UX & Usability Glossary (A–Z)

A

Affordance

A property or feature of an object or interface that suggests how it can be used. In UX, affordances help users understand what actions are possible (e.g., a button "affords" clicking). See Usability Testing

A/B Testing

A method of comparing two versions of a webpage or product to determine which performs better for a given goal. See Usability Testing

Accessibility

The practice of designing products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. See Accessibility & Inclusive Design

Agile UX

The integration of user experience design and research into Agile development processes. See Embedded UX Support

Analytics

The collection and analysis of data about user behavior to inform design decisions and measure success.

Anthropomorphism

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities, often used in interface design to make products more relatable.

B

Benchmarking

Measuring the usability or performance of a system over time or against competitors using relevant attributes. See Usability Testing

Breadcrumbs

A navigation aid that shows users their current location in a site's hierarchy and allows easy navigation back to previous levels.

Brainstorming

A group creativity technique used to generate a large number of ideas for the solution to a problem.

UX Brainstorming Methods

Techniques used in UX design to generate ideas, such as round-robin, reverse brainstorming, and brainwriting. These methods help teams explore a wide range of solutions for user-centered problems. See Human-Centered Design Consulting

Brand Experience

The overall impression and emotional response a user has when interacting with a brand across all touchpoints.

C

Card Sorting

A technique where users organize topics into categories to inform information architecture. See UX Strategy & Research

Clickstream

A record of a user's clicks and navigation path through a website or application.

Contextual Inquiry

A user research method that involves observing and interviewing users in their natural environment. See UX Strategy & Research

Conversion Rate

The percentage of users who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

Customer Journey Map

A visual representation of the steps a user takes to accomplish a goal with a product or service. See UX Strategy & Research

D

Dark Pattern

A user interface design that tricks users into doing something they might not otherwise do, such as subscribing to a service unintentionally.

Design System

A collection of reusable components, standards, and documentation that guides the design and development of digital products. See Design Systems Development

Distributed Cognition

The study of how people think and solve problems collectively, often using shared artifacts. See Blog

Diary Study

A qualitative research method where users record their activities, thoughts, and feelings over time to provide insights into their experiences.

E

Ethnography

A qualitative research method involving observation of users in their real-world environment to understand behaviors and context. See UX Strategy & Research

Error Message

A notification that informs users of a problem and often provides guidance for resolution.

Eye Tracking

A usability research technique that measures where and how long users look at different areas of a screen.

F

Fitts' Law

A predictive model of human movement in HCI and ergonomics, stating that the time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target. See UX Strategy & Research

Focus Group

A moderated discussion with a small group of users to gather feedback on needs, attitudes, and concepts. See UX Strategy & Research

Formative Evaluation

An assessment conducted during the development of a product to identify usability issues and guide improvements. See Usability Testing

G

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A visual interface that allows users to interact with a system using graphical elements like windows, icons, and buttons.

Guerrilla Testing

A quick, low-cost usability testing method conducted in informal settings, such as coffee shops or public spaces.

H

Heuristic Evaluation

A usability inspection method where experts judge a system's compliance with recognized usability principles. See Heuristic Evaluations

High-Fidelity Prototype

A detailed, interactive prototype that closely resembles the final product in look and feel.

Human-Centered Design (HCD)

An approach to design that prioritizes the needs, behaviors, and experiences of users throughout the design process. See UX Strategy & Research

I

Information Architecture (IA)

The practice of organizing and structuring content to support usability and findability. See UX Strategy & Research

Interaction Design (IxD)

The design of interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services. See UI/UX Design & Prototyping

Iterative Design

A cyclical process of prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining a product or process.

J

Journey Mapping

See Customer Journey Map.

Javascript

A programming language that enables interactive web pages and is essential for modern web development. See Blog

K

Keyboard Shortcut (Accelerator)

A key or combination of keys that provides quick access to a function within a software application.

KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives.

L

Low-Fidelity Prototype

A simple, early version of a design, often created with paper or basic digital tools, used to gather user feedback. See UI/UX Design & Prototyping

Learnability

The ease with which new users can begin effective interaction and achieve maximal performance.

