The Importance of Process in Type Design

Since I first studied type design, I’ve been searching for an effective process to help me get from ‘A–Z’ (so to speak) of a type design project. Developing a typeface can be a large undertaking with many moving parts, making it relatively easy to drop the ball and lose track of where you’re at amidst the complexity of it all.

Over the last ten years, I’ve focused on developing and refining my type design process, which helps communicate who I am as a designer and what my typefaces are all about. Whether I’m working on a client’s custom project, a personal project for retail release, or coaching others on typeface design, I follow this process and continuously improve on it where I can.

My type design process has been influenced by my past teachers, mentors, my seven years at H&Co, and while coaching other designers how to make a typeface.

My type design process is an integral part of my business for many reasons:

Productivity—Breaking down a large project like a typeface into stages allows me to move through it strategically, making it less intimidating and ensuring I’ve covered all bases.

Consistency—Maintaining a consistent standard of work helps me build my professional reputation.

Creativity—Having a process in place frees up my mental space, giving me more energy for creative thinking.

Growth —It encourages me to explore new tools and processes, which keeps me learning.

Trust—It reassures clients that they’re in safe hands.

My type design process involves five stages.

I begin with Ideation, during which I collect and organize my thoughts and ideas. Followed by Prototyping, where I explore and experiment with these ideas. Design, where I focus on problem-solving and making, and Engineering, where I’m testing. Finally, Publication is when I release and promote the final product.

Developing a process that works for you is an important part of communicating who you are as a designer and what your type is all about.

‍To learn more about developing a process for your type design project, check out my one-on-one coaching at Typemasters.

Download my free Prototyping template here.