Glossary

A comprehensive list of abbreviations used in the industry of UX Design, Web Design & Freelance

Agile

The term Agile is used in software industry specific to Product/Project Management. It is a modern process of working and managing the project which values working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan. Some of the frameworks includes Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and Extreme Programming (XP)

A/B Testing

A/B Testing is a Quantitative research method also known as split-testing. It is a method of comparing two different versions of a webpage, app, or marketing campaign to determine which one performs better. It is often used in combination with other UX research methods like User Interviews, Survey, etc.

Ask Experts

The term can refer to a variety of methods for expert opinions, including online forums, social media groups, question-and-answer websites, and consulting services. Asking experts can be a valuable tool for individuals, businesses, or organizations looking to gain insights or solve complex problems in a particular field.

Adaptive Design

Aaptive Design is a technique of designing webpage layout through the creation of multiple versions of a design. The layout of the webpage adjust according to the specific screen size, unlike responsive design

Aesthetics

In UX Design aesthetics refers to creating a visually appealing product design and user-friendly interface that encourages users to engage with the product, including color schemes, typography, icons, images, and layout.

Affinity Mapping

Affinity mapping in UX design is the process to organize and group ideas, insights, and feedback gathered from user research or brainstorming sessions. 

Anchoring

In UX, anchoring, is a cognitive bias that occurs when users rely too heavily on the first piece of information they receive (the anchor) when making decisions.

For example, in an e-commerce website, the first price that a user sees for a product may serve as an anchor, influencing the user’s perception of the product’s value. If the initial price is high, users may perceive the product as high-quality and be more willing to pay a premium price.

Bounce rate

Bounce rate is a metric used in website analytics that measures the percentage of website visitors who leave a website after only viewing one page. In other words, it measures the number of users who “bounce” away from a website without interacting with any other pages or content.

Branding

Branding refers to the process of creating a unique identity, image, and reputation for a company, product, or service. In UX design, branding involves creating a consistent and recognizable visual and experiential identity across all touchpoints and interactions that users have with a company or product.

Card Sorting

Card sorting is a user research method used in UX design to help designers understand how users organize and categorize information. In card sorting, participants are presented with a set of cards, each containing a piece of information, such as a website category or feature, and are asked to group them together based on similarity or some other organizing principle.

CTA

CTA stands for “Call to Action.” It is a marketing term used to refer to the words or phrases that encourage a user to take a specific action on a website or other digital platform. Effective CTAs are clear, concise, and easy to understand, and they often use action-oriented language to encourage users to take action quickly.

Examples of CTAs include “Sign Up Now,” “Subscribe Today,” “Learn More,”, etc.

Contextual footers

A contextual footer is a type of footer in a website or application that is designed to provide additional information or options to users based on the context of the content they are currently viewing or interacting with.

Contextual footers are typically located at the bottom of a page or screen, and can include a variety of content, such as related links, contact information, social media links, or additional resources related to the current content.

Contextual enquiry

Contextual Inquiry is a user research method used in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and User Experience (UX) design to gather information about how people use a product or service in their real-world environment. It involves observing and interviewing users as they engage with the product or service in their natural context, such as their workplace, home, or any other relevant setting.

CMS

CMS stands for Content Management System. It is a software application that allows users to create, manage, and publish digital content, usually on websites or other online platforms. A CMS typically provides a user-friendly interface for creating and editing content, as well as tools for organizing and publishing that content.

Examples of CMS – WordPress, Drupal, etc.

Customer Experience

In UX (User Experience) design, customer experience refers to the overall experience a user has while interacting with a product or service. This includes all the touchpoints a user has with a digital product, from the first time they interact with it to the last.

Creating a positive customer experience in UX design involves understanding the user’s needs, preferences, behaviors and designing the product accordingly. 

Dark Patterns

Dark patterns in UX refer to design elements or techniques used in digital products or services that are intentionally deceptive, manipulative, or unethical. These patterns are used to trick or mislead users into taking actions that they may not have otherwise taken.

Examples of dark patterns in UX include:

Forced continuity: when a user is signed up for a free trial or subscription, and the company automatically charges them after the trial period without their knowledge or consent.

Urgency: when design elements are used to create a false sense of urgency, such as limited-time offers, to pressure users into taking action quickly. 

Design Research

Design research is a systematic and structured approach to understanding users, their needs, and the context in which they operate. It is a process of collecting and analyzing data to inform the design of products or services.

