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Example of printed typeface (in Polish) in a brochure on mid-blue coloured pages.

Legibility of typefaces in visual information systems

Date: 18 June 2026
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Online via Zoom
Past event

Thursday 18 June 2026 (1pm BST)

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Example of printed typeface (in Polish) in a brochure on mid-blue coloured pages.

The talk examined what truly makes text easy to read, and why legibility often fails in real‑world situations. Robert Jarzec drew together contemporary legibility research and the practical experience of type designers and typographers to show that reading is shaped by far more than typeface choice.

He explained how humans recognise letters and words, how typographic decisions influence that process, and why legibility and readability are inseparable: one concerns the clarity of forms, the other the ease and comfort with which words are read and absorbed.

The session highlighted the many environmental and cognitive factors that affect reading performance: lighting, distance, contrast, media, language proficiency, cognitive load, and everyday distractions. Jarzec demonstrated how these variables interact with design choices to either support or hinder clear communication.

The seminar offered a concise, research‑grounded understanding of how typography and information environments can be designed to improve clarity, speed, accessibility, and inclusivity.

About the speaker

Robert Jarzec – type designer, PhD and academic. Robert has designed custom typefaces for the Silesian Metropolitan Transportation, Polish Central Transport Hub, the biggest Central-Eastern European energy supplier ORLEN and Polish National Television, among the others. He works as an independent designer and consultant. He has a doctoral degree in arts (thesis: Legibility of typefaces in visual information systems). He currently teaches type design and typography at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice, and at the University of the Arts in Poznan, Poland.