Project Brief:

Overview
This project is designed to familiarize you with: methods of designing typefaces, methods of investigating the legibility of type, data collection, and data visualization.

Problem
Many typeface designers claim that their typefaces are more legible than others, but few substantiate their claims with evidence. In fact, Dutch professor and typeface designer, Sofie Beier, recently described letterform research as an “academic orphan”, citing the fact that few new studies have been conducted since the first half of the twentieth century (Visible Language Vol. 50 No. 2 [2016], pp. 65–79). In previous studies on the subject analog technology was used to simulate conditions that we are now able to simulate virtually using digital technology. With easy access to software, and an abundance of good typefaces freely available, testing the legibility of type in the twenty-first century should be significantly easier than it was half a century ago. Strangely, however, there have been few attempts published since Miles Tinker’s work from the 1960s. So, the question remains, how do we know which typefaces are legible and which are not?

Assignment
We will pick up where Tinker’s research left off. First, using Adobe Illustrator, Fontstruct, or a combination of both, you will create a typeface–all letters (upper- and lowercase) and numbers—based on the TwoPoint System used by MuirMcNeil to design their own monospaced geometric typefaces. Then, using Google Forms surveys you will employ legibility testing methods identified in Tinker’s book, Legibility of Print to determine the legibility of your new typeface relative to one described as “highly legible”. Finally, visualize the data you collect in ways that will aid in interpretation and understanding of the testing result.