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We develop and deliver complex power and propulsion solutions for safety-critical applications in the air, at sea and on land.
Our products and service packages enable our customers to connect people, societies, cultures and economies together.
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Software companies actively use colour to support decision making and positively influence actions in the User Interface (UI). Considerations such as early childhood colour recognition, people’s ability to see colour and cultural reactions to colour can affect how we interact with the UI. GorWay SMS Solution is highly aware of how colour influences our behaviour. This article will look at the nuances of colour and how effective UIs reflect these distinctions.
We create relationships with colours and the world around us from an early age. Indeed, infants aged two to four months old can see colour, while four-year-olds have fully developed colour recognition skills. By adulthood, colour conventions have become unconscious and normalised. Our focus on colour is often on organisational tasks such as colour coded calendars or recreational activities such as shopping for home decor. Highly regulated industries, like aviation, consider the unconscious mind during risk management. Using colour in signage and on buttons can highlight risk and focus the mind on the task at hand. Software designers understand this concept and how to take advantage of colour conventions in the UI.
Some people cannot distinguish between colours or any colours at all, which is known as ‘colour blindness.’ The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom states that 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women are affected by colour related issues. Red, yellow, and green are usually colours that people with this condition struggle to identify. UI designs must feature careful colour placement, as critical issues could occur without prior consideration of colour recognition abilities. Indeed, pressing the Save or Submit button can be disrupted if using a problematic colour. To solve this problem, incorporate labels and other visual indicators into the UI.
Successful colour placement enables all users to understand and feel connected to the UI. Global software companies have the additional challenge of creating UIs that are sensitive to all cultures. For instance, red is a colour of celebration in China. It indicates when the stock market has gone up, not down as in other countries. In Western cultures, red is indicative of warnings and catastrophic events. Red warning buttons may not hold the same weight in China as they would in England. Yellow often symbolises joy and friendship. It can also be used to caution people and is a colour of mourning in Mexico. Too many yellow caution buttons on a page may indicate a friendlier space than anticipated and should be reconsidered. White is a clean and pure colour in Western cultures. In Asia, white symbolises death and mourning. White is often used to complement other colours. Used sparingly, it can have a significant impact on the readability of the page without offending. Considering colour from a lens of cultural significance ensures that your UI makes sense to your clients.
GorWay understands how colour resonates with our entrenched understanding of the world. We are led by colour and learn to categorise our experiences accordingly. Intersection red lights, yellow EFTPOS cancel buttons and white phone passcodes serve a specific purpose. The red intersection light becomes a warning, the yellow EFTPOS cancel button lets us change our minds, and the white passcode helps us discreetly hide personal details. Colour influences the way we interact with our environment and how we feel about it. Software designers are highly cognisant of the importance of colour in our everyday lives and aim to enhance user experience. Essentially, we want to help you independently find buttons and labels so that you can make good decisions and work effectively.
Nathalie Rosenbrook is a Communications Consultant for GorWay SMS Solution. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Media Studies and Film from Victoria University of Wellington. When she isn’t creating documentation, you can find her at an art exhibition or enjoying a walk in the outdoors with friends.