Use Proper Case
Since I began doing task analysis and creating mental models, I have taken pleasure in creating diagrams that look and
Over the past couple of years, I've noticed that not everyone uses proper case in their diagrams. Not all combers actually type this way, and, honestly, it takes a little more time to do so. I try to ignore it when I see it, but I have to admit that when I am working on a project with someone who does not capitalize words, I go in and spend a bit of time updating the diagram so that things look nice and neat. My associate, Eric Fain, just mentioned today, "I think it looks better to have tasks show up in the diagram in proper case." Yes! Better yet, he has a time-saving solution. He always does--that's why I hang out with him.
Eric says, "You can convert a cell to proper case by using a text function in Excel, =proper(cell#). What I generally do, so that I am not working with the results of formulas, is to create the proper case column next to the original, then copy and paste just the values in a third column and delete the original two. If you use this method, you will end up with some minor corrections, such as all letters after apostrophes will be capitalized, but correcting those minor ones will save enormous time rather than trying to make everything proper case by hand."
Long live properly formatted titles in the diagram!
Comments
I often avoid proper case because it can slow down reading. If anything, I think that people tend to capitalize words a little too much. Though I may be thinking more about PowerPoint slides than diagrams here. In diagrams the words are few enough that capitalization probably won't slow down reading too much.
Posted by: Elizabeth | December 10, 2008 7:27 AM
Spell check will also catch some but not all of the apostrophe mistakes. For example, the Proper() Excel function will change "don't" to "Don'T" which the spell checker will catch. However, it will not catch "I'M".
Posted by: Eric Fain | December 10, 2008 3:57 PM
Elizabeth, I have always heard that capitals speed up reading, especially in the case of non-sentence phrases like those in the mental model. I believe it's easier to read with capitals. But to each his/her own.
Posted by: Indi Young | December 10, 2008 4:02 PM
Please note regional differences between "title case" (mostly US) and "sentence case" (mostly UK and rest of the world).
Sentence case: Aligning design strategy with human behavior
Title case: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior
Posted by: Steve | December 23, 2008 12:17 AM
Steve, thanks for your clarification. Since the items in the mental model are not sentences, I am referring to "title case."
Posted by: Indi Young | January 27, 2009 11:27 AM