For my first design experiment, I explored how similar-looking letters and font choices affect readability for first readers by intentionally making text harder to decipher.
The setup:
- I selected letters that are often confused by early readers (e.g., b/d, p/q, i/l, c/e)
- I tested these in different fonts, focusing on those with low differentiation between similar letterforms
- I added a blur overlay to simulate how children with developing visual discrimination or attention might perceive unclear text
My observations throughout the experiment:
- Even as an adult, letters with low differentiation became nearly unrecognizable under blur (e.g., b/d, p/q merged visually)
- Fonts with small x-heights and tight spacing became unreadable faster than those with larger x-heights and generous spacing
- Decorative or playful fonts often used in children’s materials became difficult to read quickly, suggesting aesthetic choices can clash with functional readability
- Blurring amplified these issues, simulating the challenges first readers may face when text is visually too similar or dense
My key take-aways:
- Letterform clarity is essential
- Spacing matters
- Decorative ≠ child-friendly
