I’ve started thinking of my writing in two modes: Field Notes and Field Guides.

Field Notes are the messy kind: half-formed, still unfolding, shaped by the moment.

Field Guides are the ones I’d give someone else to use. They’re tested, teachable, and a bit more finished.

This blog – scottcolfer.com – is where I write field notes.

My Substack newsletter – https://productinservice.substack.com/ – is where I publish field guides.

This post is a Field Note . . . about Field Notes :)

Learning vs teaching

Field Notes are for learning. Field Guides are for teaching. Here’s what I’m noticing about them:

Field Notes Field Guides
In progress Tested insight
Reflective Instructive
Personal Practical
Curious Confident
Relational Useful
Honest Helpful

Field Notes are written while I’m still in the situation. Field Guides come after I’ve made some sense of the situation. My Field Notes say ‘here’s what I’m noticing’. My Field Guides say, ‘here’s what’s worked, you might find it useful’.

Why I’m choosing to share Field Notes

Most of our work isn’t polished but most content online is. We’ve been taught to only publish when we’ve got the answer. But I don’t think that’s where the value is. Not in product, or public service, or leadership. These are fields full of ambiguity and transition. We figure things out while we’re doing them. Sometimes, while we’re writing about them. I think of this as learning out loud.

How I’m using this in practice

I keep lots of very rough field notes on Google Keep on my phone. They’re ‘in the moment’ thoughts. I turn some of these into Field Notes on this blog, using it as a chance to figure out what’s going on. I also write monthly field guides that I publish through my newsletter. I’ve got field notes stretching back to 2012, and a couple of years ago I started turning some of these into field guides. By this time, I’d been using some of these as the basis for my practice for years and they were ripe to turn into something more practical and useful. I’ve got no strict rules about this, I just do what feels right. It helps me keep going and keep sharing.

A note for anyone reading

If you’ve got an idea sitting in your notes folder because it doesn’t feel “ready” yet: maybe it’s not supposed to be a guide, maybe it’s a Field Note. And maybe it is ready?