Designing Accessible Websites for the Visually Impaired: Colors, Layouts, and Tips

Using website colors effectively for people with vision impairment is important to those wishing to reach the broadest possible audience with their products, services or information. There may be as many as 15 million visually impaired residents in the United States alone and 180 million worldwide. An estimated 21% are over age 65. Additionally, of men with European heritage, as many as 8%-12% struggle with some degree of color blindness. Only .5%-2% of women with the same background tend to inherit this condition. Whether the vision impairment is caused by aging, partial sight (poor acuity, tunnel vision, clouding, central field loss) or congenital color deficits, it is possible to build thoughtful web designs that can create user-friendly access and maneuvering, even for the vision-impaired.

Use of appropriate colors can be an important part of the ease-of-use for those people with special vision needs. Not all monitors reproduce accurately the colors you may have chosen for your web design. By staying within the recognized 216 "browser-safe color selections," you can be assured that the colors you choose will be passed on without change. This is important because certain color combinations lose their effectiveness when the level of contrast is diminished to vision-impaired viewers. Degrees of hue, lightness and saturation can be less distinguishable, which can be a significant problem, especially if the colors are being used as primary indicators.

By exaggerating the contrasts or light differences between foreground and background screen space, the person with a vision-impairment can more easily differentiate the colors. For the same reason, never use colors of similar lightness next to each other. Lighten the lights, blue-green, green, yellow and orange and darken the dark colors, blue, violet, purple and red for the most effective use of contrast. The more dramatically different you can make each area, the more clarity your web page will have.

Exploring the Emotional Impact of Colorful Gemstones in Jewelry

From ancient times, jewelry and the various color designations of gemstones have been used to communicate a variety of messages. Originally, the primary uses for jewelry included currency and symbolism. In many societies, jewelry pieces were designed also for functionality, to hold clothing in place. Occasionally the pieces even served as body protection.

But in every society, and even more so today, colored jewelry has been a way to display personal taste and attractiveness. When elegant models parade the newest fashions down runways from Paris to New York City, their complimentary jewelry pieces are painstakingly selected to enhance their overall appearance and showcase the newest designs. The necklaces, bracelets and earrings chosen complete a look, and color plays an important role in that process because of its emotional impact.

Diamonds, first mined in India, have long held premier standing as the jewelry that makes any outfit look more expensive. Without adding significant color, they bring a touch of class and exclusivity, practically oozing luxury. When it comes to diamonds, almost always, "bigger is better," especially in the art of dressing to impress. The blood-red ruby has traditionally been known as the "King of Precious Stones." Its powerful color evokes feelings of passion, love, fire and heat. It is definitely an attention-getting colored gemstone and romance is its message. Rose quartz, a gentler, pinker stone also reflects a softer kind of love. It is light, relaxing and unpretentious.

Unlock the Health Benefits of Nature's Colorful Palette in Fruits and Vegetables

A trip to the section of the grocery store where fresh fruits and vegetables are displayed immediately showcases a rich variety of colors, from the palest whites to the deepest purples. Greens, yellows, and reds are inter-mixed for a smorgasbord of appealing, nutrient-packed foods. Unfortunately, many people limit their purchases to the few familiar favorites, neglecting those products with which they are less familiar. What a mistake!

Research indicates that the healthy produce nature has displayed on this beautiful palette of colors should be included in the total picture of a healthy diet. Many health experts recommend 9-10 servings daily, double that of the food pyramid, for maximum health benefits. In addition to weight loss benefits, these foods appear to reduce the risk of chronic diseases that may attack the eyes and the heart. They may also strengthen the body to resist some types of cancer, support cognitive functioning and avoid Type II diabetes. Studies suggest fruits and vegetables may even promote a more youthful-looking appearance.

Unlocking the Power of Color in the Workplace: Boost Productivity, Creativity, and Morale

Effectively decorating the workplace with colors that encourage creativity, productivity and positive morale has been the subject of recent research, but the concept of influencing attitudes and work habits by creating the most conducive environments is not a new one. As researchers more clearly identify how certain colors provoke predictable psychological and physiological responses, interior color design has become important to the corporate boardroom and the production manufacturing workroom. The appropriate use of color can not only maximize productivity levels and minimize fatigue, but it can also stimulate collaboration, creativity and cooperation.

Visual ergonomics, the science of developing a color scheme that is most suited for the task at hand in the office, employee lounge or factory workroom, is based on matching color responses to expected behaviors and attitudes in any given environment.

The Power of Color in Product Marketing: How it Influences Our Choices

Because we live in a world inundated with colors, we are apt to become desensitized to the impact they can have on our emotional responses and preferences. The fact that we are so easily manipulated has not been lost on product marketing companies who have studied the psychology behind each color and how it can be used to influence us to purchase their products. Interestingly, the emotions stirred by certain colors in America may not be the same as those in other parts of the world or other cultures. Since color appreciation is a learned behavior, we tend to value colors in the same way our society has.

Occasionally trends can change that, but many colors have indelibly imprinted themselves, and even though they speak subliminally, they steer our attitudes in powerful ways. By correctly analyzing the way a color stirs a positive response in the targeted audience, manufacturers can increase its sales potential. Conversely, a bad color choice can ruin a product no matter how superior its performance may have been. Clear-colored Coca Cola was a dismal failure, even though the taste was identical, because the public was not comfortable with a color that varied so much from the traditional look. Green ketchup was a great novelty alternative but did not last on the market because people prefer their ketchup to be red.