Colors
To align the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) brand with United States Web Design System for Federal Government, we have adopted a new color palette. The new palette is “flexible, yet distinctly American and designed to communicate warmth and trustworthiness while meeting the highest standards of 508 color contrast requirements.” When utilized consistently, the palette provides a cohesive look and feel across all OIT materials. This section provides guidance on which colors may be used to represent OIT.
Accessibility: Color cannot be the only way to express important concepts and to convey meaning. A large percent of the population experiences some form of vision impairment, including color blindness, so the textual content must be the primary mechanism. Additionally, color contrast (difference between the background and the foreground) must meet WCAG 2 AA requirements at a minimum. Level AA requires a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Large text is defined as 14 point (typically 18.66px) and bold or larger, or 18 point (typically 24px) or larger. To test the Primary, Secondary, and Division colors, check out the Color Palette Accessibility Checker from North Carolina State University. Additional accessibility guidance.
Primary Colors
In accordance with USDS standards, OIT may be represented by four primary colors. The primary blue, commonly associated with trust, confidence, and sincerity, should be used as the predominant color.
Secondary Colors
These are accents created to complement the primary colors, while providing additional versatility to the OIT brand. They should be used in moderation to call attention to important features or information.
Division Colors
Within the OIT brand templates as defined in this design guide, OIT divisions are permitted to sub-brand their materials. Each division has been assigned a primary color for this purpose to be paired with the primary OIT blue.
