Do labels cause confusion?

[gafftapegreenia]

So in my never ending quest to inspire organization and efficiency, a few weeks ago I went through the trouble to sort out all the cable in sound storage based off of their connectors Speakon, 3 pin XLR, BNC, F, RCA, 1/4" Balanced. 1/4" Unbalanced, etc. I had them all properly coiled, and then labeled each peg they were stacked on as to make sure they returned to their proper homes. Well, one of my fellow students removed all the labels and markings, claiming that "labels only cause confusion". Well, sure enough, after the rental we had come through, which I did not work, I take a look into sound, and of course, it once again looks like a bomb has gone off. Everything is a freaking mess again and there is once again no method to the cable pegs.

So, do labels cause confusion?

[themuzicman]

They only cause confusion for the illiterate.

[cprted]

Originally Posted by gafftapegreenia

So, do labels cause confusion?

Only to those that don't read them.

[theatre4jc]

On a tour I did I had everything labeled to the point if you read the cable it would tell you exactly where to plug it in and which direction the cables ran. Did this so that the local crews we worked with wouldn't be to confused. I had 5 on my tour crew and used local as extra hands. Every load in where my crew did the bulk of the work 75% of my rig would be improperly cabled, thus causing everything to not work. But the local crew apparently had a 3rd grade education and without ever seeing my gear could set it up perfectly every time. So labels will only mess up the people that don't care enough to do things right the first time.

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by gafftapegreenia

...and then labeled each peg ...

Next time try pictures.

Originally Posted by LightStud

2. Here's a mildly humorous anecdote, from here.
God decided to play a cruel joke one day with a stagehand. The
stagehand was hanging par cans when God decided to take half of his
brain away. The stagehand was dazed for a moment, then continued to
hang the pars. God then decided to take away half of the stagehand's
remaining brain, leaving him with 1/4 of a brain left. Again, the
stagehand was dazed for a moment, then continued to hang the pars.
At this point, God decided to take another half away, leaving only 1/8 of the original brain intact. The stagehand was dazed for a moment, then began to chant "Check, one, two, check, one, two . . . ."

[Footer]

I have EVERYTHING labeled in my space. Can't tell you how many times I have found XLR cable hanging in the light shop on the same pegs with my stagepin cable. XLR does not even belong in the room! Labels are great, as long as everyone follows them. It only takes one person to destroy the system.

Also, labels don't cause confusion, if they are used right. However, the first time someone puts all of the BNC cables on the 1/4" cable rack and then comes back to stage saying "theres no BNC Cable", then the lables do cause confusion. However, if people can read... you won't have an issue.

[cprted]

Originally Posted by Footer

However, if people can read... you won't have an issue.

I've found it's not so much an issue of can they read, but more, will they choose to do so?

[Footer]

Originally Posted by cprted

I've found it's not so much an issue of can they read, but more, will they choose to do so?

Exactly. There is a mindset among many high school students that as long at its out of site, they don't really care. Even better, if they get caught, they can always blame someone else. (Not that I am speaking from experience or anything.... my students always put stuff away correctly....)

Ok... Here is the rant....

So I re-did my light shop recently. We have been doing a big overhaul of all our lighting gear. I started with our S4's, then went to the strand 2209's,2212, and 2216's. Every fixture degree got a color code. So... 36's are green, 26 are blue... etc. Same color code went on 6x9's, 6x12's, etc. So I go into our light shop, and take spike tape of corresponding color and run it down each pipe to denote what "color" of light hangs on each pipe, then divided each row in half designating it for each type of fixture. I assumed that if I send a student to get something or put something away that they would at least be able to match the color. I was wrong. I know have a full rainbow on my meatracks. I could not be any more clear with labeling, but if they don't care enough to follow it there is not much I can do. I am a neat freak, and this drives me up the wall.

[Raktor]

Originally Posted by Footer

I know have a full rainbow on my meatracks.

Maybe they're trying to tell you something.

/slightlynotCBappropriate

[mnfreelancer]

We store cables in bins and depend on labels to keep organized. For the most part everyone at my company puts things back in the correct places with the exception of odd-ball and specialty cables. If it weren't for the bin labels things would be in complete disarray. The biggest problem I have is certain techs putting 1/4" TS cables in bins where TRS should go. We have a unified cable length color code as well that helps cables end up in the proper bin.

Very few of our cases, however, have labels. I am pushing for a unified placard system for cases with our company name, contents and an area to write in wet erase what show the pulled gear is for. Right now the few cases that ARE labelled just have white gaf with hand-written notes.