Color, Sounds, and Motion

.docx

School

Southern New Hampshire University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

319

Subject

Computer Science

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by UltraCamelMaster345

Raphael Tolentino CS-319 Prof. Tirrell 12 Nov 2023 Color, Sounds, and Motion Color plays an important role in enabling developers to place importance in a particular area. For example, warmer colors, particularly red, usually get the attention of users quickly so it would be useful as a way to warn users of critical information such as an allergen alert/warning. Additionally, it can convey feedback. Take the example of a hyperlink: the link is light blue when the user has yet to click on the link, however, it turns purple when it is clicked on indicating that the user has already visited the link before. Developers and UI/UX designers will have to watch out for the overuse of colors. It should be used in areas where we want to highlight or draw attention to, and we should have very good reason to use them. Additionally, we need to be consistent in our use of color to avoid confusion. As Apple’s guide to implementing colors state, “using a color other than [what’s conventionally used] can be confusing.” (Apple, 2023). Developers can use colors to guide how users interact with their applications. For example, colors convey hierarchy by indicating, ” which elements are interactive, how they relate to other elements, and their level of prominence.” (The Color System, n.d.). We can use visually contrasting elements to highlight where we want our users to focus their attention. This means we should highlight areas of our application that will let users achieve their goals the quickest. An example would be the Google home page. It only has one function and that is the search bar. A colorful Google logo sits atop the prominent search bar, instantly drawing attention to the

search bar whilst bringing attention to the company name. In Dark Mode, the Google logo is in white bold text and everything else is dark, luring the user’s eyes without the use of any color. We should keep this principle of contrasting elements in mind when we design UI/UXs. By learning the design principles behind the use of color, I can apply it to the current app we’re developing. For example, in my prototype UI, I’ve placed emphasis on an allergen alert at the very top of the page that will be in a warm color, most likely either orange or red. Additionally, at the bottom left of the screen, users will be able to view their saved items and achievements and this will be in a yellow or similarly flashy color. Next, the ingredients themselves will be listed in green for healthy, orange for caution, and red for unhealthy. Using these minimal pops of color should guide my users in the areas I want to highlight, especially critical information like allergen and food safety. While colors provide the lift for most of the user interaction with the application, we should not forget how sound can play an important role in refining the user experience. Sounds should provide appropriate feedback to user actions, therefore creating another way to deliver information about user actions. For example, tapping a button usually comes with sound feedback so we don’t have to bombard our users with changes in color as previously mentioned. "These sounds are called earcons , and they can represent information, actions, or events. Their sound can reinforce both the meaning of an interaction and a product’s aesthetic, emotion, and personality.” Additionally, there are decorative sounds and hero sounds. Hero sounds are usually used, “to highlight an important moment, evoke an emotion, or express celebration.” (Applying Sound to UI, n.d.). Even though sound can be an effective tool to convey feedback on user actions, we should be wary of using too much decorative sounds. Decorative sounds are used to “amplify an

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version