UK Parliament's new typeface and visual identity is all about clarity
Over the past several months, members of the British Parliament have been working with design agency SomeOne to develop a new visual identity for UK Parliament. "One subtle but significant element to a visual identity is the typeface. If you’ve visited the UK Parliament beta website you may have noticed that we’ve been using it as an early test bed. So how did we choose a typeface and why is it important anyway?" asks Jack Craig who explains if full detail why typography matters.
"Being able to easily read and comprehend information is important. The UK Parliament website has to display a lot of text. Imagine reading the Hansard transcript for one of the longest single sittings in the House of Lords, which lasted over 32 hours on the 10 March 2005. It’s therefore crucial that we use a typeface that can provide a good reading experience. We also know the way people interpret text is influenced not just by what they read, but also how it’s written. The shape of the letters and the way they’re displayed can affect our understanding of content, from picking a genre of film to choosing the cheapest place to eat out" he notes.
"Three important factors we looked at when choosing a typeface were its personality, readability, and accessibility. In 2012, GOV.UK introduced GDS Transport as the typeface for their online services. Originally designed for Britain’s motorway signs in the 1960s (and still used on roads today), it was later modified and updated for digital use. Being primarily used by drivers travelling at high speeds, it's been thoroughly tested and optimised for legibility over the years. It was a great choice for GOV.UK. Not only is it designed to maximise clarity and legibility, but it also has a lovely connection with the history of public services in the UK. So why shouldn’t Parliament also use Transport? Although we share similar design principles to the Government Digital Service (GDS), it’s vital to make Parliament distinct from government. In our research, we’ve found that there's widespread confusion around the very separate roles of government and Parliament" notes Craig. (read more)
