In the world of learning content design, the importance of colour goes far beyond aesthetics. We’ve found it plays a pivotal role in shaping the learning experience, influencing engagement, comprehension, and retention. Who knew?
We asked our design team to pull together some thoughts around why the role of colour has become so critical in what we do.
Branding
We work with our clients branding palettes to stick to what is recognised and dependant on how these are created can often affect the output of creative material. We all recognise big branding easily within milliseconds so it’s important for learners to associate what they see with the company they work for.
Information Hierarchy
Colour serves as a visual cue for information hierarchy. By assigning different colours to headers, backgrounds and body text our designers cleverly guide learners through the content, making it easier to identify and process key information. This promotes a more organised and structured learning experience.
Memory and Retention
Using certain colours can evoke emotions and enhance memory retention. For instance, using a consistent colour scheme throughout a module and always ending on black can create a visual roadmap for the brain to signify it’s time for a break.
Accessibility and Inclusivity
Considering colour accessibility is crucial in designing learning content. A diverse audience may have varying levels of colour perception so we work hard to ake sure things like contrast are well defined and colour-blind-friendly palettes are considered to make the content accessible to a broader range of learners.
Mood and Atmosphere
Colours have psychological effects, influencing both mood and atmosphere. Warm tones like red and orange can evoke energy and passion, while cool tones like blue and green create a calm and focused ambiance. We leverage these effects to enhance the learning environment and emotional connection with the content.
Interactive Elements
Colour is often used to highlight interactive elements, such as clickable buttons or important call-to-action prompts. This guides learners on where to focus but also encourages participation and engagement.
When it comes to learning design colour is an underrated tool that goes beyond simple aesthetics. It is a strategic element that influences engagement, aids memory retention, and creates a visually cohesive and accessible learning experience.
If you’d like us to work on your learning content then get in touch.