UX Glossary

The 5Es of UX are five key stages of a user’s interaction with a product or service: Entice, Enter, Engage, Exit, and Extend. Entice is how you attract users. Enter is how they start interacting with your product. Engage is how they use it and whether it meets their needs. Exit is how they end the experience. Extend is how you encourage them to return or share their experience. These steps help businesses focus on the complete user journey, not just one part of it.

A/B testing is a method where two versions of a webpage, app feature, or marketing campaign are shown to different users to see which one performs better. One group sees Version A, while another sees Version B, and their actions (clicks, sign-ups, or purchases) are compared. This helps businesses make data-driven decisions based on what users actually respond to.

Accessibility in UX

Accessibility in UX means making websites and apps easy to use for everyone, including people with disabilities. This could mean adding bigger text for those with vision problems, making sure buttons work with a keyboard, or providing captions for videos. The goal is simple: no one should struggle to use a product because of the way it’s designed.

Agile UX is the practice of designing and improving user experiences while working in short, focused cycles as part of an Agile development process. Instead of completing all the design work upfront, Agile UX involves continuous collaboration, feedback, and updates throughout a project. The approach ensures that the design evolves with the product and adapts to user needs.

An "Aha! Moment" is the point when a user suddenly realizes the value of a product or service. It’s that moment of clarity when they understand how it solves their problem or makes their life better. For businesses, identifying and creating this moment is key to building customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Alt text (alternative text) is a short description added to images on a website or app. It helps visually impaired users understand images through screen readers and also improves SEO by giving search engines context about the image. If an image doesn’t load, the alt text appears in its place, ensuring users still get the key information.

An antipersona is a profile of a type of user you don’t want for your product or service. These are people who may misuse your platform, cost your business money, or not be a good fit for what you offer. Identifying antipersonas helps businesses prevent fraud, reduce unnecessary support costs, and focus on attracting the right customers.

An archetype is a common character type, personality, or role that represents a group of people with shared traits, behaviors, or motivations. In business, archetypes are used to better understand and connect with customers by creating relatable profiles based on their needs and preferences. They are often used in branding, marketing, and product design to create experiences that resonate with specific audiences.

An asset map is a visual guide that shows all the resources, tools, or key elements a business has and how they connect. It helps teams see what’s available, where gaps might be, and how different parts of a system or service work together. Businesses use asset maps to organize their resources and make better decisions.

Tools & Techniques

Behavioral analytics

Behavioral analytics is all about understanding how people interact with your product, service, or platform. It involves tracking what users do - like clicks, time spent on a page, or how they navigate - and analyzing those actions to uncover patterns and insights. This data helps businesses understand user preferences, improve experiences, and make better decisions to drive growth.

A CSD Matrix (Certainties, Suppositions, Doubts) is a tool used to organize ideas by sorting them into three categories: Certainties (things you know for sure), Suppositions (things you believe but haven’t confirmed), and Doubts (things you are unsure about). It helps businesses clarify what they know, what they assume, and what they need to research before making decisions.

Card sorting is a simple way to figure out how people naturally organize information. You give users a bunch of topics (written on cards) and ask them to group them in a way that makes sense to them. This helps businesses set up websites, apps, or menus in a way that feels logical and easy to use.

Clickstream analytics

Clickstream analytics is all about tracking and analyzing the way people take as they navigate through your website or app. It looks at every click - like which pages they visit, how long they stay, and where they go next. This gives you a detailed look at how users interact with your platform and helps you understand what’s working and where they might be running into trouble.

Coachmarks are small pop-ups or highlights that guide users when they first use an app or website. They point out key features, explain how things work, and help users get comfortable quickly. A well-designed coachmark makes sure people don’t feel lost and can start using a product with confidence.

Onboarding & Guidance

Cognitive bias is when people make decisions based on emotions, habits, or shortcuts rather than logic. It affects how users interact with websites, apps, and products - sometimes making choices that seem irrational but feel right to them. Businesses need to understand these biases to design better experiences that match how people actually think and behave.

