Stop Sign

By Peter Lloyd

Here follows the actual court-stenographer's transcript of the proceedings in State of Pennsylvania versus Gill Sans. The events referred to occurred in the city of Trebuchet, in the county of Ersatz. An important lesson in the rule of law vis-à-vis creativity and innovation is contained herein.

Attorney Bodoni: Your honor, typography is built upon laws based on years of painstaking research. These laws are meant to make reading as easy and comprehensible as possible. Whether it's the printed page or traffic signs. I think the court will agree that these laws, like civil laws, ought to be obeyed.

For example, some letters have little appendages called serifs on just about all their corners. Research proves that typefaces without serifs are more difficult to read.

Judge Rockwell: Mr. Bodoni, I hope this art lesson has some bearing on the case.

Attorney Bodoni: Yes, your honor, it most certainly does.

Judge Rockwell: Proceed.

Attorney Bodoni: Thank you, your honor. Typefaces without serifs are more difficult to read, as I said. Therefore, Law No. 1 states that readability demands the use of serif faces.

Tests also show that black type on a white background reads better than the reverse. For that reason, Law No. 2 states, "Never use reverse type."

Tests indicate as well that upper and lower case letters read better than all capital letters. Which is why we have Law No. 3: Always use upper and lower case.

Furthermore, it's been proven that letters on a colored background are difficult to read. And so we have Law No. 4: Never use a colored background, especially red.

Finally, who can argue with the necessity of punctuation? Which gives us Law No. 5: Always use proper punctuation.

Your honor, I ask the court, how could my client be expected to read the stop sign in question? All capital letters, in a sans serif face, reversed on red, with no punctuation!

I rest my case.

Judge Rockwell: Case dismissed. You are free to go, Ms. Sans.

Peter Lloyd is co-creator with Stephen Grossman of Animal Crackers, the breakthrough problem-solving tool designed to crack your toughest problems.

Next Workout »