Design Nomenclature / Type

Bouma

Also called word shape, word silhouette

The overall silhouette of a word, named for the vision researcher Herman Bouma. The model that readers recognise words by this shape is discredited: the evidence supports parallel letter recognition, in which letters are identified simultaneously and feed word identification directly.

A two-column comparison headed "What the evidence supports". The left column is titled Word-shape model (bouma) and reads: claims the reader matches a word's outline — discredited, since it predicts that a word in an unfamiliar silhouette is unreadable and readers manage fine. The right is titled Parallel letter recognition and reads: the supported account — letters are identified simultaneously and feed word identification directly.

In practice

Still cited to explain why all caps reads slower. The real reasons are practice and reduced letter distinction, not lost silhouette — worth knowing, because the folklore version is repeated in otherwise good design writing.

Not to be confused with

How this term connects

ApertureLegibilityReadabilitySmall capsBouma
Related Confused with