ugly print: how science says readable just isn't so memorable when it comes to fonts

UGLY printHow science says readable just isn’t so

memorable when it comes to fonts

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A few years ago, I

watched this film

about typeface.

It might sound dull, but I found it

fascinating.

It explained the

origins of a font

known as

“Helvetica” (Arial

to Windows

users)

So, the idea of

Helvetica is that it’s

supposed to be a

nice, neutral face.

It’s a clean, all-purpose font.

You can use it on street

sights, menus, catalogs,

documents, logos,

presentations – anything

you like, really.

Image source: HelveticaFanatic (Flickr.com) Used Under Creative Commons License.

Helvetica

http://www.flickr.com/photos/helveticafanatic/

Image source: HelveticaFanatic (Flickr.com) Used Under Creative Commons License.

Helvetica

...you get the idea.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/helveticafanatic/

But this recently published study

from the journal Cognition

suggests that easily-read fonts

have a big drawback --

-- the information they

supply is a lot harder for

readers to remember.

http://web.princeton.edu/sites/opplab/papers/Diemand-Yauman_Oppenheimer_2010.pdf



It’s not exactly a surprising finding.

Image source: HellsGeriatiric (Flickr.com) Used Under Creative Commons License.

Human beings are

highly visual creatures.

Our brains process

images long before they

process words.

That’s why the font we use conveys

meaning no matter what the words say.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellsgeriatric/


Let’s try some examples.

Don’t believe me?



If I told you a child had made this slide, do

you think you’d be more likely to believe

me…



…than you might if I

told you that a

child made this

slide?



What if I used this font to tell

you that I was going off to war?

Or used this one to tell you I wanted to work with children?



What if I used this font on

my tombstone?Once again, I’m sure you see

where I’m going with this.

But that brings us to an

important point…



…than you’ll

remember this one.



Let’s try an experiment.

Time yourself for 60 seconds, and try to

remember all of the words in this list:

PaperbackAndroidCallerTrainRottweilerSnow driftVacuum

QuasarCarriageToolboxBowtieLemonadeSneezeSilver



Now, quickly, write down

as many as you can

remember.

Try to picture the words.

When you can’t remember any more,

give yourself one point for every word

you got right.



Now, try again.

Time yourself for 60 seconds, and try to

remember all of the words in this list:

Plant

Asteroid

Telephone

Automobile

Scottish Terrier

Iceberg

Mop

Neutrino

Wagon

Drill set

Cumberbund

Orange Juice

Cough

Mercury



Once again, write down

as many as you can

remember.

Try to picture the words.

When you can’t remember any more,

give yourself one point for every word

you got right.



How’d you do?

The words were very similar. All I did

was change their order.

Here’s my score:

Exercise 1 Exercise 2

11 9

I’d love to see how we all compare. Post

your results in the comments below!



When I got to the second set, I

tended to skim over the words and

immediately forget them.

Something in my brain was

telling me that the second set

of words weren’t as important

for me to remember.

I’m not sure about you, but

I had a much easier time

visualizing the first set.


Image source: Microsoft.

Could it be that one reason

children struggle in school is

because printed text doesn’t

require them to think as hard?

I find this phenomenon

extremely interesting.

It suggests that our brains

actually get lazy when we

make things too convenient.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/similar.aspx


Yet our brains are learning to ignore

it all because the font’s too plain.

Consider this

implication: We’ve got more

information available now

than ever before.

The simple act of walking down

the street exposes you to dozens

of pieces of printed information.



Maybe everything

we think we know

about design is

based on our

brain’s desire to

conserve its own

energy.



It’s certainly

worth considering…


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