Aptos replaces long-standing Calibri as the default font in Microsoft Office applications.
Aptos is a sans-serif typeface designed by Steve Matteson for Microsoft. It was introduced in 2023 as part of the company's efforts to modernize its default font options, replacing the long-standing Calibri as the default font in Microsoft Office applications.
Key Features of Aptos
Aptos has a clean, modern look that enhances readability and aesthetic appeal. It is designed to work well in many sizes and weights, making it suitable for body text and headings. PowerPoint and Word users will find it helpful to create a document hierarchy. Excel users can use its condensed weights to fit more information into spreadsheets and tables.
Accessibility Features
Aptos has been designed with accessibility in mind. Features such as clear letter distinctions, open apertures, and balanced spacing contribute to its readability, especially for users with visual impairments or reading difficulties.
Clear Letter Distinctions
Characters like "I" (uppercase i), "l" (lowercase L), and "1" (number one) are easily distinguishable, reducing confusion.
Open Apertures
Letters such as "a," "e," and "s" have open shapes, which improves legibility.
Balanced Spacing
Adequate spacing between characters and words helps prevent the text from appearing crowded, which benefits readers with dyslexia or other reading difficulties.
Try Aptos Font for Better Accessibility and Understanding
Aptos is designed to be an aesthetically pleasing and highly readable font. It is a desirable choice for accessibility-friendly reports and business presentations.
Founded by JD Solomon, Communicating with FINESSE is a not-for-profit community of technical professionals dedicated to being highly effective communicators and facilitators. Learn more about our publications, webinars, and workshops. Join the community for free.
Projects in the public sector are slowed by the amount of engineering resources that local governments have.
Why does it take so long to develop a major project in the public sector? Have you ever considered why public-sector capital project delivery can’t keep up with community growth? There are certainly a couple of layers to these questions, but here I'll shed some light on the five project management challenges for local government. More importantly, we’ll give some rules of thumb on how many engineers a local government needs.
What’s an Engineer?
The title "engineer" in the U.S. can refer to a broad range of professionals with varying levels of education, licensure, and responsibility, depending on the industry and specific job role.
A licensed engineer meets specific education, experience, and examination requirements. Licensure is required to practice engineering in many fields where public safety is concerned, such as civil, structural, or electrical engineering. The title "Professional Engineer" (PE) is legally protected.
Technicians, technologists, and inspectors apply engineering principles in practical settings, often working alongside engineers. Where public health and safety is concerned, a licensed professional engineer is legally responsible for reviewing and accepting their work.
What Are the Functions of an Engineering Department?
Planning & Zoning Case Reviews
Engineering departments work alongside city and county Planning & Zoning Departments to review and approve new projects by private developers. In this case, engineers need primary expertise in transportation, stormwater, and public utilities.
Capital Project Design
Designing and permitting new capital projects funded by the unit of local government is a primary responsibility of the engineering department. In some cases, small projects will be performed turnkey by in-house resources. In most cases, projects are designed and permitted by third-party engineers and architects.
Construction Inspections and Administration
The engineering department is responsible for construction inspection and administration for all projects, whether implemented by a private developer or by the local government. Third-party inspectors and construction managers may supplement large projects, but the department remains responsible for the quality of the final product.
Special Initiatives
Stormwater quantity and quality programs usually fall under the engineering department, as do special studies and assessments for new economic development projects. The engineering department also leads special projects like Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliance, building management, physical security, and disaster recovery.
Engineering Standards
Engineering standards must be updated regularly to reflect changes in building codes, fire codes, state transportation standards, new construction methodologies, and new products.
Engineering Staffing Levels
Many standard sources leave this pivotal question unanswered. The caveats for not having a specific, recommended number are as follows: population size, geographic area, existing infrastructure condition, amount of new growth, system complexity, system automation, and existing staff capabilities. What’s left out is that most local governments don’t have formal work processes.
With all of that said, these are a few rules of thumb:
Total Number of Engineering Staff
The answer is somewhere between 5 and 15 percent of total staff. That’s based on number of people, not payroll. For a town with 200 staff, plus or minus 20 people in the engineering department is about right.
Total Number of Engineers
The rule of thumb is one engineer for every four non-engineer staff (1 in 5 should be an engineer). That means a 20-person engineering staff should include five engineers. Ironically, most engineering departments have five functions (see above).
Engineering Staff for Large Capital Programs
This category is best evaluated on a dollar-volume basis, mainly because it includes many things that may or may not be in the traditional engineering department. In addition to planning, design, & permitting, construction inspection, and construction management, activities like cost and schedule controls, document management, and public involvement should be included. Between 11 and 18 percent of total construction costs should be allocated for engineering functions within a major capital program.
How Many Engineers Does a Local Government Need?
I have provided a few rules of thumb on how many engineers a local government needs. Hopefully, it's apparent that there are five key functions, and by now, you've concluded that most local governments cannot cover all of them. There's a bigger issue related to business processes and workflows and another one related to workforce development (filling out the organization chart will not get us where we need to go). For today, we start with how many people we need.
