One PCB Design Lesson I Wish I Had Learned Earlier

When I first started learning PCB design, I believed that as long as every net was connected correctly, the board would work.

Now I realize that's only part of the story.

Component placement often matters even more than routing.

A well-planned layout usually makes routing easier, reduces EMI, and improves thermal performance.

I've started spending much more time arranging components before drawing a single trace.

It's surprising how much cleaner the final design becomes.

What's one PCB design habit that improved your work the most?