It’s actually is easier being green
Yes that’s right, green on yellow is the new black on white…
This evidence came from a readability study performed by Alyson L. Hill from Department of Psychology of Stephen F. Austin [State University], in 1997 and appears to still be just as valid 10 years later.
The W3C state that colour brightness difference should be at least 125 and colour difference 500. However, it has been shown to produce the occasional false positive -
this text, for instance, is considered unreadable by the W3C!! Colour brightness is 174 but colour difference is only 480.
It seems to me that context is the important thing here, what works with one set of users, in a particular situation, does not equate to a usability panacea and text legibility is no exception.
So in conclusion, consider the context, test with users, eat your greens and make sure you get plenty of sleep.
About the author
James enjoys getting involved in projects and collaborating with clients to get the best results. He has carried out loads of user testing, using all sorts of materials to make them the best possible. He likes beer and playing golf (at the same time whenever that’s possible!). Email James, or call +44 (0)117 946 3930
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