Give staff colour combinations they can use confidently

What this means for your practice

Ask the designer to supply tested text and background pairings and show where each works. Use words or other clear cues alongside colour whenever an important instruction or status needs to be understood.

A practical example

For example, a pale brand colour may be suitable as a background but unsuitable for small text on white. Ask to see actual appointment notices and website buttons using the approved combinations. A warning or confirmation should still make sense when the colour is not obvious. Include those examples in the handover so staff can choose a safe starting point. The useful outcome is a small set of dependable choices, rather than a palette that looks good in isolation but leaves every practical decision open.

Provide a few ready-to-use examples alongside the palette. A staff member creating an opening-hours notice should be able to choose a proven heading, background and body-text combination without guessing. This makes the guidance easier to follow than a page of colour values alone.

Make the design useful in everyday work

Ask the designer to supply specific text-and-background combinations with evidence from appropriate checks, rather than a palette of colours with no usage guidance. Identify which combinations are intended for ordinary text, notices and controls. Where colour communicates a status, include wording or another clear cue so its meaning does not depend on recognising the colour alone. Review realistic examples with longer text and actual buttons. Give editors a limited set of approved choices they can apply confidently. This makes the palette a practical communication tool rather than an attractive selection that each staff member interprets differently.

How to check the result

Count assets using unreviewed colour combinations.