In brief: Typography is the work of arranging type, size, line spacing, line length, hierarchy, and composition so that text is readable and conveys its intended character.
How I use typography in practice
In practice, I verify typography with real content and devices, not only in a design. I am interested in the first impression, readability, information order, error states, and the ability to go back a step. Observing a few people often reveals a more specific problem than a long team debate.
What to watch out for
A pleasing output is not automatically usable. Typography can meet an aesthetic intention while still hiding important information, slowing down a page, or making controls difficult. Also beware of testing only on a large monitor and with ideal content.
Questions for the decision
- What task does a person want to complete on the page?
- Where might they hesitate, make a mistake, or lose context?
- Does the solution work on mobile, with a keyboard, and on a slow network?
- Which signal will show that the change genuinely helped?