Wibo Bakker

“Almanac to Smartphone: half a millennium of symbol systems facilitating information access”

This research seeks to provide a better understanding of the use and nature of symbol systems. It focuses on the use of symbols in almanacs, comparing this with mobile phones. Arguably, almanacs were the first printed products to use symbol systems to highlight or rapidly access specific information. This research aims to explore several questions. For example: how do the symbols in these media relate to textual content and typography? Also: how does the medium's materiality –interactive screen or paper – influence the use and appearance of symbols? Finally: How was the use of symbols embedded in a wider sociocultural context? 

The earliest almanacs are thousands of years old and go back to ancient Persia. At their core are calendars for astronomical events. However, their most recent incarnation is a result of the invention of printing. Almanacs became mass-produced compact printed publications, often containing additional tips for seasonal chores such as farming or housework as well. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the nation-state, some almanacs began to incorporate information about public transport or statistical data about countries. Over time almanacs became the ‘Jack of all trades’ of printing. Their popularity in Western countries was rivalled only by the Bible.

Whereas almanacs were initially rather brief and focused, over time they diversified into lengthy transport, tourist, and municipal guides, in addition to providing overviews of news transforming into localized mini-encyclopedias for everyone. Nevertheless, from the beginning onwards, the use of symbols in almanacs helped to reduce information density as a whole and facilitated the accessibility and legibility of these publications. The most comparable symbol systems nowadays can be found in smartphones, in terms of form, content, and use. Just like almanacs, smartphones are pocketable, the main personal source of knowledge of society at large, representing the technological pinnacle of their era.

Biography
Wibo Bakker is a Dutch design researcher and educator with an interest in information design and design history. He has carried extensive research into the development of visual identities and pictograms and worked for over one and a half decade in academia.