How do you keep track of your work processes?

[BryceW]

Recently work has picked up for me and my business and quickly finding im getting alot of returning work for clients Ive made websites for in the past, usually it is something like change a event date, phone number, add a new page etc..

I load up a particular clients file and go to make some title graphics for the new page they want and then I relise something, I cant remember in the sightest what processes/settings I took in Photoshop to get the effect Ive been using. I do keep PSD's but they do not keep the history information of the exact steps that occured (i know i can do snapshots but I dont think of it at the time).

How do you keep track of things such as the processes you took to make a certain effect or final result (doesnt have to be Photoshop or even Imaging software). Do you write down step by step on the piece of paper? Make 'snapshots' like in photoshop? etc..?

[orion_joel]

Maybe you could look at some sort of Client Management Software, even somthing basic like outlook, just keep tabs of main things that you need to know about each client in the notes section.

[Bleys]

Keep a notebook by your PC and take notes as you work. The act of writing it down might just help you remember in the long run, anyway (which will help you become a better designer).

[ses5909]

you could use dotproject.

[icky_bu]

dotproject is very very cool (www.dotproject.net)
I recommend it for anyone with more than 3 projects simultaneously and specially with REALLY picky clients.

[Bleys]

I don't think he's actually looking for a way to keep track of each project/client, but rather to keep track of how he did certain things in each project (so he doesn't have to reinvent the wheel later).

[peach]

If I use photoshop for something that might be reproductive, I save the steps in an action. This way all the steps are saved and you can in some cases use the action to do all of the work for you. (for example I use actions to crop - resize - edit - and make-up photos, and make thumbnails)

[BryceW]

I don't think he's actually looking for a way to keep track of each project/client, but rather to keep track of how he did certain things in each project (so he doesn't have to reinvent the wheel later).

Yeah, thats what I meant. Lets say I made a website for a client a few months ago and NOW they want me to make a new page so I need to make a new header graphic.

To make the original graphic I used ###### color, resized it 50%, used the XXXXXX font, added a outer glow with 5px spread and 60% opacity, then upped the brightness to +30 and dropped the contrast to -2.

The problem lies with doing this all again to make the new graphic since I dont remember what settings I used. The question is how do you guys track your development steps.