Sample: Legends

Demonstration:

Description:

Along with a color-coded and styled user interface, it's important to also make the color/styling key easily accessible to end users. You can put one on every page, in the header, footer, or sidebar. The trick is for it not to distract the end user's attention, only to be there, quietly, ready to display itself when the user wants it. It's also important for it not to take up precious screen real estate. The simple answer is a button or link that when clicked displays the legend, almost like a tooltip. The legend content can be styled in a number of ways to match the look of the site or system it belongs to.