The Colour of Money (R)

Digital Currency

Digital currency is reshaping how we interact with money, moving beyond traditional notes and coins. Roman Mars highlights the exciting frontier of designing user interfaces for mobile money apps like PayPal and Google Wallet. These interfaces aim to make transactions more fluid and sophisticated, possibly even encouraging wiser financial decisions 1.

Physical money is probably on its way out. And polymer money, as cool as it is, is a technology of its time.

--- Roman Mars

Designers are working to ensure that digital transactions feel tangible, retaining the good aspects of physical money even as it becomes obsolete 1.

   

Currency Design

The evolution of currency design addresses the limitations of the current system, such as uniformity and accessibility. Roman Mars questions why American currency is all one size, suggesting that variable sizes could improve functionality, especially for the visually impaired 2.

The fact that there's no easy way for the blind to use our currency goes beyond bad design and is actually immoral.

--- Roman Mars

He also explores the potential for using recycled materials and new compositions to create more durable and environmentally friendly currency. The symbolism on currency is another area ripe for change, challenging the traditional focus on founding fathers to celebrate a broader spectrum of American culture 2.