Type design takes years.
Sometimes even decades.
But what if it didn't have to? Typeface design is a delicate dance between geometry and psychology, and lets face it, a large amount of guess work.
If we can determine the optimal geometry of forms in nature using formulas like the fibonacci sequence, what's stopping us from creating similar models for type design?
User Research
Respondents were presented with sentence variations set in five typefaces universally recognized for their legibility. They were asked to rank each set from most to least legible. Despite some participants reporting moderate confusion or an inability to distinguish between the typefaces, they were instructed to trust their instincts. Interestingly, participants consistently ranked the five typefaces in the same order across all instances. This pattern held true even among those with graphic design experience or who reported the ability to identify typefaces by name.
Respondents were also asked to identify specific characters that stood out within a control sentence containing all letters of the alphabet. This data was compared against the overall response mean to control for bias toward or against a typeface as a whole, allowing for the identification of individual characters that may be less successful in terms of legibility. Characters consistently flagged across all typefaces likely reflect issues with their inherent form, while those identified less frequently may warrant further analysis to understand their specific shortcomings.
Geometry Research
In order to understand the user data, I conducted preliminary research into the grid-based systems and relationships between each character in each typeface.
What if we were able to successfully created a typeface in just 2 weeks?
Forget years and decades.
Building on the research insights, I developed a predetermined grid system and used it to design a highly legible typeface in just two weeks. And this is only the beginning. Imagine the possibilities if we continue to push this research—quantifying curves, kerning, and character relationships into precise mathematical solutions could transform how we define and design legibility.