Measuring users’ color preferences in CRUD operations across the globe: a new Software Ergonomics Testing Platform

• Published in: Cognition, technology & work Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 223 - 233
• Main Authors: Tomanová, Petra, Hradil, Jiří, Sklenák, Vilém
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer London 01.02.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aerospace Technology and Astronautics; Automotive Engineering; Cognitive Psychology; Computer Science; Industrial and Organizational Psychology; Medicine/Public Health; Original Article; Preferences; Software; User Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction; Design; CRUD; User interface; Web application; Graphical user interface; Color; Software ergonomics
• ISSN: 1435-5558; 1435-5566
• DOI: 10.1007/s10111-019-00567-2

While working with data, we typically utilize four basic operations: Create , Read , Update , and Delete . These functions, used altogether with a persistent storage, are encapsulated into the acronym CRUD . Although the data functions are easy for machines, people have to use them through a user interface and its components. Even though some of these components are standardized (for example, HTML forms), their visual representation is highly customized among devices and technologies. Concerning users, subjective preferences are taken into account as well. As a result, the efficiency of working with data can be affected by choosing appropriate components and their attributes, such as colors. Choosing the right colors, we can work with data faster and more effectively, utilizing users’ expectations, understanding, and perception. We developed a publicly accessible Software Ergonomics Testing Platform. Through running experiments worldwide, we found out that users have a prior expectation about colors used for CRUD operations. Results show that there is a strong consensus on the color preference for the delete operation with color red being voted by 64 % users worldwide. On the other hand, color preferences for update operation strongly differ among continents. The impact of temporary weather conditions to color preference seems to be negligible.