Design research can involve both qualitative and quantitative methods, such as surveys, interviews, observations, and user testing. The goal of design research is to gain a deep understanding of users, their behaviors, motivations, pain points, and preferences, and use that knowledge to design products or services that meet their needs.

DPI

DPI stands for “dots per inch” and is a measure of the resolution of an image or printed document. DPI refers to the number of dots that can be placed within a square inch of an image. The higher the DPI, the more detail and resolution an image will have.

DPI is commonly used in digital imaging, printing, and graphics design.

Domain

In the context of the web, a domain refers to the name of a website or web address that users type into a web browser to access a website. A domain consists of two parts: the domain name and the top-level domain (TLD).

Empathy Map

An empathy map is a visual tool used to capture the user’s perspective and experience. It helps designers, product managers, and other stakeholders to understand users’ needs, behaviors, and emotions, and use that information to create more effective products or services.

An empathy map typically consists of four quadrants that capture different aspects of the user’s experience: Say, Do, See, Hear

Eye tracking

Eye tracking is a popular technique used in UX research to better understand how users interact with digital interfaces and to identify areas of interest, attention, and confusion. By analyzing eye movements, researchers can gain insights into how users visually process information on a website, app, or other digital interface.

Flexbox

Flexbox is a CSS is a one dimensional layout module designed to provide a flexible way to create layouts for web pages. It allows for dynamic, responsive layouts that can adjust to different screen sizes and orientations, making it ideal for creating modern web designs.

Flat Design

In flat design, designers use simple, geometric shapes, bold colors, and minimal use of texture and shading to create a clean, uncluttered look. The design is focused on clarity, hierarchy, and readability, often using typography and color to create visual interest and guide the user’s attention. Flat design is often associated with the use of sans-serif typefaces and bright, saturated colors.

Figure & Ground

In UX design, figure and ground refer to the perception of visual elements as being either the focal point (figure) or the background (ground) of a design. This concept plays a key role in creating visual hierarchy and guiding users’ attention to important information on a website or app.

The figure is the main element in a design that is intended to draw the user’s attention, while the ground is the background or supporting elements that provide context and help to emphasize the figure. For example, in a website header, the logo and navigation menu may be considered the figure, while the background color or image is the ground.

Focus groups

In UX, focus groups refer to a qualitative research method used to gather feedback and insights from a diverse group of users. A focus group typically involves a moderator who facilitates a discussion among a group of individuals, usually between six to ten participants, with a common background or interest in the topic being discussed. The goal of a focus group is to gain a deeper understanding of users’ perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors related to a product, service, or concept.

Grid

CSS Grid is a powerful two dimensional layout module that allows developers to create complex, responsive layouts for web pages. It provides a grid-based layout system for arranging elements in rows and columns, and offers a range of properties to control the size, placement, and alignment of these elements.

With CSS Grid, you can create grids of any size and complexity, and easily adjust them for different screen sizes and devices.

Golden Ratio

In UX design, the golden ratio can be used to create balanced and visually pleasing layouts by dividing the screen or layout into sections based on the ratio. The ratio is approximately 1.618:1, which means that the larger section is roughly 1.6 times the size of the smaller section.

Guerrilla Research

Guerrilla research is a research method used in UX design to gather feedback from users quickly and with minimal resources. It involves going out into the field (such as a public space or event) and conducting user research on the spot, without prior scheduling or formal arrangements with participants.

Heatmaps

In UX design, heatmaps are graphical representations of data that show the distribution of user interactions with a website or application. Heatmaps can be used to analyze user behavior, identify patterns and trends, and gain insights into how users interact with a design.

Hierarchy

Hierarchy in UX design refers to the way elements are organized and prioritized within a user interface. It involves creating a clear and logical structure that guides the user’s attention and helps them navigate through the interface effectively. There are several factors that can contribute to the hierarchy of an interface, including:

  • Size
  • Position
  • Contrast
  • Typography
  • Grouping

Information Architecture

Information architecture (IA) is the practice of organizing, structuring, and labeling content in a way that makes it easy for users to find and understand. IA is a key component of user experience design, as it helps ensure that content is organized in a way that is both logical and user-friendly.

Interaction Design

Interaction design (IxD) is the practice of designing the way users interact with digital products or services, such as websites, mobile apps, or other digital interfaces. Interaction designers focus on creating engaging, intuitive, and effective user experiences by designing the way users interact with digital products.

Journey Mapping

A User Journey Mapping helps document and visualize the step-by-step experience someone has with a product or service, from the beginning to the end. It lists the different actions users take to accomplish their goal.