M

Mental Model

A user's internal understanding of how a system works, which guides their interactions and expectations.

Mobile-First Design

A design strategy that prioritizes the mobile user experience before scaling up to larger screens.

MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

A product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future development. See Blog: Minimal Awesome Product vs MVP

MAP (Minimal Awesome Product)

A product that focuses on delivering a small set of features exceptionally well, creating delight and advocacy among early users. See Blog: Minimal Awesome Product vs MVP

N

Natural Language Interface

A user interface that allows people to interact using human language, such as English, rather than computer code.

Navigation

The methods and design patterns that allow users to move through a website or application.

O

Onboarding

The process of guiding new users to become comfortable and proficient with a product or service.

Out of the Box Experience (OOTBE)

The initial experience a user has when first using a product, often critical for forming first impressions.

P

Persona

A fictional character created to represent a user type that might use a site, brand, or product in a similar way. See UX Strategy & Research

Prototyping

The process of creating early models of a product to test concepts and gather feedback. See UI/UX Design & Prototyping

Q

Qualitative Research

Research focused on understanding user behaviors, motivations, and attitudes through observation and interviews.

Quantitative Research

Research that collects and analyzes numerical data to identify patterns and measure user behavior.

R

Remote Testing

Usability testing conducted with participants in different locations, often using online tools. See Usability Testing

Responsive Design

An approach to web design that ensures content looks and works well on all devices and screen sizes.

Root Cause Analysis

A method of problem solving used to identify the underlying causes of usability issues.

S

Sitemap

A visual or textually organized model of a website's content that allows users and search engines to navigate the site. See Sitemap

Summative Usability Evaluation

A usability test conducted at the end of a project to validate the design against specific goals. See Usability Testing

Service Design

The activity of planning and organizing people, infrastructure, and communication to improve service quality and the user experience. See UX Strategy & Research

T

Task Analysis

The study of user tasks, including details, dependencies, and frequency, to inform design decisions. See UX Strategy & Research

Touchpoint

Any point of interaction between a user and a product, service, or brand.

Typography

The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing.

U

Usability

The effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction with which users achieve goals in a particular environment. See Usability Testing

Usability Testing

A method of evaluating a product by testing it with representative users. See Usability Testing

User-Centered Design (UCD)

A design philosophy and process that puts the needs, wants, and limitations of users at the center of every stage of the design process. See UX Strategy & Research

User Experience (UX)

The overall experience a person has when interacting with a product, system, or service, including usability, accessibility, and emotional impact. See UX Strategy & Research

User Flow

The path taken by a user to complete a task within a product or service.

User Interface (UI)

The means by which a user interacts with a digital product, including screens, pages, and visual elements. See UI/UX Design & Prototyping

User Journey Map

A visual or narrative representation of a user's interactions and experiences with a product or service over time. See UX Strategy & Research

UX Strategist

A professional who aligns the user experience with business goals. A UX strategist works to understand user needs and market dynamics to create a long-term vision for the product and ensure it delivers value to both the user and the business. See UX for Small Business

V

Visual Design

The practice of applying visual elements like color, typography, and imagery to enhance the aesthetics and usability of a product. See UI/UX Design & Prototyping

Voice User Interface (VUI)

A user interface that allows users to interact with a system through voice or speech commands.

W

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

A set of guidelines developed by the W3C to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. See Accessibility & Inclusive Design

Wireframe

A basic visual guide used to suggest the structure and layout of a web page or app. See UI/UX Design & Prototyping

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

An international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web. See Accessibility & Inclusive Design

X

Xerox PARC

A research center known for pioneering many technologies foundational to modern computing, including the graphical user interface (GUI).

Y

You

A reminder that every user can contribute to improving usability by providing feedback and advocating for user-centered design.

Z

Zoom

A common gesture or interaction in digital interfaces that allows users to enlarge or reduce content, often using pinch or spread gestures on touchscreens.