Consistency between an entire typeface families' tabular figures width seems like a feature that would be desired by typographers, but there are many typefaces where each style's TF's width differs between styles. Is there a reason why typographers would not want set width consistency across an entire family? Is the reasoning to not design all styles with consistent tabular set width so each font style's individual TF's have a more harmonious relationship with its proportional figures?
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Because it's hard work to make all the weights fit comfortably into a single advance width, especially when your family runs from very light to very black? Because many type designers would rather focus on pretty forms than think about users' needs?
It's not the end of the world if your weights aren't tabular width -consistent. A slightly wider bold line isn't likely to upset the scanability of the table. Half the time, the bold data is in a column where it only needs to align with itself.
That said it's not hard to keep the core RIBBI styles tabular width -consistent and let the extremes stray from that.
Similarly, make sure you're not overdoing your tabular-width character set. I can be easy to forget how they are being used. All of a sudden you're making a mini fixed-width font.
I've designed a lot of annual reports, so my own POV on this may not be everyone's.
This is the standard approach at Font Bureau.
Thomas, that's exactly what I was getting at, I wanted to hear opinions on that tradeoff and what, if any consensus there was among designers.
Thanks everyone.
However, I rarely do so for the very heavy weights.
Apologies for not reading carefully.
Nick's probably right that you can probably let the heaviest weights follow their bliss, since not many people use ultra bolds for charts.
It is not uncommon these days for publications to like to run Top 5 (or 10 or 20, etc.) lists. Often these will be set with large display numbers either hanging in a margin or in the manner of drop caps. It can create a more orderly layout if these are all on the same width. Extra-bold Display tabular figures to the rescue!
In a display font, it is generally less important for the tabular figures to align across styles (assuming you bother to include tabular figs to begin with).