Understanding Labels

Labels in Narrative Studio are used to provide visual categorization, status tracking, and contextual metadata for different elements within a Narrative Script. They act as visual markers, helping to organize and manage complex narratives by highlighting specific attributes, development stages, or goals. Labels are color-coded and can be applied to various elements like moments, interfaces, actions, and even entire narratives.

Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of how labels work and their significance in the Narrative Studio environment:

How to add Labels to Narrative Constructs

1. Select the Narrative Construct you want to add a label to.
2. Click on the label icon that appears to the right of the Construct.
3. Select the appropriate label.

Visual Appearance and Structure of Labels

Color-Coded Tags:

• Each label has a distinct color to make it easily identifiable on the canvas. Colors range from green and blue to red, purple, and yellow.
• Labels are typically displayed as small rectangular tags with rounded corners, positioned either above or beside the element they are associated with.
• The color of the label provides a quick visual cue for users to identify the type or status of a narrative element at a glance.

Positioning and Placement:

• Labels are attached to specific elements like context boxes, system actions, or even complete frames.
• On the canvas, labels appear at the top-right corner of the element they are assigned to, making them easy to spot without overlapping other content.
• In cases where multiple labels are applied to a single element, they appear stacked vertically, or as side-by-side chips for easy readability.

Text and Iconography:

• Each label has a descriptive text indicating the name of the label, such as “In Progress,” “Bare Bones,” or “Dev Complete.”
• Some labels may include icons or special symbols (e.g., a checkmark for completed tasks) to provide additional visual differentiation.

Types and Use Cases of Labels

Development Status Labels:

• These labels indicate the current stage of development for an element, providing a visual status update. Common labels include:
• “Dev Complete” (Green): Indicates that the development of the feature or action is finished.
• “In Progress” (Blue): Shows that a task or element is currently being worked on.
• “UI Complete” (Yellow): Specifies that the front-end implementation is done.

Scope and Priority Labels:

• Labels like “MVP”, “Current” or “Future” are used to define the scope or priority of specific elements.
• These labels help differentiate between core functionality and additional features that may be revisited in future sprints.

Outcome and Goal Labels:

• Labels such as “Revise Outcome” are used to indicate elements that need review or adjustments in their goals and definitions.

Custom Labels:

• Users can create custom labels to suit their unique needs. Custom labels can include team-specific statuses, internal tags, or business-specific goals.
• These labels can be configured with unique colors and names, allowing teams to standardize labeling based on their workflows.

Label Filtering and Search

Label Filter Dropdown:

• Narrative Studio includes a label filter dropdown (as shown in the image), where users can search for labels, apply them, or filter the displayed elements based on specific labels.
• The dropdown has a search bar for quickly finding labels by name, and checkboxes for bulk selection.

Label Filtering on the Canvas:

• When a label is selected in the filter menu, the canvas highlights only those elements that match the label, fading out non-matching elements to reduce visual clutter.
• This feature helps narrow down large narratives to focus on specific components or workflows.

How Labels Interact with the Narrative Canvas

Contextual Information:

• Labels provide additional context to the elements within the narrative, helping teams quickly understand the status and intent of each part of the script.
• For example, a “UI Complete” label on an Interaction element tells designers that their work is done, while developers can look for “Dev Complete” labels on System Actions.

Visual Organization:

• With their distinct colors and consistent positioning, labels contribute to the visual organization of complex narratives, making it easier to scan through large scripts.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Labels serve as communication tools between cross-functional teams. A product manager might use labels to signal changes, while developers and designers use them to indicate completion or blockers.

Creating and Managing Labels

Label Creation:

• Users can create new labels from the label management menu, assigning a name and selecting a color from a palette.
• The label can then be applied to one or more elements on the canvas, either manually or using bulk assignment.

Label Editing and Removal:

• Existing labels can be edited for name or color changes. This is especially useful if the team’s workflow changes mid-project.
• Labels can also be deleted if they are no longer relevant, automatically removing them from any associated elements.

Label Visibility and Shared Understanding:

• Labels are visible to all members working on the narrative, ensuring a shared understanding of each element’s status and importance.

Summary

Labels in Narrative Studio are powerful visual markers used for categorizing, tracking progress, and providing additional context to elements within the narrative canvas. Their color-coded tags, easy placement, and filtering capabilities make it straightforward to manage complex scripts and communicate effectively across teams. By using labels, teams can ensure that every part of the narrative is accurately represented and aligned with the overall project goals.

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