Use evidence to bound the story

The register below is a worked example, not a set of findings.

Each Northstar Services entry describes a fictional source that could help explore a theme. None establishes that an outcome occurred. Before using a proof point as fact, verify the real source, its context and date, permission to use it, and whether the proposed wording stays within what it supports.

Illustrative evidence register

These sample descriptions are not findings or approved evidence.

Theme Illustrative source description What it could help show Verification question
Make work easier to navigate Fictional onboarding journey map showing where a new colleague looks for task context. The steps and information a journey exercise chose to examine. Is this a real, current journey map? Who contributed, and what audience or process does it cover?
Bring the right people together Sample cross-team handoff walkthrough tracing a request from one working group to another. Where participants describe roles, context, or decision points in a handoff. Was the walkthrough conducted? Which handoff did it cover, and do we have permission to describe it?
Turn shared context into coordinated action Hypothetical employee feedback synthesis grouping comments about decisions and next steps. Themes that a properly sourced feedback review might identify. What is the source and scope? Does the wording accurately represent it without implying a measured result?

Review a proof point before use

Keep the claim no broader than the evidence.

  1. 1

    Locate the source

    Open the original document, record, or approved research—not a paraphrase alone.

  2. 2

    Check context and date

    Confirm what was examined, who or what it covered, and when it was produced.

  3. 3

    Confirm permission

    Check that the intended audience and channel may use the source or describe its contents.

  4. 4

    Bound the wording

    Remove any implication of scale, result, or certainty that the source does not support.

Questions that protect the story

Use these checks when evidence is incomplete or still being reviewed.

What counts as evidence?

A source that can be located and checked, such as an approved research summary, process walkthrough, or documented decision. Its relevance depends on its context and the claim being made.

What if the source is not ready or a gap remains?

Describe the point as an intention, question, or area being explored—not as an established outcome. Record what would need to be verified before strengthening the claim.

When should an example not be presented as fact?

Do not present it as fact when its source is hypothetical, unavailable, out of date, outside the intended audience's permissions, or too limited to support the wording.