The 60–30–10 Rule in UI/UX Design: Achieving Visual Harmony with Proportional Color Schemes

Creating visually appealing and harmonious UI/UX designs is a crucial aspect of engaging users. The 60–30–10 rule is a popular guideline that helps designers establish a balanced color scheme within their designs. In this article, we will explore the significance of the 60–30–10 rule in UI/UX design and provide examples to illustrate its application.

Understanding the 60–30–10 Rule:
The 60–30–10 rule offers designers a proportional approach to selecting colors for their designs. It suggests allocating 60% of the color scheme to a dominant hue, 30% to a secondary hue, and 10% to an accent hue. By following this rule, designers can create a visually pleasing and well-balanced color palette.

Application of the 60–30–10 Rule:
Let’s dive into how the 60–30–10 rule can be effectively applied in UI/UX design with practical examples:

Example 1: E-commerce Website:
Consider an e-commerce website focused on selling fashion products. Applying the 60–30–10 rule to its color scheme would involve:

1. Dominant Hue (60%):
Choose a dominant hue that aligns with the brand and primary focus of the website. For a fashion platform, a soothing shade of blue might be selected to convey trust and reliability. This dominant hue can be used for the website’s background, headers, and other larger design elements.

2. Secondary Hue (30%):
Select a secondary hue that complements the dominant color and adds visual interest. To highlight secondary elements such as buttons, call-to-action sections, and category headings, a contrasting warm orange could be employed in our example.

3. Accent Hue (10%):
Incorporate an accent hue that adds vibrancy and draws attention to specific elements. For instance, using a pop of bright red sparingly for sale tags, notifications, or icons can effectively catch users’ attention.

By adhering to the 60–30–10 rule, the color scheme of the e-commerce website achieves a visually balanced and harmonious composition. The dominant hue provides a cohesive foundation, the secondary hue adds variation and depth, while the accent hue acts as a focal point, guiding users to important elements.