Color it badd
Continued from previous post…
In the article The impact of web page text-background colour combinations on readability, retention, aesthetics and behavioral intention by Richarrd H. Hall and Patrick Hanna, the researchers come to several conclusions regarding color choice in webpages after 136 people participated in their study:
This experiment, which included 136 particpants, included the study of two webpages (one educational, one commercial) in four color combinations. This is only a generatlization, though, for the authors point out that the relationship between background color and text color “is not as clear as it may seem” (183). Studies have pointed that the best effect is reached from contrast (ie Black-on-white), but from a chromatic relationship. However, it was hard to come to significant conclusions on this, because participants color preference could affect their interpretation of readability. Therefore, it may be impossible to declare a universal color-combination for ultimate readability. Judging a web page’s colors as spot-on isn’t possible: when participants judge aesthetics, they are influenced by their own color preferences and familiarity.
However, with all of this research aside, it is possible to say choosing the ideal combination is impossible (just make sure the colors contrast – but not too much!) as is the precise balance between text and graphic. However, both teams concluded that studying color-combination and overall aesthetics is important, because “a new user’s first or second impression of the site will most likely be important in making the user stay” (Schenkman and Jonsson, 368).
Lastly, check out The Webbies for examples of well-designed sites. Don’t take it from me. Want to see ugly?
In the article The impact of web page text-background colour combinations on readability, retention, aesthetics and behavioral intention by Richarrd H. Hall and Patrick Hanna, the researchers come to several conclusions regarding color choice in webpages after 136 people participated in their study:
(a) Colours with greater contrast ratio generally lead to greater readability; (b) colour combination did not significantly affect retention; (c) preferred colours (i.e. blues and chromatic colours) led to higher ratings of aesthetic quality and intention to purchase; and (d) ratings of aesthetic quality were significantly related to intention to purchase. (183)
This experiment, which included 136 particpants, included the study of two webpages (one educational, one commercial) in four color combinations. This is only a generatlization, though, for the authors point out that the relationship between background color and text color “is not as clear as it may seem” (183). Studies have pointed that the best effect is reached from contrast (ie Black-on-white), but from a chromatic relationship. However, it was hard to come to significant conclusions on this, because participants color preference could affect their interpretation of readability. Therefore, it may be impossible to declare a universal color-combination for ultimate readability. Judging a web page’s colors as spot-on isn’t possible: when participants judge aesthetics, they are influenced by their own color preferences and familiarity.
However, with all of this research aside, it is possible to say choosing the ideal combination is impossible (just make sure the colors contrast – but not too much!) as is the precise balance between text and graphic. However, both teams concluded that studying color-combination and overall aesthetics is important, because “a new user’s first or second impression of the site will most likely be important in making the user stay” (Schenkman and Jonsson, 368).
Lastly, check out The Webbies for examples of well-designed sites. Don’t take it from me. Want to see ugly?
posted by KK at 1:36 PM
2 Comments:
I love that example of a badly designed site. It really brings me back to early middle school when my parents first got the interenet. Every web page looked like that. I remember the first thing I looked up on a search engine was the band Nirvana, and there were less than 10 matches. Now there are millions. I consider myself pretty fortunate to be able to remember what it was like before the internet. Not that it's not totally useful, but I sure had a hell of a lot more time before.
Anyways, I am totally off track now. I definetely agree with what makes a web page design good or bad, but I tend to find myself more attracted to a badly designed web page with good content than vice versa. Unless, of course, it's illegible like your example of a bad site.
That's worthy of an entry itself... I remember when all pages looked like that (I guess I have to own up to having a few myself). Interesting to ponder.
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