Idea #2 Color has got a sens in #UX as in live

In #UX color is very power full tool. 

The subject :

In nature color is also a very powerful tool. Animals use color in order to protect themselves.

Some animals use color to look like their environment and others use very light and fun color.

In the first case, they want not to be viewed by others. They want to be confused with a leaf or a branch.

Animal with camouflage color

In the second case, they want to be viewed by others. Their color are so light they are identified as dangerous by predators.

Animal with light colors to afraid

Oki....you can say me... "Yes and ?..."

My answer  : "Don't forget our senses come from our primitive animal period..."

So, color can help users.... or not !

Today my use case is the configuration of my @Somfy house's alarm. I just wanted to turn it on.

And I was surprised to see the screen bellow at the fisrt launch of the app.

"Why ?" you want to say to me...

Because my alarm is turned ON, because it is green, but it detects nothing.

Oh no! As you can see all my system was green in OFF mode.

As I said at the beginning, Color has got a sens in #UX as in live. (UX Dilemma: Red Button vs. Green Button)

Green is normally used to signify "All is Ok". But here what is OK because the system is turned off 

Don't forget color is used to help users to quickly understand their environment and take the right decision, like predators in animals life. So color must help to read less, to think less, to take decision faster with less error, it is a  matter of survival.

My first reflex was to say Green is OK perfect I can go outside. But unfortunately I went out with an none protect house.

It was a #badux for me.

My vision : 

My point of view. This system needs 3 states with 3 different colors with 3 different significations.

First state :

System is turned OFF with GREY color.
We want to say the user "Nothing special to say. The alarm is sleeping".
And grey is a standard in HMI to say it is disabled, it is not turn ON.

My point of view for OFF mode

Second state :

System is turned ON with GREEN color.
We want to say the user "Ok be safe the alarm keeps an eye on your house for you. Your house is protected".
And green is a standard in HMI to say that all is OK.

My point of view for ON mode 

And finally the last state :

System has detected a problem with RED color.
We want to say "The alarm saw something strange here or the alarm detected a problem here.  Please check."
And red is a standard in HMI to underline problem or error.

My point of view for detection

Conclusion :

Don't forget we are animals and color have got sens in UX as in life.

Thanks for reading.