Hue

Hue refers to the fundamental property of color that distinguishes one shade family from another. When people describe a color as red, blue, green, or yellow, they are referring to its hue. In digital design, hue is one of the three main components of the HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) model, which helps designers define and manipulate colors more systematically. By adjusting hue, designers can shift colors around the spectrum while keeping brightness and saturation levels consistent.

For UX and UI designers, hue plays a vital role in building accessible and aesthetically pleasing products. Choosing the right hues influences how users perceive and interact with interfaces. A blue hue might suggest trust and professionalism, while a red hue often conveys urgency or alertness.

Accessibility is closely tied to hue. Some users have color vision deficiencies that make it difficult to distinguish certain hues, such as red and green. If designers rely solely on hue to communicate meaning, critical information may be missed. Accessible products use hue in combination with other indicators, such as icons, text labels, or patterns, ensuring that meaning does not depend solely on color perception.

Real-world examples illustrate how hue functions across digital products. Google uses distinct hues across its suite of products, blue for Gmail, red for YouTube, green for Sheets, to create visual recognition. Traffic light systems rely on hue to communicate action states, though digital versions often pair colors with icons to improve accessibility. SaaS dashboards might use different hues to separate categories of data, helping users distinguish between information types at a glance.

Hue also connects directly to cultural associations. In Western contexts, white often symbolizes purity, while in some Asian cultures it is associated with mourning. Red may signify danger in one region but prosperity in another. This means designers and product managers must consider not just the hue itself but how cultural context shapes its interpretation, especially for global products.

Learn more about this in the Hue Exercise, taken from the Color Terminology Lesson, a part of the Design Terminology Course.

Key Takeaways

• Hue defines a color’s position on the spectrum, such as red or blue.
• Designers use hues for branding, hierarchy, and emotional impact.
• Accessibility requires pairing hues with other indicators for clarity.
• Real-world uses include product branding and data visualization.
• Cultural interpretations of hues vary across regions.