“You can
essentially create the trend if you just have enough people that do the same.”

Torsten Posselt
FELD, Studio for Digital Crafts, Berlin

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Images from adobe fonts

understood

sans

diSfLueNcY

Sans Forgetica is a unique typeface designed specifically to enhance memory retention of written text. Developed by a multidisciplinary team at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, this font is based on the principles of cognitive psychology and is intended to help readers better remember the information they read. The key features of Sans Forgetica include:

- Unconventional, Slanted Design: The letters in Sans Forgetica are purposefully designed with a slanted, back-to-front orientation and gaps within each letter. This unusual appearance is not just a stylistic choice but is rooted in a psychological learning principle known as 'desirable difficulty'.

- Desirable Difficulty: This principle suggests that by making information slightly harder to read, it can actually improve memory retention. The theory is that the brain engages more deeply when processing information that is not too easily comprehended, thus enhancing the likelihood of remembering it.

- Targeted Use for Studying: Sans Forgetica is not intended for long texts or for everyday reading. Instead, it's designed to be used for small amounts of text that require deep cognitive processing, such as study notes or important reminders.

- Research-Backed Design:The font was developed through a process of testing and experimentation, where researchers and typographers collaborated to find a balance that would be both readable and memory-enhancing.

f o r g e t i c a.

The typeface "Focus Sans" was specifically created for the Focus Ex project, with particular attention to the comfort of reading. The design of the typeface emphasizes larger letter-spacing than typical fonts, which, while slowing down reading speed, significantly enhances legibility and comprehension. Additionally, the "Focus" weight of the letters in this typeface has an atypical optical size, functioning almost like an optical zoom. This unique approach to letter design and spacing in Focus Sans aims to improve the reading experience, particularly for those who may face challenges with standard typography formats.

“Understood Sans” was designed by wolff olins as a dyslexic friendly typeface during the rebranding Understood.org. Its thoroughly beautiful; a reworking of the font Roobert by Displaay. The difference is in the details: retaining a geometric form but with gentle serif on letters which need distinction. Subtleties add to the visual noise. It’s inclusive and accessible.

The font is not readily available/open source so I haven’t disected and analysed it quite to the degree I would have liked.

Lexend Sans is a typeface specifically designed to improve reading proficiency. It was developed by Bonnie Shaver-Troup, an educational therapist, in collaboration with typographer Thomas Jockin. The design of Lexend is based on research into the impact of font design on reading proficiency. It features unique attributes that address common reading challenges: increased character spacing to reduce crowding, distinct letter shapes to decrease confusion between similar-looking letters, and optimized sizes and heights for better readability. These characteristics make Lexend Sans particularly beneficial for readers with dyslexia and other reading difficulties, as well as for general audiences seeking a comfortable reading experience. The goal of Lexend Sans is to make reading more accessible and efficient for a wide range of readers.

Lexend is available under open source at google fonts!

Like Sans Forgetica, Lexend has undergone empirical testing.

This has shown promising results in improving reading proficiency, particularly for students and individuals with reading challenges. The development of Lexend was backed by research conducted in clinical and school settings. It was found that Lexend improves reading proficiency of students compared to traditional fonts like Times New Roman by offering a range of configurations that cater to individual reading needs.

One notable study involved a group of third-grade students. The experiment compared their reading performance using Times New Roman and Lexend. The students read a text set in a 16pt size for one minute in five different fonts, including Times New Roman and four variations of Lexend (Regular, Deca, Mega, and Giga). This study revealed that the average words correct per minute (WCPM) was 19.8% higher when the text was presented in Lexend, indicating a significant improvement in reading fluency.

Additionally, the research highlights that while Lexend was beneficial to a large sample of students, no single setting worked best for all. This finding underscores the importance of individualized adjustments in typography for enhancing reading fluency. Lexend’s design allows for continuous selection of settings to find the specific configuration that suits an individual reader, akin to a personalized eyeglass prescription.

These studies demonstrate that Lexend's six formulations, which alter text format, significantly improve reading performance and fluency for most readers. The effectiveness of Lexend lies in its ability to be tailored to individual visual processing abilities, thereby offering a better framework for text rendering and enhancing the overall reading experience.

"Atkinson Hyperlegible" is a font designed with a focus on legibility and readability, especially for individuals with low vision. The font was created by Applied Design Works and named after Braille Institute founder, J. Robert Atkinson. It is part of the Braille Institute's mission to challenge and reduce visual barriers.

Key features of Atkinson Hyperlegible include:

1. Unique Letterforms: Each character is distinctively shaped to avoid confusion with similar-looking letters and numbers, which is particularly beneficial for those with visual impairments.

