In exploring how we communicate instructional design work, I was struck by Craig Howard’s “Writing and Rewriting the Instructional Design Case”—an article that delves into the fine balance between form and substance in reporting design cases. Howard argues that clarity in structure is essential: design cases must situate the design, describe the design, depict the experience, develop trustworthiness, and remove confounding elements. When our headings shout in title case, we risk diminishing that clarity, turning what should guide the reader into a visual barrier.

Switching to sentence case for headers is a small but meaningful tweak. It reduces the perceptual noise and improves readability, letting the content take center stage rather than typographical emphasis. When paired with a solid instructional design narrative, more thoughtful header styling helps preserve the integrity of the design story—and invites readers to engage rather than skim.