The Creation of the Metric System and its Relation to Graphic Designby Tracy Masters

Long, long, ago…

(1600’s-1700’s)

before the universal system of weights and measures was developed, it was very difficult for merchants to do business in expanding market regions. They had no way of clearly communicating product amounts for trading and/or selling.

Scientists……wanted to share theories and experimental data with colleagues. But without a universal system…..their measurements didn’t make sense to scientists in other countries, leading to possible unwanted results for distant colleagues.

In 1668, John Wilkins, an English Bishop, published a book with a plan for a universal measure which included almost all elements of today’s International System of Units (SI).

In 1777, the Articles of Confederation gave Congress the right of “fixing the standards of weights and measures throughout the U.S. and in 1785, James Madison pushed to establish a uniform system throughout the U.S. in the hopes that it might lead to a shared system throughout the world.

In 1790, the National Assembly, (parliament of France) asked the French Academy of Sciences to work out a system of units. A year later, Academy proposed a system based on a single unit of length, based in nature, one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator. They named it the meter.

Metric System in Graphic Design

Outside of the U.S., it is not a question of “if” the metric system will be used in Graphic Design. It is a question of “when.

As the last major Country to adopt an international system, we have been resistant.

1970’s-NASA starts using it. Anything that is created graphically, has to be relative to the exact measurements to be used. Designers create everything from rockets, shuttles, engines and space suits. !

!

In 2007, an article claims NASA finally goes metric, however, it also states that NASA has been using

metrics since 1991, but now it will begin measuring in kilometers instead of miles and changing over tool

measurements allowing Russian tools to be used on U.S. equipment.

Graphic Designers have to format their designs to metric measurements that are used in other countries.

These designs include movie and event posters, billboards, brochures, postcards, floor plans and much

more.

Architectural Graphic Design

References:Metric System: History In The World Book Encyclopedia M13 (2013) pg 441 Chicago, Ill World Book, Inc.

Crease, Robert P. (2011) World in Balance: The Historic Quest for an Absolute System of Measurement Chp. 5; 99-109. 530.81 Cre

Klein, Laura (2012 September 20). How Metrics Can Make You a Better Designer. Smashing Magazine, http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2011/09/20/how-metrics-can-make-you-a-better-designer/

Vera, H. (2009). Decimal Time: Misadventures of a Revolutionary Idea, 1793-2008. Kronoscope 9(1/2), 29-48. doi:10.1163/156771509X12638154745382

Archer, F. W. (1966). Marketing's Role in the Change to the Metric System. Journal Of Marketing, 30(4), 10-14. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=76f50be6-de5e-445b-bb24-1cc79464daf4%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=120

space.com Staff NASA Finally Goes Metric, January 08,2007 SPACE.COM http://www.space.com/3332-nasa-finally-metric.html

The End