It's very important to keep documents organized from the get-go; especially in research, a lot of iterations are needed and data could become messy fast. Therefore, properly creating and naming folders (with a set convention) is key to high efficiency.

If you have the vision of creating something that could improve certain processes, go for it! During my research internship, I proposed the idea of using a MATLAB algorithm to analyze microscopic images, instead of doing it manually. At the same time, I streamlined a process to snap hundreds of microscopic images semi-automatically (again, to avoid having to perform the task manually). By implementing both of these ideas, I was able to increase the efficiency of my research project. 

Last but not least, I learned a lot about how composite materials, their fabrication process, and mechanical properties.