Psychology & Behavior

A cognitive map is a mental picture people create to understand and navigate spaces, whether physical or digital. It helps users remember where things are, how to move between sections, and what to expect next. A well-designed website or app matches users’ natural cognitive maps, making it easier for them to find what they need without getting frustrated.

Continuous user feedback

Continuous user feedback is the ongoing process of collecting and analyzing what users think about a product or service. Instead of waiting for a big update or launch, businesses gather feedback regularly through surveys, reviews, or in-app questions. This helps them fix problems quickly and improve the user experience over time.

Conversion tracking

Conversion tracking is the process of monitoring and measuring specific actions users take on your website or app, such as making a purchase, signing up, or completing a booking. It helps you understand how many people are completing the goals you’ve set for your business. This data shows you what’s working and where you may need to make improvements.

Cross-platform UX

Cross-platform UX means making sure a website, app, or service works smoothly across different devices (phones, tablets, and computers). Users should get the same experience whether they’re switching between devices or using a mobile app instead of a website. A good cross-platform UX feels natural and easy to use, no matter where someone accesses it.

Tools & Techniques

Customer journey mapping

Customer journey mapping is a way to understand what a customer goes through when using your product or service. It looks at every step: from discovering your business to making a purchase and beyond. In this way, a business can see what’s working, what’s frustrating, and where they can make things easier.

Customer lifetime value (CLV)

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the total amount of money a customer is likely to spend on your business over time. It’s not just about one sale - it’s about how often they come back and how much they spend each time. The longer a customer stays with you, the more valuable they become.

Design handoffs

Design handoffs are the process of transferring a finished design from the design team to the development team so they can start building it. This step includes sharing design files, specifications, and guidelines to ensure that the developers can accurately implement the design. A smooth design handoff ensures that what’s built matches the original vision.

A design sprint is a short, structured process that helps teams quickly test and improve ideas before spending too much time or money on development. It usually lasts a few days and includes brainstorming, sketching, prototyping, and user testing. The goal is to find the best solution to a problem in the shortest time possible.

A design system is a set of reusable components, guidelines, and standards that help teams create consistent and user-friendly products. It includes things like colors, fonts, buttons, and layouts, ensuring that everything looks and works the same across different pages or apps. A good design system makes it easier for designers and developers to work together and keep the product visually and functionally consistent.

Tools & Techniques

Design thinking

Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that focuses on understanding users, brainstorming creative solutions, and testing ideas quickly. Instead of guessing what people need, it encourages businesses to listen, prototype, and improve based on real feedback. It’s a hands-on way to create better products and experiences.

Desirability is how much people want to use a product, service, or feature. It goes beyond basic function - something can work well, but if it doesn’t feel enjoyable, look appealing, or create an emotional connection, users may not engage with it. A desirable product makes people want to return and recommend it to others.

Empathy mapping

Empathy mapping is a simple way to understand your customers better by identifying what they think, feel, say, and do when interacting with your product or service. It helps businesses step into the customer’s shoes and see things from their perspective. This tool is often used in the early stages of product or service design to uncover what customers need and what problems they face.

Empty states are screens or sections in an app or website that appear when there’s no content yet. This could be an empty shopping cart, a blank search result, or a new account without any saved data. Instead of showing a dull blank page, a good empty state provides guidance, encouragement, or a call to action to help users move forward.

Onboarding & Guidance

Error reporting

Error reporting is the process of identifying, tracking, and logging errors that happen in a system, app, or website. It helps teams find out when something is broken or not working correctly so they can fix it quickly. Good error reporting makes it easier to spot problems before they affect too many users.

Tools & Techniques

Event tracking is a way to monitor specific actions users take on a website or app, such as clicking a button, watching a video, or adding an item to a cart. It helps businesses understand how people interact with their platform and which features they use the most. This information is key to improving user experience and increasing conversions.

A fake door test is a way to check user interest in a new feature or product before actually building it. Businesses create a button, link, or ad for the feature, and when users click, they see a message like "Coming Soon!" or a short survey. This helps companies measure demand without wasting time or money on something people don’t want.

Feasibility means checking whether an idea, project, or solution is possible and practical before moving forward. It looks at factors like cost, time, technology, and resources to see if something can be successfully done. If an idea isn’t feasible, it can lead to wasted effort, delays, or failure.

