Understanding Correlation and Causation in Design:

Before diving into the Colour Onion System, it's essential to grasp the concepts of correlation and causation, as they play a critical role in the initial steps of colour selection for any project.

Correlation in Design:

• This is when two aspects, like colour use and business success, seem related.
  Example: Observing that many successful brands use a specific colour palette.

Causation in Design:

• This means one aspect actually influences or contributes significantly to another.
  Reality Check: While a colour can attract attention or convey a brand message, it's rarely the sole cause of a business's success. Factors like product quality, customer service, and marketing strategies usually play much larger roles.

These concepts are vital as they guide us in making informed decisions about colour selection, ensuring that our choices are not just trend-driven but are based on a deeper understanding of their impact.

Deeper Analysis of C.O.S: Merging Art and Science

In the Colour Onion System, a deep understanding of correlation and causation is not just academic—it's practical and essential. Before we even begin to select colours, recognising the difference between what appears linked (correlation) and what actually influences an outcome (causation) is key. This understanding is crucial to get it right from the start. As we layer more elements in the design, a misstep in initial colour selection, driven by mere popularity rather than strategic reasoning, can ripple through to the later stages, potentially undermining the entire design.

The further we delve into the design process, the more complex it becomes to pinpoint and rectify errors made in the early stages. Creating a colour palette is the first vital step in employing C.O.S. These colours are the inputs, the raw materials from which the design will grow. Without this initial selection, the system cannot function. Once the right colours are chosen, we then process these colours through a systematic approach rooted in the universal system model. This process is critical as it sets the stage for the subsequent design workflow, encompassing the input, process, output, and feedback loop.

By incorporating these considerations into C.O.S, we ensure a design process that is not just visually appealing, but also strategically sound and adaptable to the evolving needs of the project.

1. Colour Input

• Starting Point: Each design begins with the selection of colours, forming the foundational visual vocabulary for the project.
  
  

• Building Blocks: These initial colour choices set the stage for all subsequent design decisions.

2. Styles Process

• Defining Interactions: This stage determines the rules for colour interplay, contrast, and synergy. With colours at hand, we dictate the "how" - the rules governing the interplay of the chosen hues.
  
  

• Adaptive Styles: Designers have the flexibility to create or adapt style rules based on the project's needs. Not all levels of constraint are always necessary, allowing for customization based on design objectives.

3. Ratio Process

• Harmonic Balance: The ratio process ensures a balanced colour presence, contributing to a cohesive composition.
  
  

• Strategic Proportions: Careful planning of colour distribution is key to achieving a harmonious outcome.

4. Feedback & Iteration

• Refinement: C.O.S thrives on feedback, allowing for continuous adjustment of hues and ratios.
  
  

• Quality Control: This iterative process ensures the design meets the desired standards and objectives.

5. Output & Medium Consideration

Final Realization: The output is more than colours and styles; it's also shaped by the chosen medium (physical or digital).

Medium Impact: Different mediums can alter colour perception, a critical factor in the design's effectiveness.

The C.O.S workflow is a loop, not a linear path. Feedback prompts revisiting and revising, aiming for an optimal design solution. It exemplifies the dynamic interplay of elements, processes, and feedback in achieving impactful and efficient design.

Peeling the Layers: The Colour Onion Workflow

The Colour Onion System (C.O.S) is a flexible and dynamic framework designed for the world of colour in design. It's about finding the right colours and using them effectively. It's not just about selecting the colours you like, but also about understanding how they work together to create a cohesive and impactful design.

While C.O.S offers a range of elements and styles to enrich your design work, it's important to remember that its application is not one-size-fits-all. The beauty of C.O.S lies in its adaptability; you can use as many or as few of its components as your specific project requires. Whether you're dealing with a simple design that calls for just the basics or a complex project needing a more elaborate colour scheme, C.O.S is designed to flexibly align with your creative vision.

Think of C.O.S not just as a fixed tool but as a creative partner, ready to adapt and evolve with your design process. In the context of systems thinking, every concept we know is essentially a model, and C.O.S is no different. It stands as a model that's adaptable to various needs, demonstrating its versatility in the world of design.

These are the foundational building blocks or components that make up the system. In illustrating the Colour Onion System's components, let's apply COS's brand colours—black, white, green, blue, red, yellow, and purple. This example positions black and white as the base, with green as a vibrant intermediary, and the other colours enhancing the design as accents. Such an approach highlights the power of contrast and complementation in design. Yet, this is just a starting point; C.O.S encourages creative freedom, allowing any colour to take on any role, ensuring endless possibilities for customization and innovation in design.

1. Colours:

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary: These are the raw materials or the palette. They serve as the initial point of engagement and set the tone for the design.

• Primary: The foundational colours, setting the dominant tone. For illustrative purposes, consider black and white.
  
  

• Secondary: Accent colours that introduce depth. As an example, think of green.
  
  

• Tertiary: A broader range of complementary shades. Examples here include red, blue, yellow and purple.

2. Styles:

• Primary Style: Directly linked to primary colours.
  
  

• Secondary Style: Merges primary and secondary colours.
  
  

• Tertiary Style: Incorporates primary, secondary, and tertiary colours.
  
  

All the styles mentioned above further branch out into two levels of constraints:

Default and Auxiliary:

• Default: The Default style serves as the standard approach, typically underscoring a specific structure or hierarchy within the design.
  
  

• Auxiliary: The Auxiliary style provides an alternative method, often adapting or inverting the Standard approach to achieve a unique visual impact or emphasis.
  
  

  

3. Ratio:

The Ratio component in C.O.S. dictates colour proportions for design equilibrium. It functions like yin and yang, reflecting the harmonious interplay of opposing forces to create cohesion. Within the Ratio, passive and active attention explores the synergy of contrasting dimensions, harmonizing the design through the balance of elements.

• Passive Components: They enhance the visual hierarchy and reduce distractions by creating space to breathe, allowing dynamic elements to capture attention. This mirrors the yin aspect in yin and yang harmony, embodying tranquility and depth. Yin provides balance to yang, grounding and enhancing its vibrancy. Similarly, passive components bring balance to design, blending activity and stillness for a harmonious visual narrative
  
  

• Active Elements: These elements are the vibrant foreground colours or focal points that demand immediate notice and guide the viewer's gaze through the design. They inject dynamism and life into the composition, ensuring that the design is engaging and compelling.
  
  

4. Design Medium:

The context or platform where the design is realized, like a digital screen or paper poster. This component may influence colour perception and application choices.