KPIs

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator, which is a measurable value that helps track the performance of a business, organization, or individual towards achieving specific goals. KPIs are used to evaluate success at reaching targets and provide insights into areas that need improvement.

Landing Page

In digital marketing, a landing page is a standalone web page that is designed specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign, with the goal of converting visitors into leads or customers. A landing page is different from a website homepage or other pages on a website because it has a specific focus and call to action (CTA), and is designed to capture visitor information or encourage them to take a specific action.

Lean UX

Lean UX is a UX process that is focused on creating products that are both desirable to users and feasible to develop. It also encourages participation from everyone in the team.

The goal is to validate assumptions and hypotheses through real-world testing, and to use this feedback to make informed decisions about the direction of the product.

Low-fidelity

Low fidelity (lo-fi) refers to the initial stage of design where the focus is on creating simple and rough design prototypes to communicate ideas, concepts, and functionality. Low fidelity designs are usually created with pen and paper, whiteboards, or digital tools such as wireframing software.

The purpose of creating low fidelity prototypes is to explore multiple design ideas quickly and efficiently, without getting bogged down in details.

MVP

MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product. It is a product development strategy that involves creating a basic version of a product with just enough features to satisfy early users and gather feedback. The goal of an MVP is to validate the product idea and ensure that it meets the needs of the target audience, without investing too much time or resources in development.

Persona

Personas are fictitious, specific, concrete representations of target users. The notion of personas was created by Alan Cooper.

Prototype

A prototype is an early version or sample of a product, design, or system that is created to test and evaluate its functionality, design, and usability. Prototyping is an essential part of the design process and is used to gather feedback, identify potential issues, and refine the design before the final product is developed.

There are different types of prototypes, ranging from low-fidelity prototypes made with paper and pen to high-fidelity prototypes created with interactive digital tools. The choice of prototype depends on the purpose and stage of the design process.

Qualitative research

Qualitative research are inclined towards the why of the situation. They are conducted to understand a visible gap, newer insights and capturing customer behaviours.

Quantitative research

Qualitative research is a method of  capturing statistical data and numbers.

Research

Research in UX (user experience) refers to the process of gathering and analyzing data to inform the design of digital products or services that are user-centered, usable, and desirable. UX research can include a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods, such as surveys, interviews, usability testing, and analytics. UX research can be divided into three main types:

  • Exploratory research
  • Formative research
  • Evaluative research

Responsive Web Design

Responsive web design is an approach to web design and development that aims to create websites that are optimized for viewing and interacting across different devices and screen sizes. Responsive design involves using flexible grids, layouts, and images that adapt to the screen size of the device being used to view the website.

Stakeholder

A stakeholder is any individual or group that has an interest or concern in a product, service, or project. This can include anyone who is impacted by the outcome of the project, from users and customers to employees, investors, and managers.

Styleguide

A style guide, also known as a design system or brand guidelines, is a set of guidelines that define the visual and aesthetic design elements of a brand or product. The purpose of a style guide is to ensure consistency and coherence in the design of a brand or product across all its channels and touchpoints, including websites, apps, marketing materials, and social media.

Survey

In UX (User Experience) design, a survey is a research method used to gather information and feedback from users about their experience with a product, service, or system. Surveys can be conducted through various mediums such as online forms, phone calls, or in-person interviews. They are designed to ask specific questions about a user’s experience, preferences, opinions, and behaviors related to a particular product or service.

User Testing

User testing is a technique used in user experience (UX) design to evaluate a product or service by testing it with real users. It involves observing and collecting feedback from users as they perform specific tasks on the product or service. The goal of user testing is to identify any usability issues, design flaws, or areas for improvement that could negatively impact the user’s experience.

Usability Testing

Usability Testing is a part of UR (aka User Research) to evaluate the ease of use and overall user experience of a product or system.

The purpose of usability testing is to identify potential issues or areas of improvement in the design of a product, and to gather insights that can inform future design decisions.

User Interview

User interview refers to a research method used to gather qualitative insights and feedback directly from users. It involves conducting one-on-one or group conversations with individuals who represent the target audience or user base of a product, service, or system.

It is important for UX designers to conduct user interviews in a structured and unbiased manner, actively listening and probing for deeper insights. User interviews can be conducted in-person, remotely through video calls, or using online survey tools, depending on the availability and preferences of the participants.

UX

UX aka User Experience is the overall experience that a user has when interacting with a product, system, or service. This experience encompasses all aspects of the user’s interaction, including the design, usability, accessibility, and functionality of the product

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