Learnings:

....related to the mapping process not the end result:

Shamsp1:

+ Clear aesthetic style from the start.
+ Details that can be applied fairly universally.
+ Decent prefabs.


- Having to make a terrain mash
- Not planning interior layout / detailing
- Starting with overly simple 2-D layout.



Shamsp2:

+ Very clear, replicatable design style.
+ Lots of harmonious prefabs, very easy to populate / detail map
+ Planning a reasonably complex layout that needed little change.
+ Inspiring theme / textures easy to work with.
+ Easy general trim textures

- A few areas of getting trim to work at different heights.
- Not making pre-fabs func_detail / illusionary initially.


SM186_Sham:

+ Sticking to a fairly simple / small design.
+ Having a decent theme / hook to keep inspired.

- Using rotated corridors.
- Awkward window section in corridor cross.



Shamsp3:

+ Adding side areas afterwards, easy way to increase size / gameplay.
+ Starting as a speedmap so not getting too carried away with complexity.

- Having to make a terrain mash
- Faffy lift / switch combinations, didn't get working smoothly.



AD_DM2rmx_Sham:

+ Having a reasonably clear colour / texture theme from the start.
+ Having an easily functional layout.

- Basing a map exactly on an existing .map file
- Making prefab details that were difficult to fit together or fit into the map designs
- Having a fairly ugly main wall texture.


Xmasjam2_Sham:

+ Starting in plenty of time with lots of time to refine details.
+ Doing a lot of sketching to get back on track.

- Trying to fit in a really awkward layout in the space allocated.
- Not making complex prefabs fully func_detailed / illusioned first.
- Having intially over-ambitious / unvisualised ideas.



SM189_Sham:

+ Having a good gimmick for a speedmap.
+ Sticking to inspiring textures out of a large selection.

- Some tricky lighting.


AD_Shamsp4:

+ Having some neat design hooks to give me confidence / interest.
+ Decent "detail" / "gimmick" pre-fabs.
+ Fairly decent theme that was fairly inspiring to work with.

- Choosing a relentlessly difficult trim texture.
- Having large areas angled to 45' and filling with rotated stuff.
- Having to make a terrain mash
- Making some fairly difficult / obtuse pre-fab details (glass pipes, light cones)


So, common factors:

Good / easy:

Strong theme
Good layout early on
Lots of prefabs / applicable details
Easy to use textures

Bad / hard:

Struggling to fit a layout in to a certain area
Making loads of terrain mash
Hard to use / over-complex textures
Not finalising pre-fabs before use
Not planning details / layout