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[Alastar]

What are your little ways of doing things just a bit differently, that you find useful even though they don't seem to be common practice?

I use a lot of down stairs without matching up stairs. A walkable, unbreakable floor that doesn't block falls or fluid movement? Just what I want for my guest entrance.

[Thisfox]

Not sure what common practice is, but:
After the entrance maze, I like having a single 2x2 central staircase, and mine out a bit of a landing on any level we are using. Then doorways with actual doors to the fort from any level onto the landing. I think this is from my aquifer-breaching phase, back when having an aquifer meant some serious work to be done. And doors made well are happy thought generators. I get the idea that a lot of fort builders these days are more into an open plan living space, with many staircases in every direction.

[Schmaven]

I tend to use a central 3x3 stairway with the center tile unmined and later engraved, or mined out and replaced with statues. 

[Uthimienure]

I try to never have more than 5 tiles without a roof supporting pillar.

[Thisfox]

I try to never have more than 5 tiles without a roof supporting pillar.

Yes! Smoothed and carved pillars, showing the stories of our fort! And doors decorated with horn, bone and gemstones....

[Splint]

I've taken to building or digging 5x5 rooms for my citizens, while tavern goers get 2x3, with a full set consisting of both armor and weapon racks, chest, cabinet, bed, door, and at least one window. It's remarkably effective at maintaining a certain level of mood among the population, and I find it looks nicer than the shitty 1x2 or 1x3 "rooms" that are often seen.

Also militiadwarves outside of the first squad and fortress guard don't get personal rooms, in case I need to send them out for something (as their rooms get unassigned/put up for grabs by the homeless when they leave fortress grounds on assignment.) It results in an overall larger barracks since I need to include room for beds and I prefer there to be an empty tile between each bed.

I also like to dig my mines by going from the surface down, away from the main fortress/settlement entrance. No real reason behind it.

I tend to use a central 3x3 stairway with the center tile unmined and later engraved, or mined out and replaced with statues. 

I oughta start doing this.

[Immortal-D]

I have also experienced the joy of watching a Dorf plummet 50z through a stairwell.  To remedy this, I recorded a macro for a sort of spiral-stair design.

z-1
  x x _
  x w _
  _ _ _

z-2
  x _ _
  x w _
  x _ _

z-3
  _ _ _
  x w _
  x x _

[Jimmy]

I don't use stairs. I use ramps connecting a central spiral shaft that connects branches off the sides. I also use smoothed natural stone pillars to avoid ever having an unsupported 7x7 area, since they used to collapse back when you could dig too deep to the right.

Here's an example of the design from an older game of mine. You can view it on the new site if you're curious.

[HMD Majesty]

We assign every of-age Dwarf to a Squad, and then schedule them to train while inactive.

They respect Civilian Alerts, Enemies get mangled beyond Recognition, and We don't need to worry about establishing a formal Military.  Everyone wins.

As a Side Note, this works even without arming and armouring your Dwarfs.  We have relied on Goblinite for many Fortresses now, and have had few Problems.

[Stadfradt]

I tend to use a central 3x3 stairway with the center tile unmined and later engraved, or mined out and replaced with statues.

I like that. I'll be using it from now on. Thanks!