Filling a container, placing it on the beamline, and analysing the data can be simple when dealing with stable samples. However, my research focuses on dynamic and responsive systems, and therefore I want to know what happens when stimulus is applied. This involves the design of a different sample environment that enables application of the stimulus while not interfering with the neutrons passing through the sample. There are no off-the-shelf sample cells or ready-to-print designs for these occasions. In particular, for our electrochromic windows, we needed to design a sample environment that allowed us to study morphological changes upon the application of a current which causes the colour change. I therefore worked closely with Ralf Schweins and David Bowyer at the Institute Laue-Langevin neutron facility in Grenoble, France. I used ‘spare’ time on several different beamtime allocations to test any new iterations before I could get dedicated beamtime to test the new sample environment for our systems. Together, we converted some different spectroelectrochemical cells normally used to monitor the change in absorption of materials upon application of a current. The first successful version (albeit leaky) involved changing the CaF2 windows for quartz glass as to be invisible to the neutrons, and using scalpel-cut pieces of rubber for spacers. After seeing the concept working, I then commissioned specialized quartz cuvettes, which stopped the leaks. Not only did it now work beautifully, and we were able to measure our system working in situ, but now other research groups have also been able to use the sample environment for their systems too. It was only knowing how each of the components work, and how the samples behave that we were able to solve the problems that we encountered. Has the ability to download and print equipment meant we will lose the art of creatively thinking about a problem and knowledge of techniques? Being able to keep the knowledge and design of experiment, together with the ease of creating equipment, will allow us to make sample environments in the future that we cannot even conceive of right now.