think about reordering the different color groupings for categories
for example, 2 color version of Prism wouldn't be purple to blue it would be purple to yellow (basically, working in complementary, split complementary, etc.)
@ztephm
To follow-up on our conversation about category schemes...
Here are a couple of examples of what I would like to explore.
Qualitative Scheme Color Organization
Is there a better way to organize some of the schemes to support better color differentiation for maps with fewer categories and/or should we reconsider the default?
For example, a map with 3 categories, using Prism:

Prism's current color order:

Would this be better? (Just as an example, haven't tested!)
OR
Should we default to another color scheme for category maps?
For example, the same three categories with Vivid:

A Second Look at Color Balance
Do we need to fine-tune any of the category schemes?
For example, do any of the colors in these schemes need to be better balanced or modified at an individual level? Are some colors in the schemes to close to one another? Do some have more saturation than others, etc?
Those are two questions to start with!
Let me know if you have any questions!
thanks! mamata
Qualitative Scheme Color Organization
Reconsidering the default
Vivid and Bold colors look like they are more easily distinguished from each other & Voyager.
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I tested at a variety of zooms, including ones where the most Voyager colors were visible
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2 Categories:

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5 Categories:

Prism's color order
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Current:

5 Categories:

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If Prism is re-ordered like this, the first 4 colors are a mini perceptual sequence: one category one doesn't stand out too much more than the others but they are still easier to distinguish from each other than current, u agree?:

5 Categories:

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Or how about this (same idea w/1st few colors = one doesn't visibly stand out more than the other categories)?

5 Categories:

Pastel's color order
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Current:

5 Categories:

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How about this order instead against Voyager basemap, just putting yellow last?

2 Categories:

5 Categories:

Color Balance Adjustment Tests
CARTOColors Test Points CARTOColors Test Polys CARTOColors Test Lines
Current palettes are on top:

Here are the .carto files for these tests ^
CARTOColors Test Points (on 2018-03-16 at 20.51.40).zip
A Second Look at Color Balance
Here's round 2 of adjusted palettes
Prism
#584c8f, #1a6c9c, #39a7a5, #0f8554, #72ae48, #ecac0a, #e17c05, #cc5a43, #cc3d5f, #993966, #ad4ea9, #666666
Antique
#80536b, #c49e60, #af6458, #736f4c, #4a6d92, #585377, #68855b, #9c9c5e, #ad6a81, #a18160, #4a8187, #7b8888
Bold
#8a4599, #21a66c, #386cba, #f2b700, #e84d6a, #80ba5a, #e68311, #188c9e, #cf48b4, #f97a72, #51518f, #a6aa9a
Vivid
#e58707, #5871b0, #2fbd9c, #9ac945, #cc62b0, #24796b, #e1af16, #2e89c3, #89519e, #ed6f66, #cc4190, #a5aa99
Pastel
#65c4cc, #f5cb69, #f89c74, #daaaf2, #87c55f, #aac1f2, #fca9cf, #c1d16f, #8be0a4, #b89ee8, #d4b485, #b3b3b3

CARTOColors Test Points Mar 20 (on 2018-03-22 at 22.18.30).zip
CartoColors Test Lines March 20 (on 2018-03-22 at 22.19.42).zip
CARTOColors Test Polys March 20 (on 2018-03-22 at 22.20.58).zip
Qualitative Scheme Color Organization 1
Here are the adjusted palettes re-ordered light/dark (mostly, some light/dark swatches I switched for max contrast on the map):

Points Ordering 1 (on 2018-03-22 at 21.49.24).zip
Qualitative Scheme Color Organization 2
I also did another light/dark re-order w/adjusted palettes, but again with some switches:
Goals for @ least first 2 swatches
- enough contrast to differentiate categories but look equally important
- enough contrast with Voyager colors
- different from first 2 colors in other palettes

Qualitative Scheme Color Organization 3
Here are the original palette colors, re-ordered light/dark:

For comparison here are the original colors in original order:

Both sets are in here:
A 2nd Look at Color Balance + Qualitative Scheme Organization Comparisons
Here are the 2 & 3 category comparisons, including re-ordered Prism adjusted colors:

Here are the hex color schemes:
ADJUSTED COLORS / ORIGINAL ORDER:
Antique
#80536b, #c49e60, #af6458, #736f4c, #4a6d92, #585377, #68855b, #9c9c5e, #ad6a81, #a18160, #4a8187, #7b8888
Bold
#8a4599, #21a66c, #386cba, #f2b700, #e84d6a, #80ba5a, #e68311, #188c9e, #cf48b4, #f97a72, #51518f, #a6aa9a
Vivid
#e58707, #5871b0, #2fbd9c, #9ac945, #cc62b0, #24796b, #e1af16, #2e89c3, #89519e, #ed6f66, #cc4190, #a5aa99
Pastel
#65c4cc, #f5cb69, #f89c74, #daaaf2, #87c55f, #aac1f2, #fca9cf, #c1d16f, #8be0a4, #b89ee8, #d4b485, #b3b3b3
Prism
#584c8f, #1a6c9c, #39a7a5, #0f8554, #72ae48, #ecac0a, #e17c05, #cc5a43, #993966, #cc3d5f, #ad4ea9, #666666
ADJUSTED COLORS / REORDER 2:
Antique
#585377, #4a8187, #af6458, #c49e60, #736f4c, #9c9c5e, #80536b, #68855b, #4a6d92, #ad6a81, #a18160, #7b8888
Bold
#386cba, #cf48b4, #e68311, #21a66c, #f2b700, #51518f, #80ba5a, #8a4599, #f97a72, #188c9e, #e84d6a, #a6aa9a
Vivid
#e58707, #5871b0, #2fbd9c, #cc4190, #9ac945, #89519e, #e1af16, #24796b, #ed6f66, #2e89c3, #cc62b0, #a5aa99
Pastel
#65c4cc, #f89c74, #c1d16f, #daaaf2, #87c55f, #f5cb69, #aac1f2, #fca9cf, #d4b485, #8be0a4, #b89ee8, #b3b3b3
Prism
#cc3d5f, #39a7a5, #584c8f, #ecac0a, #993966, #72ae48, #1a6c9c, #e17c05, #0f8554, #ad4ea9, #cc5a43, #666666
Prism - light purple start
#ad4ea9, #584c8f, #39a7a5, #1a6c9c, #72ae48, #0f8554, #ecac0a, #cc5a43, #e17c05, #cc3d5f, #993966, #666666
Prism - dark purple start
#584c8f, #39a7a5, #1a6c9c, #72ae48, #0f8554, #ecac0a, #cc5a43, #e17c05, #cc3d5f, #993966, #ad4ea9, #666666
@ztephm thanks so much for going through this exercise!
There are some other tests I need to do with CARTO VL and category schemes. Once I wrap my head around that better, I'll walk you through it.
But I will use your modified schemes for that testing.