The approach to creating or refining a digital typeface can be conceptually separated into two dimensions—the drawings, and the development necessary for the typeface to exist as software. These, in practice, have a large functional overlap, where the decisions to one can affect the other. This is why an awareness and experience with both aspects is important in achieving a high-quality product.
Here is what I do:
Concept and design Creating a set of harmonious characters appropriate to a particular persona, condition, and usage
Extension of character sets Enhancing a typeface’s support for languages as well as stylistic variations (eg. small caps, alternates, figures, and ornaments)
Design adaptation Renovating an existing design to fulfill a new role
Expansion of styles and weights Encouraging greater æsthetic and functional potential for a typeface
OpenType feature development Enabling users to access a more dynamic typographic environment; to use characters in the way there were intended (eg. fractions, ligatures, alternates, figures)
Hinting Improving the appearance in print and on screen