Hughman's Baybayin forms are derived from modern practices and research, specifically designed to improve the script's legibility, ease of use, and reading flow for widespread application.
The stylistic set ss01, designated as "Baybayin", utilizes a dash diacritic (-) to represent the high vowels "i" and "u". This feature provides an explicit visual distinction from their mid-vowel counterparts. The dash used for the "i" vowel differentiates it from the "e" vowel, which is typically represented by a dot (tuldok) placed above the consonant. Similarly, the dash for the "u" vowel distinguishes it from the "o" vowel, which uses a dot placed below the character's baseline.
For users who prefer the historical notation, the stylistic set ss03 ("Traditional") is available. When enabled, this set reverts to using the tuldok diacritic for both vowel pairs, where the distinction between "i/e" and "u/o" is contextual rather than explicit in the glyph.
Hughman is a modern humanist sans-serif typeface, named with a play on the word "human" to reflect its design philosophy centered on exceptional clarity and readability. Key features like its open letterforms, subtle stroke variation, and a tall x-height make it an excellent choice for diverse applications, from long-form body text to wayfinding signage and small user interface captions. A standout characteristic of Hughman is its built-in support for the ancient Filipino writing system, Baybayin, which is accessible through an OpenType feature. This addition makes it not only a highly functional font but also a culturally inclusive and significant design tool.