Story formats
Every story here takes one of three shapes. The format is chosen to fit the experience, not the other way round — and an editor will suggest one if you are unsure.
Field Note
Read all field notes One practical lesson from real work.
Length: 300 to 600 words
What it is for: One practical lesson from real work.
The shape
- Situation
- Action
- Observation
- Lesson
- Question for peers
What we will ask you
Tell us about one thing you changed in your HR work. What prompted it, what did you try, what happened, and what should another practitioner understand before trying it?
Start a Field Note 3 stories published
Turning Point
Read all turning points An experience that changed how you practice HR.
Length: 500 to 900 words
What it is for: An experience that changed how you practice HR.
The shape
- A moment
- Earlier assumption
- New understanding
- Changed behavior
- Unresolved tension
What we will ask you
Describe one experience that changed how you practice HR. Stay close to what you experienced and learned; you do not need to disclose someone else’s private story.
What We Tried
Read all what we tried experiments An experiment, its constraints, and its honest outcome.
Length: 500 to 900 words
What it is for: An experiment, its constraints, and its honest outcome.
The shape
- Context
- Hypothesis
- Actions
- Evidence
- Limits
- Next iteration
What we will ask you
What problem were you trying to solve? What did you change? How did you judge the result? What else could explain it? What would you adjust next time?
Not sure which one fits?
Start with five short answers and say what happened. Choosing the format is an editor’s job, not yours.