Goals

The primary goal of the Bright Works redesign was to improve the user experience by simplifying the process of creating, saving, and sharing color palettes. Key objectives included:

• Streamlining the palette creation workflow for ease of use.

• Enhancing visual clarity to make color selection more intuitive.

• Enabling seamless sharing and collaboration for users.

• Improving accessibility for users with visual impairments.

Challenge

The previous design of Hue Supply had several usability issues:

• Complex Interface: The color selection and customization process was cluttered and confusing, leading to user frustration.

• Limited Sharing Options: Collaboration features were minimal, making it difficult for designers to share their palettes with team members or clients.

• Accessibility Gaps: The platform lacked features that accommodated users with color blindness or vision impairments, limiting inclusivity.

• Overwhelming Color Data: The extensive color options presented a challenge for users to navigate efficiently without feeling overwhelmed.

Solution

To address these challenges, we implemented the following solutions:

1. Simplified UI Layout: We redesigned the interface to be clean and intuitive. Key actions—such as adding, adjusting, and saving colors—were given prominent placement, and non-essential elements were removed to reduce clutter.

2. Color Customization Enhancements: An updated color picker tool was introduced, allowing users to fine-tune shades with ease. We added preset palette options to simplify decision-making for users who need quick solutions.

3. Collaboration Features: We integrated a "Share Palette" feature, enabling users to easily share their palettes via URL or export to common design tools. Collaborative editing allowed multiple users to refine a palette in real time.

4. Accessibility Improvements: The platform was enhanced with accessibility features like a color-blind mode that suggests color combinations optimized for color vision deficiencies. Contrast ratios were improved across the interface to ensure readability for all users.

People don't always know what they want, even if they think the do. As Joe Leech, a UX psychologist says, "People want more choices, but can't deal with them.”

So how do we design for our users, if our users aren’t always telling us the truth? This is one of the most important questions, and something that extensive UX research helps us accomplish.

Back in the 2000s, psychologists Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper ran a study regarding consumer choices. They went to a local supermarket, and instructed the store to only sell 6 varieties of jam one week, followed by 30 varieties the following week.

They ran a study on how much jam was sold, and to everyone's surprise, more jam was sold on the week with only 6 choices. But interestingly enough, when the consumers were asked which week they preferred more, they responded with the week that had 30 choices.

Using this analogy, Joe makes a point that is hard to argue with, “A designer who doesn't understand psychology is going to be more successful than an architect who doesn't understand physics".

User research, and a wide variety of it, helps teams get as close as possible to the root of a user’s needs, over their wants. Studying responses on a larger scale is more work, but it helps form the foundation for true UX.