Choose a Colour System, Not Just Favourite Colours
A palette can look attractive on a mood board and still be difficult to use on a website or proposal. A useful colour system explains which colour leads, which supports and which draws attention. That makes future decisions more consistent than selecting a new shade for every page.
Assign a job to each colour
Begin with a primary brand colour, a background, a text colour and a limited accent. Test how they work together in a heading, paragraph, button and simple chart. An accent should help the reader notice a particular action or piece of information. If every element uses the brightest colour, none of them has a clear priority.
Check readability in context
Do not judge small text using a large colour swatch. Place actual words at the intended size on the proposed background and test the contrast. W3C’s contrast guidance provides a measurable starting point for text readability. Colour alone should not carry an important message: an error can also have a label, icon and explanation so the meaning remains understandable.
Write the combinations into the guide
An illustrative system might use deep blue for headings, warm white for reading surfaces and gold for selected accents. The important detail is the approved pairing, not those particular colours. Keep a simple table showing text and background combinations that have been checked. Review the system on both a phone and a normal office screen before approving it.
- Record colour values in a shared brand reference.
- Show approved button, link and background combinations.
- Check hover, focus and error states as well as normal states.
- Use labels or patterns when a chart relies on different colours.
Take it into your working day
Consistency comes from assigning colours clear roles and testing the combinations people will actually read.