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More Than Type

Sean McBride
April 12, 2013

More Than Type

The typographic landscape on the web today would have been unrecognizable to a designer in 2009. “Web-safe fonts” were the rule of the land, and web fonts were a technical eccentricity, hobbled by problems with licensing, availability, and technology. From that environment, Typekit set out to build a business bringing commercial type to the web, and in the four years since then, the industry has tackled those problems. But in the process, Typekit discovered that their customers needed more than just access to good type. Sean will tell the story of how Typekit has approached those broader customer needs, and the successes and mistakes made along the way. The impact touches every aspect of Typekit’s business, from the way they sell the product to how they do editorial and support. Type has finally arrived on the web; now we must give customers the confidence to use type well.

Presented at TYPO SF on April 12, 2013.

Sean McBride

April 12, 2013
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  1. ?

  2. 600 Y E A R S O F T Y

    P O G R A P H Y
  3. Browser compatibility Licensing concerns Building the font library Designer workflow

    Web font formats and protection Font rendering quality Basic functionality
  4. Amazement “Wow, I can actually use real fonts on my

    website!” Anticipation “Just think of all the great things I can do with these fonts!” Paralysis “Wait, I’ve only ever used Verdana and Georgia in my work!” More Than Type Inspiration Paralysis “Wait, I’ve only ever used Verdana and Georgia in my work!”
  5. Physiological Safety Love + belonging Esteem Self-actualization Food, water, shelter,

    clothing, sleep, comfort Personal and financial security, health, order, law Friendship, love, intimacy, family, community Achievement, status, confidence Peace, growth, knowledge
  6. Functionality Reliability Usability Proficiency Creativity Design works and meets basic

    functional needs Stable and consistent performance Forgiving and easy to use Empower users to do more + better Beauty, innovation http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/04/26/designing-for-a-hierarchy-of-needs/
  7. Functionality Reliability Usability Proficiency Creativity Design works and meets basic

    functional needs Stable and consistent performance Forgiving and easy to use Empower users to do more + better Beauty, innovation More Than Type
  8. Understand categories and aspects of fonts How are fonts different

    from one another? Recommended uses Quickly narrow and expand set, encourage play Functionality Reliability Usability Proficiency Creativity Proficiency
  9. Explore related groups of typefaces Browse curated lists with editorial

    content Learn about when to use certain styles Understand how typefaces relate to each other Functionality Reliability Usability Proficiency Creativity Creativity Proficiency
  10. Find a particular typeface Find similar typefaces through lists and

    posts Find inspiration for using a typeface from the blog Find typefaces that fit a theme Functionality Reliability Usability Proficiency Creativity Creativity Proficiency
  11. Surface content in multiple ways Structured metadata can teach Curated

    collections can teach and inspire Font Browsing
  12. July 2012 Functionality Reliability Usability Proficiency Creativity Creativity Proficiency Get

    inspired by typefaces in use Learn about techniques for using type better Find related typefaces that pair well together Learn how to analyze a typeface’s design
  13. Good content requires planning Get experts to write what they

    know Content can teach, inspire, and inform The Blog Give people ideas and the tools to try them
  14. Knowledge about why type is important Frameworks for choosing and

    using type Inspiration for using type well Confidence to step outside the comfort zone
  15. Knowledge How does history relate? Frameworks What are the ways

    it can be used? Inspiration Who’s using it, and how? Confidence How can we lower barriers to entry?
  16. Functionality Reliability Usability Proficiency Creativity Design works and meets basic

    functional needs Stable and consistent performance Forgiving and easy to use Empower users to do more + better Beauty, innovation “More Than” UX More Than Type