A feature flag is a tool that lets developers turn a feature on or off without changing the actual code. It allows teams to test new features with a small group of users before making them available to everyone. This makes it easier to fix issues, roll out updates gradually, and even remove features if they don’t work as expected.

Tools & Techniques

A featureset is the collection of functions and tools that a product, website, or app offers to its users. It defines what the product can do and how it helps customers solve problems. A well-thought-out featureset makes a product useful, easy to use, and competitive in the market.

Fidelity in prototypes

Fidelity in prototypes refers to how detailed and realistic a prototype is, ranging from low-fidelity (simple sketches or wireframes) to high-fidelity (fully designed, interactive models). Low-fidelity prototypes are quick and rough, used for testing ideas early, while high-fidelity prototypes look and function almost like the final product. Choosing the right level of fidelity depends on the stage of development and the type of feedback needed.

First-click test

A first-click test is a way to check how easy it is for users to find what they need on a website or app. It measures where people click first when trying to complete a task, helping businesses see if their design is clear and intuitive. If users click the wrong place, it may mean the layout or labels need improvement.

Five-second test

A five-second test is a quick way to check if users understand a webpage or design within just five seconds. People are shown a screen for a short time and then asked what they remember or what stood out. This helps businesses see if their design is clear and if key messages are getting through.

A focus group is a small group of people gathered to share their opinions about a product, service, or idea. A business asks them questions, observes their reactions, and uses their feedback to improve what they offer. It’s a way to understand what real users think before making big decisions.

Focus states are visual highlights that show which element on a website or app is currently selected or active. They help users navigate by making it clear where they are, especially when using a keyboard or assistive technology. Common focus states include a glowing outline around a button or a color change on a selected field.

Friction is anything that slows down or makes it harder for users to complete a task on a website, app, or service. It can be extra steps in checkout, confusing menus, slow load times, or unclear instructions. Too much friction frustrates users and can lead to drop-offs or lost customers.

Psychology & Behavior

Gestalt principles

Gestalt principles describe how people naturally group and organize visual elements to make sense of what they see. These principles (proximity, similarity, and closure) help explain why certain designs feel clear and easy to understand. Businesses use them to create layouts that guide users smoothly through a website, app, or product.

Psychology & Behavior

Guerrilla testing

Guerrilla testing is a quick and informal way to test a product by asking random people for feedback. Instead of setting up a formal study, businesses take their design or prototype to public places—like a café or mall—and see how everyday people react. This method helps identify issues early without spending a lot of time or money.

HEART framework

The HEART framework is a way to measure user experience by focusing on five key areas: Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, and Task Success. It helps businesses understand how users feel about their product, how often they use it, how many new users join, how many stick around, and how easily they complete tasks. By tracking these areas, companies can find ways to improve the user experience.

Haptics refers to the use of touch-based feedback, like vibrations or pressure, to enhance user interaction with a device. It makes digital experiences feel more physical, such as a phone vibrating when you tap a button or a smartwatch giving a gentle buzz for a notification. Haptic feedback helps users interact with technology in a way that feels more natural and responsive.

Heuristic evaluation

Heuristic evaluation is a method used to find usability problems in a product by having experts review it based on a set of usability principles, called heuristics. These principles include things like making navigation simple, providing clear feedback, and minimizing user errors. It’s a fast and affordable way to spot design issues before users encounter them.

Human-computer interaction

Human-computer interaction (HCI) is the way people interact with computers, websites, and apps. It focuses on making technology easy to use by designing clear layouts, intuitive controls, and smooth experiences. Good HCI ensures that users can complete tasks without frustration or confusion.

Inclusive Design

Inclusive design means creating products, websites, and apps that work for as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. It considers different needs, like providing larger text for people with vision problems or voice commands for those who can’t use a touchscreen. The goal is to make sure no one is left out when using a product.

Information architecture

Information architecture is the way content is organized on a website or app to make it easy for users to find what they need. It includes menus, categories, and search functions, ensuring everything is structured in a clear and logical way. Good information architecture helps people navigate smoothly without getting lost or frustrated.

