Transaction Background Color
Definition or Site's
According to the "Signal Detection
Theory", a statistical model elaborated in the 50s, the human brain interprets
and organizes the information it receives in the best possible way when the
visual field has the least number of colors and shapes: the less "noise", the clearer the "signal".
When defining the basic color or
colors of the transaction, the following factors should be
considered:
- The theme: Is it a
fun site, or a transaction for the stock exchange?
- The user: Is there
a homogenizing factor? Gender, (mostly men or women) age, (a site for the
elderly, or young people looking for fun) experience, ( transaction only for the
buyers of a company) any other factor? Or are the users a highly heterogenial
audience (users of a banks ATM
system, for example)?
- The environment:
What is the degree of stress the operators of the system are subject to (high,
as in an air traffic control system, or low, like a user looking for a
restaurant for the weekend from their home)? What are the light conditions in
the environment (high, like in an outdoor Olympic competition, or low, like in
an air traffic control center)?
Let us take a look at some quick
examples:
The basic background color of the
initial page of the Disney Website
(http://www.disney.com) is blue, a
color that besides transmitting trust, calmness, and stability, is perfectly
visible for the most of the population. Notice that despite the visual impact
there are not many colors: besides the basic blue, green, white and orange were
used (all emotional, positive colors).
Black was not used on the
site.
The areas with less basic color
saturation are in the corners.
On the other hand, the site of the
rock group Black Sabbath is basically
black (a color already present in the name of the group). It perfectly matches
the group, which tends to use acts of black magic in its shows. The letters in
blood red are also adequate, considering the theme of the site. Notice that,
once again, there are very few colors.
The Avon website http://www.avon.com is adequate for
the consumer it mostly targets: women. Soft, feminine colors, aesthetically
clean.
On the other hand, the site to the
right http://www.paomusic.com.br
(musical sponsorship of a chain of Brazilian supermarkets) is vibrant, young,
aesthetically shocking. The theme is quickly identifiable: it obviously is a
music site. But the whole -orange- gives the idea of youth, vibrant and dynamic.
Now think about this combination of colors for a tango site, or a classical
music site: totally inadequate.
Take
a look now at these two versions of the same site: Website?s initial page http://www.lancome.com , 2002
version (left) and 2003 version (right).
The version on the left is soft,
delicate, of a not very aggressive femininity. The picture on the version on the
right substantially changed the message: its femininity is much more aggressive,
strong, shocking colors. Even red ( associated with passion, love, sex) which
was not present in any of its shades in the previous version, has been used.
Watch how the picture on the left is part of the whole; it does not divert
attention. The picture on the right
is so shocking that it is almost impossible to notice the whole without noticing
the picture, which will have a greater impact on the user. Also notice the way
in which the layout of the text has been modified.
Considering the physiology of the color perception mechanism, the
cultural context and other factors, we can establish the following
guidelines:
- Use as few background colors for
your site or transaction as possible.
- Color perception is affected by the
light conditions of the environment. Consider the light sources (both natural
and artificial) of the room.
- If the background is an image,
consider that during the loading time of the frontal elements (foreground) these
might not be visible because of lack of contrast.
In the next and final edition:
selecting colors for transactions
Jorge Marmion is the author and director
of the project that created the ?DB-Examiner,? software elected one of the top
100 Applications in the World by the readers of DM Review in 1998, 1999, and
2000. This software was incorporated to the suite of ERWin products, and
distributed by Computer Associates under the name of ?ALLFusion Data Model
Validator.? He currently directs the
Brazilian Institute of Friendliness and Usability (www.ibrau.com.br) and the Latin
American Institute of Usability (www.ilau.org).