Got ratio-checked on a survey: 4.5:1 vs 7:1 on the same button

I was working on a dashboard for a client last month and they asked for a green button on a white background. I picked #4a7c59 which gave a 4.5:1 contrast ratio, which meets WCAG AA. But then their accessibility lead came back and said they require AAA for all interactive elements, so I had to bump it to #2d5a3a which hit 7:1. The darker green looked fine to me but the client said it felt too aggressive. Does hitting a higher number always mean better design, or do we have a point where accessibility rules and visual preference fight each other? Has anyone else run into a boss who wants AAA on everything even when it makes the interface look harsh?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty_fisher513d ago

Yeah "too aggressive" is a real thing, sometimes AAA just looks muddy.

the_sage13d ago

That "muddy" thing is real. A buddy of mine bought a high end system and all his games looked like a foggy mess until he figured out the sharpness settings were cranked way too high. Took him a week to realize it wasn't his new monitor.