Defense Intelligence Reference Document Cockpits In The Era Of Breakthrough Flight

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of conceptual maps. Numerous templates for these tools are readily available and
many are adaptable to gesture-based interaction. 22
Color
Color is convenient for labeling different categories of information, providing status
indications, and for adding redundant (corroborating) information to minimize errors.
Humans mentally process color information first and do so more accurately and with
less effort than when distinguishing shapes or alphanumeric indicators. The upper limit
on the recommended number of colors to simultaneously display is only about 4 to 12
colors. To augment this number, it is acceptable to adjust the saturation or brightness
of a given color to represent gradations, such as terrain height or the criticality of a
variable. 23
Although research has not progressed to the point where absolute recommendations
can be made for the use of colors, the tripartite system is a widely recognized and
easily discernable status indicator:
• Red = danger.
• Yellow = caution.
• Green = safe to proceed.
Conveniently, fewer pilots have colorblindness than the general public, and thus color-
coded displays can be used more effectively than with the general public (data: 8% of
males and 0.4% of females are colorblind to red-green or blue-yellow distinctions). 24
Other lessons regarding the use of color include the following: 25
• Use strong colors sparingly: strong colors draw attention, and too many of them can
overstimulate the user.
• Yellow is a rare color since it is simultaneously soft and intense.
• The color of objects is more discernable than the color of text or lines.
• Use soft colors (grays, pastels) for backgrounds and large areas.
• A good color choice is one where that color is not conspicuous.
• Use soft contrasts or graduated contrasts between areas, since hard contrasts can
appear to vibrate.
• Avoid having the color white next to strong colors since it is too much of a contrast.
• Avoid framing a box of text since that creates clutter. Instead, place the text in a
box with a different fill color.
• If needed to strengthen boarders between softly colored areas, frame the area with
a darker shade of its fill color.
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