“Good design is like a refrigerator–when it works, no one notices, but when it doesn’t, it sure stinks.”
-Irene Au
When preparing a web application for success, purpose and functionality are key. However, having an appealing User Interface (UI) is of equal importance. The look of your application will not only make it approachable, but it will also create a connection between functionality and aesthetics.
An important issue many companies face is not application installations but the retention of these applications. According to research, 21% of app users delete an app after a single use. So in order to prevent application abandonment it is crucial to effectively use colors and illustrations in your design.
Consider your brand and your users when designing your UI, before beginning a new development project create a guideline for the design. Take note of the popularity and trends of different designs using color theory. Finally, use bright colors that will engage your audience. How does the use of bright colors influence users?
Increase in Accessibility
According to the World Health Organization approximately 2.2 billion people suffer from visual impairment. A UI design that uses bright contrasting colors makes an application more accessible to those 2.2 billion people. Why?
Colors that share the same shade, brightness, and saturation can be difficult to distinguish when placed side by side. This can quickly lead to frustration and abandonment of an application. However, contrasting colors are more easily identified, making your application easier to navigate, especially for those with visual impairments.
Enhanced Legibility
It’s also vital to make sure your UI design is easy to read. Text should be easily recognizable. This can be accomplished, again, with bright colors making your text more noticeable. However, when the contrast is too intense it can create the opposite effect, making your text illegible. So be careful when selecting color combinations.
Influence Behavior
While subtle, research has shown that our minds react to colors. So the effective use of vibrant colors can affect the mood and behavior of your user. How so?
According to the article “Color in Design: Influence on Users’ Actions” By Alina Archipova, “designers need to understand what colors mean and what reaction they evoke.” Yellow for example is the most visible color and it inspires and boosts confidence. Green, on the other hand, creates a sense of calm. While blue shows reliability and evokes trust.
Clear Navigation
Bright colors can help make a sight navigable with little thought. The brain will easily distinguish the difference in color when a UI is designed properly. Continuity of color can also show a connection between elements of an application. This allows for intuition to guide the user, and decreases frustration due to confusion. A highly instinctive application has a good UI design and can be used without much thought.
Improves Recognizability
Standing out from the competition is an important part of any brand. Advertisers will use bright color combinations to grab attention, and you can do the same with your UI design. Create a balance between attraction and understanding your target market. Find harmony in the colors chosen, avoiding clashing colors.
If some aspect of your brand already contains bright colors, carry these same colors over to your new application. This makes your brand recognizable and memorable to clients.
So as you embark on new projects, consider the importance of bright colors in an effective UI design. Keep your clients coming back!
Source:
Zola, A. Z. (2018, November 29). How Bright Colors in UI Design Increase Customer Engagement. Intersog. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://intersog.com/blog/code/how-bright-colors-in-ui-design-increase-customer-engagement/
