Towards Effective Visual Communication with Positive user Experience: High Contrast and Visibility vs. user-Friendliness/Positive Perception

Abstract

Proper contrast used for elements within websites or applications is one of the key factors providing their visibility and ability to attract user attention. While usability guidelines and standards such as WCAG 1 assume the existence of minimal contrast for optimum user experience, maximal contrast for positive user experience has not been defined. Recent studies showed that too high a contrast can be harmful for user experience, while visibility is reduced if it is too low. In the present study, experiments were performed to examine the level of user-friendliness and visibility for selected color pairs. We calculated the color contrast according to the WCAG standard. As a result, it was possible to find color combinations not necessarily with a high contrast but delivering visibility and not diminishing user experience. Finally, a ColoUR Picker Tool was developed that supports designers in the design of effective visual communication, which is understood as searching for a balance between user-friendliness, visibility, and color contrast. Research expands current efforts towards effective web design and increased user experience.