Typography
Analyzing the typography of existing websites
This page explains how existing websites violate or demonstrate exemplary principles of typography, such as typeface choices, line length, color contrast, upper and lowercases, alignment, etc.
The Sister Water Project website exemplifies several principles of effective typography in key considerations that include readability, hierarchy, and the overall aesthetic appeal of text elements. The principles of readability are emphasized in the article by DeVos (n.d.), which describes how typography should ensure that text is easily read by visitors. The Sister Water project website utilizes a clear and legible typeface, with sufficient contrast between the text and background. This aligns with the notion that effective web typography should cater to the audience’s needs by enhancing legibility (DeVos, n.d.). Hierarchical structure is another vital aspect of typography outlined by Juviler (2022). The Sister Water Project effectively demonstrates this principle through its use of different font sizes, weights, and colors to create a clear visual hierarchy. Important information such as headings and calls to action stands out, guiding the user through the content smoothly and intuitively. This organization of information helps users to quickly locate relevant details, contributing to an improved user experience. Furthermore, the aesthetic aspect of typography discussed by Beaird, Walker, and George (2020) in Chapters 4 and 5 is illustrated on the site through consistent font choices and spacing. A harmonious typography design can elicit emotional responses from users, and the Sister Water Project employs a clean and cohesive typographic style that reflects its mission and values, thereby enhancing its overall visual appeal. In conclusion, the Sister Water Project website successfully leverages effective typography principles, promoting readability, establishing a clear hierarchy, and maintaining aesthetic consistency, all of which are vital for engaging users and conveying information efficiently. References Beaird, J., Walker, A., & George, J. (2020). The principles of beautiful web design (4th ed.). SitePoint. DeVos, J. (n.d.). Designing for readability: A guide to web typography (with infographic). Toptal. https://www.toptal.com/designers/typography/web-typography-infographic#:~:text=Typography%20in%20web%20design%20is Juviler, J. (2022, April 1). The beginner’s guide to typography in web design. HubSpot. https://blog.hubspot.com/website/website-typography
The Water Aid website displays several issues that violate principles of effective typography. Good typography is important for enhancing readability, guiding user experience and ensuring that content is accessible to a wide audience. The website employs various typefaces that appear inconsistent throughout the content. According to DeVos (n.d.), effective typography includes careful selection of fonts that complement the overall design and ensure readability. The mixed use of typefaces on the Water Aid site can create confusion and disrupt the visual flow of the content. The length on some sections of the site is longer than recommended, which can make difficult for users to read comfortably (Juviler, 2022). Ideally, line length should not exceed 75 characters for optimal readability. Additionally, the spacing between lines (leading) appears inadequate in some areas, which contributes to strain on the readers eyes (Juviler, 2022). Typography must maintain a sufficient level of contrast between text and background colors to ensure legibility. The Water Aid website sometimes uses colors that do not provide enough contrast, making text challenging to read for users with visual impairment (DeVos, n.d). The website is also lacking a clear hierarchy in its typography. Effective web typography should utilize font sizes, weights, and colors to differentiate content sections and guide the reader’s focus (Beaird et al., 2020). The Water Aid site does not consistently apply these principles, which can confuse visitors regarding content significance and organization. In summary, the Water Aid website’s typography does not adhere to key principles of effective typographic design, which adversely affects readability and user experience. Enhancing these elements would significantly improve the site’s usability and accessibility. References Beaird, J., Walker, A., & George, J. (2020). The principles of beautiful web design (4th ed.). SitePoint. DeVos, J. (n.d.). Designing for readability: A guide to web typography (with infographic). Toptal. https://www.toptal.com/designers/typography/web-typography-infographic#:~:text=Typography%20in%20web%20design%20is Juviler, J. (2022, April 1). The beginner’s guide to typography in web design. HubSpot. https://blog.hubspot.com/website/website-typography