Joel Koh
Digital Lead
Mon, 22 May 2023
Colour has the greatest ability of all design components for user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) to evoke emotions, communicate value, and impact user behaviour. Colour is a non-verbal language that, from a psychological point of view, has the ability to stir up powerful associations and influence mood, feelings, and behaviour. Designers who want to create engaging and significant experiences for their users must understand how colour functions within the framework of UI/UX design. We'll look at the psychology of colour in UI/UX design in this post and discover how colour is used to boost engagement and leave an impression of users.
Before we delve into the psychology of colour, it is indeed crucial to comprehend the fundamentals of colour theory before delving into the psychology of colour. The framework of colour theory explains how colours interact with one another and how they mix to create new colours. Red, blue, and yellow are the three primary colours, and other colours cannot be combined to make them. Two primary colours can then be combined to make a secondary colour, and two primary colours can be combined to make a tertiary colour.
Colours can be characterised by hue, saturation, and brightness. The actual colour, for example red, blue, or green, is referred to as hue. The term "saturation" measures the colour’s intensity, which can range from brilliant and vibrant to drab and subdued. Brightness refers to how light or dark the colour is, with white being the lightest colour, and black being the darkest.
With the basic understanding of colour theory, let's explore the psychology of colour in UI/UX design. Each colour has a unique set of associations and can cause users to experience various feelings. Here are some typical connections between various colours:
Such associations could serve as a starting point for designers who want to utilise colour to evoke a particular feeling or meaning even if they are not universal and can change depending on cultural and individual circumstances.
Let’s dive into how we can use colours effectively in UI/UX design. Here are a few insights to enhance your designs:
Colours have been utilised many times in UI/UX design. Some prominent examples include:
Colour is a potent tool in UI/UX design that may arouse feelings which will possibly influence user behaviour. Designers are able to give their users compelling and meaningful experiences by successfully utilising colour psychology. Yet, it's crucial to use colour purposefully and consciously, keeping in mind the context and goals of the design to make sure the desired effect is realised.