The Narrative System: An Alternative Approach to Federal Job Classification

When most people think about federal job classification today, they picture the rigid point scores and mathematical precision of the Factor Evaluation System (FES). But not every role in the government fits neatly into a calculator. Before the FES became the dominant standard, the Narrative System ruled the landscape.

Far from being a relic of the past, this system remains a vital tool for HR specialists and classifiers. It represents a different philosophy of job evaluation, one that relies less on arithmetic and more on professional judgment. Whether you are dealing with specialized white-collar roles or the Federal Wage System, understanding this alternative approach is essential for accurate position management.

Understanding the Narrative System

The Narrative System is a non-quantitative method of classification. Unlike the FES, which breaks a job down into numbered pieces and assigns points, the narrative approach looks at the position more holistically.

It was the primary system used before the development of the FES, and it operates on a principle of comparison rather than calculation. The standards describe the characteristics of a job at various grade levels in paragraph form—hence the name "narrative." The classifier's job is to read these descriptions and determine which one best matches the position being evaluated. While the General Schedule (GS) largely moved toward FES, the narrative approach is still the backbone of the Federal Wage System (FWS), which covers trade, craft, and laboring positions.

Format and Classification Factors

Because it doesn't rely on points, the structure of a narrative standard looks quite different. However, it is still disciplined. Narrative standards evaluate positions against specific classification factors. While no single narrative standard uses every possible factor, eight common factors contribute to a position's overall worth. These allow classifiers to distinguish between different grade levels within a series.

The Eight Narrative Factors

1. Nature and Variety of Work: What kind of work is being done, and how varied are the tasks?
2. Nature of Supervision Received: How closely is the employee watched or guided?
3. Nature of Available Guidelines: Are there clear manuals, or must the employee rely on experience?
4. Nature and Scope of Recommendations, Decisions, Commitments, and Conclusions: What impact do the employee's choices have?
5. Originality Required: Does the job require inventing new methods or following old ones?
6. Purpose and Nature of Person-to-Person Work Relationships: Who does the employee talk to, and why?
7. Nature and Extent of Supervision Exercised Over Work of Other Employees: Does the employee manage others?
8. Qualification Requirements: What skills and knowledge are needed?

Factor Groupings

To simplify the evaluation process, many narrative standards do not list all eight classification factors individually. Instead, they are often consolidated into two major categories. This grouping helps classifiers focus on the core components that determine a position's overall value without getting lost in the details of each separate factor.

The first category is the "Nature of Assignment," which evaluates the substance of the work itself. This includes the scope of the duties, the complexity of the tasks, and the degree of originality required. The second category, "Level of Responsibility," addresses the context in which the work is performed. This area typically covers the level of supervision the employee receives, the guidelines available to them, and the nature of their work-related contacts. By analyzing these two broad categories, a classifier can make a well-rounded judgment about the position's grade level.

Procedures for Classifying Positions

Classifying a position under the Narrative System requires a "best fit" analysis. This is where the art of classification comes into play. Below is the general process:

1. Analyze the Position: You start by thoroughly understanding the duties and responsibilities of the role.
2. Review the Standard: You read the narrative descriptions for the different grade levels in the applicable standard.
3. Compare and Contrast: You compare the position's duties against the grade-level descriptions. You are looking for the grade that matches the job most closely.
4. Determine the Grade: The grade is derived from the description that fits the majority of the work.

Since there are no points to add up, the grade level determination is judgment-based. If a position seems to fall between two grades, the classifier must weigh the "Nature of Assignment" and "Level of Responsibility" to see which grade represents the primary purpose of the role.

Comparison with the Factor Evaluation System (FES)

Comparing the Narrative System to the Factor Evaluation System (FES) is much like comparing an essay test to a multiple-choice exam; both assess the same fundamental concepts but utilize vastly different methods to arrive at a conclusion. The FES is a quantitative system that assigns numerical points to nine standard factors, offering a precise mathematical result, such as 1800 points equaling a GS-9 grade. In contrast, the Narrative System is qualitative and relies on descriptive language rather than points. It utilizes up to eight factors that vary by standard and are often grouped together, requiring the classifier to depend heavily on experienced judgment to determine the strongest match for a position.

Despite these structural and methodological differences, the ultimate objective remains consistent across both systems: to ensure equal pay for equal work and to accurately place employees in the correct grade. While FES provides a rigid framework for evaluation, the Narrative System offers flexibility, allowing for a holistic review that captures the nuances of specific roles without being bound by a calculator.

When to Use the Narrative System

You may wonder why the Narrative System is still relevant when the newer Factor Evaluation System (FES) exists. The answer lies in a fundamental rule of federal classification: you must follow the standard set by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). If OPM issues a classification standard in the narrative format for a specific role, then you are required to use the narrative process for evaluation. You cannot simply opt for the FES because you find its point-based system preferable.

This requirement is common for several types of positions. For example, the Narrative System is the standard for roles within the Federal Wage System. It is also used for the older General Schedule (GS) series, where the standards have not yet been updated to the FES format. Additionally, it applies to certain professional roles where descriptive, qualitative evaluations are better at capturing the nuances of the work than a quantitative point system can.

Conclusion

The Narrative System serves as a critical reminder that human resources is not just about data; it is about understanding the work people do. By mastering this non-quantitative method, classifiers can ensure they are accurately evaluating roles that don't fit the standard mold. Whether you are working with trade positions or complex professional series, the ability to apply these classification factors with sound judgment is a hallmark of a skilled federal HR professional.