Interaction design

Interaction design is all about making digital products easy and enjoyable to use. It focuses on things like buttons, menus, and animations—basically, how people move through a website or app. When done right, it makes using technology feel effortless, so users don’t get frustrated or confused.

Keyboard Navigation

Keyboard navigation allows users to move through a website or app using only their keyboard, without a mouse. This is important for people with disabilities, power users who prefer shortcuts, or anyone using a device without a touchscreen. A well-designed site should let users tab through menus, buttons, and forms easily.

Lean UX is a way of designing products by focusing on quick feedback, small experiments, and continuous improvements. Instead of spending months perfecting a design before testing, teams build simple versions, gather user feedback, and adjust as needed. This approach helps businesses create better user experiences without wasting time or money.

A learning curve is the time and effort it takes for someone to understand how to use a new product, tool, or system. Some things are easy to learn with little effort, while others take more time and practice. A steep learning curve means users struggle at first, while a gentle one means they can pick it up quickly.

Psychology & Behavior

A Likert scale is a simple way to measure how people feel about something by asking them to rate it on a scale. For example, you might ask, “How satisfied are you with our service?” and give options like “Very Satisfied” to “Very Dissatisfied.” It’s an easy and clear method to collect feedback from customers.

A mental model is how people expect something to work based on their past experiences. For example, when someone visits a website, they assume the shopping cart will be in the top right corner because they’ve seen it there before. If a product matches users’ mental models, they find it easier to use without needing to learn something new.

Psychology & Behavior

Neumorphism is a design style that makes buttons, cards, and other elements look soft and slightly raised, as if they are molded into the background. It creates a modern, minimalistic look with subtle shadows and highlights. While visually appealing, it must be used carefully to keep buttons and controls clear and easy to interact with.

Tools & Techniques

Opportunity Solution Tree (OST)

An Opportunity Solution Tree (OST) is a visual tool that helps you map out the steps to solve a business problem or achieve a goal. It starts with the goal at the top, breaks it down into opportunities (challenges or needs), and then lists possible solutions for each opportunity. This structure helps teams focus on the best ways to solve problems without losing sight of their main objective.

Participant screening

Participant screening is the process of selecting the right people for user research or testing. Instead of asking just anyone, businesses choose participants who match their real customers based on factors like age, experience, or buying habits. In this way, you can be sure that the feedback comes from the people who will actually use the product.

Path analysis is a method used to study the steps users take while interacting with your website, app, or product. It looks at how people move from one page or action to the next, helping you understand their journey, what works, and where they might drop off. This makes it easier to identify patterns and improve their overall experience.

Pilot testing is when a business rolls out a new feature, product, or service to a small group of users before launching it fully. In this way, you can identify problems, gather feedback, and make improvements before reaching a larger audience. It’s like a test run to catch mistakes early and ensure a smooth experience.

Product discovery

Product discovery is the process of figuring out what your customers really need or want so you can create or improve products they’ll actually use. It’s about listening to your audience, testing ideas, and making sure your products solve real problems.

A product tour is a step-by-step guide that helps new users understand how to use a website, app, or software. It usually appears when someone first signs up, showing key features through pop-ups, tooltips, or short messages. A well-designed product tour makes it easier for users to get started without feeling lost.

Onboarding & Guidance

Progress tracking

Progress tracking is a way to show users how far they’ve come in a process, like filling out a form, completing a purchase, or reaching a goal. It can be a progress bar, step indicators, or percentage completion. Seeing progress helps users stay motivated and reduces frustration.

Onboarding & Guidance

Prototyping in UX

Prototyping in UX is the process of creating a basic version of a product to test how it works before building the final version. It can be as simple as a sketch or as detailed as an interactive model. Prototypes help teams see what works, fix problems early, and improve the design based on real user feedback.

Tools & Techniques

Readability is about how easy it is to read and understand text on a website, app, or document. It depends on things like font size, sentence length, and word choice. If something is too complicated or cluttered, people might get frustrated and stop reading.

Responsive design

Responsive design means a website or app adjusts to look good and work well on any device—whether it’s a phone, tablet, or computer. It makes sure text is easy to read, buttons are easy to tap, and users don’t have to zoom in or scroll sideways to find what they need. A site with responsive design feels natural to use, no matter the screen size.

