Color is an essential element of visual language that people use in cognitive processes even before they are aware of the same. Most of the computer users with no visual impairment depend on visual effects to perceive the changes in the computer screen. Color plays a key role in every stage of vision. It is hence paramount for developers to choose the colors used in any application based on the information they what convey and to whom the information should be relayed.
People’s perception to color is subjective; different color components have a different meaning to different people. Red to some people might mean danger while to some other may not specifically hold such a meaning. Blues to May do not always signify calmness to all individuals. It hence clear important to consider the perception the target population has to different colors before they are adopted in any website or user interface. It is important to put into consideration the cultural beliefs and practices by a different nation. Different colors have different meanings in different countries, and it will affect how the population reacts to a system that has a particular color.
Usability of the system is highly affected by color choices. Certain color combinations can strain the eyes resulting in headaches. Such combination leads to poor system usability and will result with redirection of traffic to other sites in the event of a website.
Color combination affects the legibility of the data and information posted on a website. Strong colors contrast between the background color and the front colors are required to ensure legibility.
Color is used to convey strictures: different applications such Microsoft table use color to communicate the structures. Different rows and columns will have different colors. These enhance contrasts hence improving table legibility.
Colors are used to communicate the mood. if the user interface has highly saturated dark colors the mood of user might be negatively affected as compared light colors with positive effects.
Color aspects that have a role in web design
Color contrast
Colored objected are never displayed in isolation, they are either adjustment or superimposed on another colored area. To get optimum legibility of the images or wording on proper display contrast needs to be provided (Petrasch, 2010). The choice of colors influences the contrast in the different. Contrast can be used to achieve different purposes:-
Contrast can be used to create attention to a particular section of a page that has most valuable information.
Color contrast is used to boost visual appeal when designing the user interface. Users prefer warm colors such as red and yellow as the background of cool colors.
Chromatic aberration has a great impact on user experience because different color stimuli are not focused at the same point in the retina.
Color Deficiencies
Color blindness is defined as the inability to perceive certain colors correctly. A majority of people suffering color blindness are not completely unable to perceive a particular color but their perception is at times faulty. The impact of deficiency aspect to the usability depends on the nature of the application. If color is used for aesthetic purpose; color deficiency may have little impact on a system that depends on color to mark status such as web page were color change is used to indicate hyperlink status.
Color saturation
Saturation, which is a measure of color purity and color value which is the measure from light to dark, is known to evoke emotion. Light colors provide benefits as compared to dark colors that have negative impact (Sokolova & Fernández-Caballero, 2015).
Conclusion
User interface is a critical component of any system; a poor user interface design will be interpreted by users to condemn the whole system to be bad.. It is hence important for developer to ensure proper use of colors in order to enhance usability.
References
Petrasch, R. (2010). Modellbasiertes User Interface Design und HCI Patterns: Eine Symbiose. I-Com, 9(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.1524/icom.2010.0023
Sokolova, M. & Fernandez-Caballero, A. (2015). A Review on the Role of Color and Light in Affective Computing. Applied Sciences, 5(3), 275-293. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app5030275
