Color choices in Technic official sets

[Kostq]

As an apprentice moc designer I'm always wondering:

How does LEGO choose a color scheme for official Technic sets?

I've noticed the Yellow construction sub-theme and the white aerial /planes, gyros, hellies/ one. Also the seats are almost always blue everywhere.

Is there a set of standards for such stuff?

Just had to ask this.

[mahjqa]

The biggest limit is the available parts. As fun as it would be; designers can’t just use any part in any color. There’s an active parts palette, with parts that are currently used in sets. These can be used freely. 

If a designer wants to use additional parts in new colors, they are limited to a certain “budget” of new parts. These budgets can vary; licensed sets can have a bigger budget since the licensing party may insist on a certain color.

So, unless marketing insists on a specific color, models typically rely on existing parts with a few new added if the budget allows.

Which is also how the color palette evolves. If there was a big orange set last year, odds are good a new model will take advantage of these parts. That new model may only need a few new parts, instead of introducing a completely new color

This also explains common colors like blue chairs; if you already have that part in that color, why produce a new one?

[DrJB]

Well, you're going to get many opinions about this one. Here are some other thoughts

1. Most construction machinery is yellow/orange. This is done to increase contrast and safety on job sites.

2. Most planes start white/metallic ... if you ignore the SR71 and other military aircrafts

3. TLG often introduces parts in new colors to boost sales - Call it a conspiracy theory, or better yet a 'tactic' to increase sales.

4. Over the years, TLG must introduce new colors, or else, what is the novelty (i.i. sales) between supercars from year to year? 

As to available colors palette. In the past this might have been more true as the colors had to be pre-mixed first. Nowadays, with modern injection machines, where one can program/request any color they want, I see such palette as no longer too relevant. Unless of course one considers the storage space and all the 'paperwork' required for introducing a part in a new color.

My 0.02