team clearly define the problem?
* **Technical depth** — does the approach show thoughtful engineering decisions?
* **Iteration quality** — did the team adapt and improve throughout the event?
* **Documentation** — is the thought process well-documented and easy to follow?
Share the notebooks page with judges so they can review entries before or during the judging process.
## Next steps
View project submissions alongside their notebooks.
Set up judges to evaluate projects and notebooks.
Configure scoring criteria and rubrics.
View real-time rankings and score breakdowns.