Over the previous weeks I focused on creating boxes and then connecting the boxes with connectors. This week I focus on selecting and moving the boxes on a root cause analysis captured as a Cause Map. Next week, I’ll follow up with some shortcuts for aligning and distributing the boxes.
Selecting Boxes – The Basics
First we will begin with some basic notes on the setup within Excel. Excel has provided two different methods for working with any drawing objects. Traditionally, Excel is built to be used as a spreadsheet with individual cells. When you are working with the cells, your cursor looks like a large “plus” sign (figure 1). I refer to this as the “cell layer” since it is designed to be used to select and highlight individual cells on the spreadsheet. When working in the “cell layer”, you also have the ability to select, edit, and move boxes. The second layer available is what I call the “drawing layer” since it is designed to be used only for the drawing functions within Excel. When you are working in the drawing layer, your cursor looks like a white arrow (figure 2).
Since you are typically using Excel for its spreadsheet capabilities, the default layer is the “cell layer”. To utilize the “drawing layer”, you will need to click on the white arrow icon located on the drawing toolbar. You will notice that if you hold your cursor over the white arrow, the name of the icon is “Select Objects” (figure 3). Once you select the icon, it will stay locked until you unselect it. You can also transition back to the “plus sign” icon by double clicking on one of the cells in the spreadsheet.
When using either icon/layer, you can move the boxes by clicking on them. When you are working with the “plus sign” icon in the “cell layer”, you will need to click on the outside edge of the box to move it around. When you are working with the “white arrow” icon in the “drawing layer”, you can click on any part of the box to move it around.
Advantage of the “Drawing Layer” – Selecting Multiple Objects
As mentioned above, you can work with the drawing functions using either layer; however, you will find it easier to use the drawing layer when working with boxes, plus you get some additional functionality. The most significant advantage of using the “drawing layer” is the ability to highlight and select multiple objects at the same time. For example, if I am working in the “cell layer” with the “plus sign” icon and I try to select several the boxes, I am only able to highlight and select the cells behind the boxes. I am in the “cell layer”.
On the other hand, if I use the “white arrow” icon working in the “drawing layer”, and then I try to highlight the objects, I am able to select all of the objects within the dotted line. Once selected, I can then move the entire group to another location on the spreadsheet. Obviously, this function is extremely helpful when you need to move larger sections of your root cause analysis captured as a Cause Map.
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