Symbols & Symbolism
As I became more aware of the symbols used around me I couldn’t help but absorb the universal meaning behind so many symbols that were used.
Recently, I purchased an item from Ikea and as we went through the assembly process, I realized that the instruction manual was done completely using symbols, drawings and visual representations. Business-wise, its a great move for Ikea because it allows them to mass produce only one manual that can be used and understood across many countries and different languages. Personally, I’m a visual person and it gave me a visual representation of placement and it overall improved my experience.
One the flip-side, I was recently walking around the national mall in Washington, DC. An area that includes many national landmarks and historical monuments and brings in tourists from all over the world. As I was crossing the street I noticed the cross-walk sign read “Don’t walk” as opposed to the usual hand sign indicating “stop”. I wondered how ineffective that may be considering the area was heavily visited by tourists speaking different languages and many times not fluent in English. Someone not being able to read the sign may stand confused, or worse: walk into traffic because they are unable to understand the signs meaning!
Signs in Technology:
I find the connection of signs to physical objects (or Skeuomorphic design) pretty intriguing. I highlighted a couple of ways that symbolism has been used in modern-day tech symbols below!
Your power symbol is symbolized through a Battery
A laptop and cell phone both use the old-school double-A battery icon to symbolize how much charge remains in your phone. While phones have long since stopped using conventional batteries and instead use long and thin batteries to power phones, the symbolism remains. More interestingly, as your phone battery drains, the fill in your battery goes down. With such a universally understood symbol such as the battery = charge, I don’t see this symbolism going away anytime soon.
Lock screens uses a lock and key symbol
My phones lock screen includes a tiny lock symbol to indicate that my screen is locked. Under the symbol are directions for steps to unlock the screen. I find the use of the padlock symbol interesting but not surprising. The keyhole of the symbol indicates that a larger key, possibly one of those large metal ones with a ring-like top (think something that would open a dungeon cell) would be best suited to open it. In a day when FOB keys, combinations and even much thinner keys are used in combination with locks, this symbol is still used.
So, I can’t help but question why is such an old-school type of lock used in this symbol? It may be that the imagery called to mind will most certainly depict a lock-and-key, cue my dungeon analogy, and it’s one that while old is still relevant today.
Sound on the phone is a speakerphone
Back before we used phones and bluetooth speakers to broadcast our music, there were boom boxes and gigantic speakers. I remember as a kid, taking apart a broken large speakerphone and being so intrigued at the blue-like bowl, the speaker, that sat behind a small thin black fabric. My uncle’s house had a surround-sound system which meant he had an array of gigantic speakers taking up space and collecting dust across his living room.
Nowadays, While the sound level has gotten higher the speaker itself has gotten smaller. But it hasn’t disappeared all-together that’s for sure. The modern-day speaker symbol used in technology is in essence a side-view of that blue speaker bowl I came in contact with all those years ago. The addition of sound waves to the front of the symbol adds another touch symbolizing sound.
Game Controller is symbolic of Games
Back in the day we had Nintendo and Playstation 2. While these names are still relevant now, their ages-old game controllers are still alive and well today as a symbol. The symbol for games is, many times, an image of a game controller even if the games contain nothing related to video-gaming. I think this is because the presence the platforms had, and their controllers, created unforgettable imagery that still ties to gaming today.