2. Ample Letter Spacing: The spacing between characters is optimized to improve readability and reduce crowding.

3. Enhanced Character Disambiguation: Careful attention is given to differentiating characters that often look similar in other fonts, such as the capital "I", lowercase "l", and the number "1".

4. Higher X-Height: The height of lowercase letters is increased relative to capital letters, enhancing the clarity and recognition of words.

5. Easily Distinguishable Punctuation: Punctuation marks and special characters are designed to be more visible and discernible. Atkinson Hyperlegible is not just beneficial for those with visual impairments; its design principles improve overall readability, making it an effective font for a broad audience.

It demonstrates how thoughtful design can create more inclusive and accessible visual communication. The emphasis on unique shapes, and differentiation to the letter forms and punctuation adds a slight visual noise which I think would benefit ADHD readers.

One typography concept which is really exciting me is disfluency.

Disfluency in typography refers to the intentional use of hard-to-read fonts or text layouts in educational materials. The underlying concept is that by making the material slightly more challenging to read, it can enhance cognitive processing, leading to better retention and understanding. This concept is based on a psychological phenomenon known as "desirable difficulty."

Here's how disfluency can aid in attention and learning:

1. Increased Engagement: When text is more challenging to read, it requires more mental effort. This increased engagement can lead to deeper processing of the material.

2. Improved Memory Retention: The effort required to read disfluent text can lead to better memory retention. The brain tends to remember things that it has worked harder to process.

3. Enhanced Comprehension: Disfluent typography can slow down the reading process, which might help in better understanding and integrating the information.

4. Prevention of Skimming: In a digital age where skimming text is common, disfluent typography can discourage this behavior, ensuring that readers pay closer attention to the content.

5. Encouraging Metacognition: Disfluent text can make learners more aware of their thought processes as they try to understand the material. This self-awareness can be beneficial in learning.

The effectiveness of disfluency in typography is still a subject of research, and there can be a fine line between creating desirable difficulty and causing unnecessary frustration or hindrance in comprehension, especially for individuals with reading difficulties like dyslexia. The key is finding the right balance to create a slight challenge without making the text too hard to read.

Further research this week to write up:

* Dyslexic Fonts

week 7: positioning + trends

(AKA Emerging from the rabbit hole of the Future Laboratory.)

https://www.thefuturelaboratory.com/blog/divergent-design.

Doubtlessly the recognition of neurodiversity is a trending topic, which I believe is leading to more inclusivity and acceptance. The more places it pops up the more it normalizes. It still needs to translate into action, but there’s some amazing work going on.

I thought the following quoted from The Future Laboratory summarizes the status really succinctly:

Rich visual Noise

What a beautiful concept!

Alot of the key trends are based around urban, interior and architectural design with a focuses on creating spaces and products that accommodate the diverse neurological experiences of individuals.

Sensory-Friendly Environments: Designing spaces with reduced sensory stimuli, such as softer lighting, noise-reducing materials, and neutral colors, to cater to individuals who are sensitive to sensory overload.

Flexible Layouts and Furnishings Incorporating adaptable and movable furniture and spaces to suit varying needs and preferences, aiding in concentration and comfort for neurodivergent individuals.

Technology Integration Utilizing assistive technologies, like augmented reality and apps, to help neurodivergent individuals navigate and interact with their environment more easily.

Universal Design Principles Emphasizing inclusivity in design, ensuring environments are accessible and usable by people of all neurotypes, not just neurodivergent individuals.

Nature-Inspired Elements Incorporating biophilic design elements, like natural light, plants, and nature views, which have been shown to reduce stress and improve well-being.

Quiet Zones and Escape Spaces Creating designated quiet areas where individuals can retreat to avoid sensory overload or to decompress.

Trends in graphic design for neurodiversity still seem to be more heavily weighted in simplicity. For sure there is a need for this! Equally, I am inspired by the furture laboratories vision of “rich visual noise”. Somehow, there needs to be a balance: too much simplicity and beige can be understimulating.

Trends in type: VARIABLE!

FontWatch

Variable fonts represent a significant innovation in typography, offering a new level of flexibility and efficiency. Unlike traditional static fonts that require separate files for each style and weight, variable fonts encapsulate a range of styles within a single file. This means they can adjust attributes like weight, width, slant, and optical size dynamically, allowing for seamless transitions and fine-tuned adjustments. This versatility not only reduces file sizes, making them ideal for digital environments, but also provides designers with an expanded creative palette. With the ability to fine-tune typography to specific contexts and user interactions, variable fonts are revolutionizing the way text is presented and experienced in both digital and print media, offering unprecedented control and fluidity in typography design.