JD Solomon Inc. provides solutions for program development, asset management, and facilitation at the nexus of facilities, infrastructure, and the environment. Sign up for monthly updates related to our firm.
Jessica Morgan shares her six points for communicating creative materials.
Logos, book covers, fliers, websites, or social posts are seen every day and, when effective, will elicit some sort of reaction from the viewer. We all have opinions on the communication efforts we're surrounded by every day. As a freelance graphic designer and marketing consultant, I understand the necessity of balancing my own experiences and opinions with those of my clients. While it's their product, they hired me for my expertise. Managing creative projects requires FINESSE in communication.
Enjoy a sneak peek into the six communication points I make during each initial creative presentation.
Creative Work Is Personal
Why do I follow a process? Creative work is personal! As a designer, I'm responsible for bringing someone’s vision to life. This means the execution depends on me. My understanding of the product or business, market trends, technical details, and creative skills set me apart from the client.
My Client, Alice
Meaning? I have to bring a client along in the process. If they are dumped right into a finished product without understanding the journey, my design will be misunderstood or outright rejected.
6-Points for Communicating Creative Materials:
Clearly define the request
Discuss the process you underwent
Report the client’s input
Manage expectations
Present the creative work
Clearly define the next steps
What do these steps look like in action? Let me introduce you to Alice, a public speaker and author.
She hired me for a rebrand. We sat over coffee, and this was how our initial concept presentation went.
Points 1 and 2
Alice (name changed for privacy) has been a public speaker for over 14 years. She has garnered an international following but has outgrown the look she started with. 1. Clearly define the request: She wants a new logo, color scheme, and brand voice.
We didn’t spend much time on this; mostly a statement acknowledging the purpose of our working relationship. 2. Discuss the process: Alice was informed of my process including her part in the initial information gathering. I’m bringing her along on my creative journey.
Pivotal Point 3
Yup. All good up to this part. Agreement on scope and process. 3. Report the client’s input: This is the most important step! I visually represented Alice’s input in text and pictures. By reporting back the information provided, I am reminding her of what she said and acknowledging I understood what she wants.
Why is number three most important? Simply put, a client may have forgotten what they initially thought or said. This step opens the door for client input if they forget to mention something. Case in point, Alice forgot to mention her favorite color and the need for incorporating it into the design.
Points 4 and 5
Leading to the importance of 4. Manage expectations: Alice each design is 50-60% done. As we discussed at contracting, you’ll receive 2-3 different concepts to review and select for further work to be done.
I asked her to be open-minded and understand these designs are not complete, and I value her feedback on the direction from this point. Then 5. Present the creative work: I gave her three logo options. Each is completely different. Each is highlighting her key points. Each being my incarnation of the concept.
Had I not brought her through the process and just said, “Here you go.” She likely would have rejected concept one on the spot. Didn’t happen, thankfully. This means I had communicated effectively and brought her along the creative journey.
Implementation With Point 6
After talking through the concepts, 6. Clearly define the next steps: I gave us each homework. Here is what I'm going to do for you based on the discovery of missing information from step 3. These are the steps, Alice, you are going to take with the creatives. After we complete both of these, we'll move into the next phase of our project.
Communicating Creative Materials
The success of any creative project hinges on clear and effective communication. By communicating these six points, you not only ensure that your client feels involved in the process, but you also increase the likelihood of delivering a final product that truly resonates with them. Communicating these points ensures your work is understood, appreciated, and ultimately approved by your client, no matter what the creative work might be. I encourage you to think about how you can apply these steps in your own creative projects. How might they help you bridge the gap between your creative vision and your client's expectations, ultimately saving you both time and money?
Jessica Morgan is an award-winning solopreneur and owner of WSD Services, a full-service marketing and graphic design firm. As a consultant, Jessica serves clients where their greatest needs are. Website copy, landing pages, social media, and graphic design fill most of her workload. She specializes in brand development and management.
“I love helping small businesses find who they are as a brand!” She has worked in industries ranging from minor league baseball, telemedicine, home services, and outdoor recreation. WSD Services specializes in brand development, content creation, and overall communication support.
Jessica is a wife to Joel, mother to Amelia (15), Nic, (13), and Wim (11). In 2020, she finally became a dog mom to Cassie, her beloved mix-breed (they claim she’s a cojack). In the spring and summer, she’ll be found at the youth baseball fields and most Sundays can be seen volunteering at her local parish. She serves on the board of directors for the Tri-Cities, Washington chapter of the American Advertising Federation.
The elements of the FINESSE fishbone diagram® are Frame, Illustrate, Noise reduction, Empathy, Structure, Synergy, and Ethics. Communicating with FINESSE is a not-for-profit community of technical professionals dedicated to being highly effective communicators and facilitators. Learn more about our publications, webinars, and workshops. Join the community for free.
