Channels, Fall 2017

Channels • 2017 • Volume 2 • Number 1 Page 1 Color Theory in Technical Communication Kelly Conley Communication — Cedarville University Introduction olor theory is often overlooked in technical communication. Most professionals may be more concerned with writing, editing, revising, and designing their documents than how color fits into their work. Despite its obscure role in technical communication, color theory can play a crucial yet subtle role in how effective a document is to readers. In this paper, I will discuss several features of color theory such as definitions, properties, color terms, its effect on people’s perceptions, and applications in the workplace. By discussing color theory, I hope to show why technical communicators should utilize color and how they can implement this powerful tool in their work. Color theory has a rather short history, starting in 1969 and growing in interest and relevance in the ensuing years. I have used peer-reviewed sources from the 1960s to the present day. This paper covers the theoretical and real-world aspects of color in technical communication. Literature Review Definitions of Color Theory Before examining the multiple aspects of color theory, one must first understand the many definitions that color has been given over the years. From scientific definitions (Mackiewicz 2009; Agoston 1987) to subjective, perceptual definitions (Grieve 1991; Puhalla 2008), color can be difficult to define. Agoston (1987) admitted in his book, Color Theory and Its Application in Art and Design , that the term color has various and specialized meanings in ordinary speech and the scientific domains of chemistry and psychology (p. 5). From a scientific standpoint, Mackiewicz (2009) defined color as wavelengths of light that are reflected off of objects. Agoston (1987) added that colors could be viewed as a property of materials and light. He went on to quote psychologist L.M. Hurvich, who said color can be a neural event in the retina of an eyeball (p. 9). On the other end of the debate, others have claimed the opposite. Puhalla (2008) defined color as “an intrinsic visual attribute of form” (p. 199), saying that “color has immediate perceptual and cognitive significance in human c