Rehearse the conversation before you have it.

EM Field Guide is an app for engineering managers. Find the case that fits your situation, read what matters in about ten minutes, and rehearse it by text with a character who holds things back until you ask well.

Get the appFree to start. iPhone and Android.

From case HC-01, "My senior engineer's work isn't at the level their title says"

Describe the bar, not the person. "At senior level, a design doc needs to survive review without a rewrite. The last three needed one." That's a gap against a standard, not a verdict on who they are.

A rehearsal in Coach mode with Marcus. His reply, OK noted, the team has a lot on right now, and his inner thought beneath it: Three. They counted. Nobody mentions the scope moved every week. The trust meter reads 30 and the counter 0 of 3 surfaced. — **Fig. 01**The italics are his inner thoughts. In the app you see them only when you choose to peek, in Coach mode, or in the debrief.

How it works

Step 1

Read the case.

Describe your situation, or browse the library by track. The finder suggests the cases that fit and tells you why. Every case starts from a moment, not a topic, and reads in about ten minutes on your phone. Each one covers why the conversation is hard, what matters, and words you can use.

The app's case finder. The situation typed in: my most senior engineer keeps missing the bar on design docs, and his review is in six weeks, I'm talking to him tomorrow. Best match: case HC-01, free, with a Rehearse now button and Read first, 10 min. — **Fig. 02**"My most senior engineer keeps missing the bar on design docs, and his review is in six weeks. I'm talking to him tomorrow." The finder's best match: case HC-01, read first, 10 min.

Step 2

Rehearse it.

Type your lines. The character holds things back until you ask well. In Coach mode you can see what they are thinking and how much they trust you. Marcus is holding back three things. Ask a real question and he says one of them.

A rehearsal with Marcus, 1 of 3 surfaced. After the question, what's your read on it, he answers: Honestly? The scope changed four times on the last one. I rewrote it every week, and it still looked rushed. A note under the reply says he said something he had been holding back. — **Fig. 03**Marcus said something he had been holding back: "The scope changed four times on the last one."

Step 3

Get the debrief.

See how many of the things they were holding back you surfaced, what was underneath, and a line to try next time. Then go again until the first sentence feels easy.

The debrief: you surfaced 2 of 3 things Marcus was holding back. Next time, try saying: Before we get to the docs, what has made the last few designs harder than the ones you used to do? A cultural nuance note, a score of 72 out of 100, and four bars: clear message, protected their dignity, listened and drew them out, agreed a next step. — **Fig. 04**You found 2 of 3 things he was holding back. Next time, try saying: "Before we get to the docs: what has made the last few designs harder than the ones you used to do?"

Read a case

Three of the free guides: the situation, what matters most and how it lands in teams across Asia. Read one before the conversation and walk in ready.

How do I tell a senior engineer their work isn't at the level their title says?Their seniority makes the gap awkward to name, and silence turns it into a review-time surprise.
How do I deliver news I disagree with (reorg, freeze, no promotion)?You have to back a decision you argued against without losing the team's trust.
How do I lead a major incident as the manager, not the fixer?Your job is to coordinate, and everyone wants you to fix.

All case guides

Built for teams in more than one country

Every case shows how the same situation shifts across cultures, and every debrief notes how it could land differently elsewhere. Asia is covered first, with written notes. Nothing assumes where you work.

Seniority and age run both ways. If they're older or longer-tenured than you, direct criticism can land as disrespect from you, and they may never show it. Acknowledge their experience explicitly and early.

Fig. 05From case HC-01, "Cultural nuance: Asia".

The cultural nuance section of case HC-01 in the app, titled Cultural nuance: Asia. Its first notes read: Seniority and age run both ways, and Indirect listeners hear direct as far stronger than you meant. — **Fig. 06**The cultural nuance section of case HC-01, in the app. Every case has one.

What to know

The characters are made up and written by AI. Their replies can be wrong or unrealistic. EM Field Guide is practice. It is not legal, HR or medical advice. If a situation involves dismissal, a performance plan, discrimination, safety or health, talk to your HR team or a qualified professional.

Your rehearsals are yours

You can browse and read without an account.
Sign in with Apple, Google or an email code to keep your rehearsals on every phone.
To generate a reply, your lines and the case text are sent to the AI providers named in the privacy policy.
No ads, and no tracking across other apps or sites.
Delete your account, and everything with it, in Settings.

Read the privacy policy

Questions

What is EM Field Guide?

EM Field Guide is a phone app for engineering managers that helps them rehearse a hard conversation before they have it. It is made by Polanyi Works, a software studio in Singapore and a brand of E2C2 Pte Ltd.

What does it cost?

It is free to start. You get a free case every week, with a limited number of rehearsals. Pro adds every case and more practice. Choose Monthly, Yearly or Lifetime. The price is shown in the app before you buy. Subscriptions renew until you cancel in your app store settings.

Is this therapy, or HR?

Neither. It is practice for a conversation at work. If the situation involves dismissal, a performance plan, discrimination, safety or health, talk to your HR team or a qualified professional.

How accurate is the character?

The character is written by AI and can be wrong or unrealistic. The case itself is written by a person. The character's job is to be a plausible colleague for ten minutes, so you can try your opening before it counts. You can report a reply from inside the app, where your version of the app shows the option.

Who is it for?

Engineering managers, mostly first and second line, and tech leads about to become managers. The cases are about people, not code.

Does it work for my country?

Every case has a cultural nuance section and every debrief a culture note. Asia is covered first, with written notes. Nothing assumes where you work.

Can I use it without signing in?

Yes. Browse and read without an account. Sign in only when you want your rehearsals kept across phones.

Rehearse tonight. Walk in tomorrow.

Free to start. A free case every week.

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