Help us study letter spacing: a 30–60 minute online study

danielquisek

Hi all,

We're researching how to space type automatically, and we'd really value your eye.

Letter shapes can be measured, but measurements alone don't tell us what spacing people actually find natural. To test spacing methods properly, we need a human reference: real judgements from people who look at type closely. That's where you come in.

How it works: you'll see short type samples where only the middle gap changes. Use the arrow keys to make it narrower or wider (hold Shift for bigger steps), then press Enter when it feels right. There are text and display sizes, and a few practice samples first so you can get used to the controls. There are no right or wrong answers, and it isn't a test of skill. We want your judgement, and we expect different people to choose differently.

A few practical notes:

• It takes around 30 minutes to an hour, but you can stop whenever you like. Every choice is saved automatically, and you can come back later using your personal link.
• Please use a desktop or laptop with a keyboard. Phones and tablets won't work for this.
• You don't need an account, a name or an email address.

👉 Take part in the spacing study

Whether you design type for a living or simply care about how it looks, every response helps. We'll be happy to share what we learn once the study is done. Thanks so much for your time, and feel free to ask any questions here.

Best,
Daniel