This post is a reprise of my recent lightning talk at the Technical Communication Summit in Atlanta. For those who weren’t able to attend the Summit, I’m sorry this article can’t be more visual. For those who were able to attend, this article might better explain what I was trying to say during that five-minute train wreck.
Typography is one of my favorite aspects of design. The shapes of the letters, the angles, and the curves give visual form to your content. Despite my long love affair with typography, I still hesitate whenever I need to choose a typeface or, worse still, combine typefaces. To me, this is like getting dressed. I’m never sure how to mix patterns or colors, how to accommodate changes in the weather, or how to plan for consecutive events of varying degrees of formality. There are so many choices when selecting a typeface or getting dressed. The following questions may help you sort through some of the most common typefaces.
Designer or Knockoff?
Arial may look like Helvetica, but most designers can tell the difference. If critical eyes can tell that your handbag is a knockoff, would you carry it around?
Classy or Anachronistic?
Typefaces like Georgia and Caslon are evocative of bygone eras. Like a bow tie, they can seem either formal or old fashioned.
Powerful or Clunky?
Rockwell or Hypathia have thick slab serifs that can evoke strength or, at certain weights, can look quite overwhelming. These typefaces are heavy like Doc Martin boots. They make a statement, but aren’t appropriate for all occasions.
Popular or Overused?
Gill Sans and Gotham are both very popular typefaces, but being popular has a downside. Gotham has appeared in everything from U.S. presidential campaigns to fast food menus, and Gill Sans appears in many television and print ad and on all those pesky “Keep Calm” knockoffs. This can be a lot of baggage for your type to carry. If you wear pinstripes, are your trendy or just a poser?
Modern or Institutional?
Helvetica and Futura are handy standbys, but are they too neutral and too commonplace? They are the plain black suit of typefaces; they are generally accepted anywhere, but unimaginative.
Elegant or Painful?
Script typefaces are beautiful in their delicate, wispy strokes and graceful, continuous curves, but they are difficult to read. They are like those favorite high-heels shoes that make your legs look great, but are a pain to wear for long periods of time.
Fun or Absurd?
Comic Sans is the ruffled, blue shirt of typefaces. There may be a time or place where these might be appropriate, but you must understand that no one will take your seriously.
The overriding theme here is to dress for the occasion. It would be just as sad to receive a wedding invitation printed in Helvetica as it would be frustrating to try to read road signs printed in script. Choose typefaces that are suitable for your rhetorical aims. Look around to see how these typefaces are used elsewhere for additional context.
Michael Opsteegh has been a technical writer in the software and financial services industries for nine years and is currently a senior technical writer for Eyefinity. Michael specializes in professional and technical communications that include user guides, websites, policies, and procedures. He holds a master’s degree in English, rhetoric, and composition and a certificate in technical and professional writing from California State University, Long Beach. He has written articles on comics and typography in technical communication that have appeared in STC’s Intercom. Michael occasionally blogs on the topics of typography and page design at bestfontforward.com.