Retention analysis

Retention analysis is the process of tracking how many users keep coming back to a product, service, or app over time. It helps businesses understand why some customers stay loyal while others stop using the product. By studying user behavior, companies can find ways to improve the experience and keep more people engaged.

Scroll depth analysis

Scroll depth analysis tracks how far users scroll down a webpage, helping businesses understand what content keeps people engaged and where they lose interest. It shows whether visitors reach important sections, like product details or sign-up forms, or if they leave too soon. This data helps improve page layout and content placement.

Session replay is a tool that records how users interact with a website or app, showing where they click, scroll, and move their mouse. It helps businesses see what users struggle with, what they ignore, and how they navigate. Watching these replays can reveal hidden problems that regular analytics might miss.

Skeuomorphism is a design style that makes digital elements look like real-world objects. For example, a calculator app that looks like a physical calculator or a notepad app designed to resemble lined paper. This approach helps users feel familiar with digital products by mimicking things they already know.

Tools & Techniques

A soft launch is when a business releases a product, app, or service to a small audience before making it available to everyone. This allows companies to test for issues, gather feedback, and make improvements before the full launch. It’s like a trial run to catch problems early and ensure a smooth experience for all users.

Stakeholder map

A stakeholder map is a visual tool that shows all the people or groups involved in a project and their level of influence. It helps businesses identify key decision-makers, supporters, and those who may be affected by the project. By mapping out stakeholders, teams can communicate better and ensure everyone's needs are considered.

Task success rate

Task success rate measures how many users complete a specific action on a website or app without mistakes or frustration. This could be checking out on an e-commerce site, transferring money in a banking app, or booking a flight online. A high success rate means users can complete tasks easily, while a low rate suggests there are problems that need fixing.

Think aloud is a usability testing method where users verbalize their thoughts while interacting with a product, website, or app. As they complete tasks, they say what they find easy, confusing, or frustrating, giving businesses direct insight into their experience. This helps teams understand how real users think and where improvements are needed.

Time on task measures how long it takes a user to complete a specific action on a website or app. This could be checking out on an online store, transferring money in a banking app, or booking a flight. A shorter time often means a smoother experience, while a longer time can signal confusion or frustration.

Tree testing is a way to check if a website or app’s navigation makes sense to users. People are given a task, like finding a specific product or service, and they have to click through a text-only version of the menu structure to see if they can find it easily. This helps businesses figure out if their categories and labels are clear or if users are getting lost.

A UI guideline is a set of rules that define how a website or app should look and function. It includes things like colors, fonts, button styles, and spacing to keep everything consistent. When followed, these guidelines make a product easier to use and more visually appealing.

A UX audit is a review of a website or app to find problems that make it hard for users to navigate or complete tasks. It looks at things like confusing layouts, slow load times, and unclear buttons. The goal is to spot issues and suggest fixes to improve the user experience.

UX design principles

UX design principles are basic guidelines that help create websites, apps, and products that are easy to use. These principles include simplicity, consistency, clear navigation, and making sure users get quick feedback when they take an action. Following these rules helps businesses build products that feel natural and frustration-free.

UX research is the process of studying how people interact with a website, app, or product to understand what works and what doesn’t. It includes methods like user interviews, surveys, and usability testing to gather real feedback. The goal is to design products that are easy, useful, and enjoyable to use.

UX strategy is a plan that ensures a product (website/app) meets user needs while also helping the business reach its goals. It combines research, design, and testing to create an experience that is easy, enjoyable, and useful. A strong UX strategy helps businesses build products that people actually want to use.

Usability benchmarking

Usability benchmarking is the process of measuring how easy and efficient a product is by comparing it to past performance or industry standards. It looks at things like how long users take to complete tasks, how many errors they make, or how satisfied they are. Tracking these numbers over time helps businesses see if their product is improving or getting worse.

Usability heuristics

Usability heuristics are general rules that help design products that are easy to use. These principles, like keeping things simple, giving clear feedback, and preventing errors, guide designers in making user-friendly websites, apps, and systems. They help ensure that people can navigate and complete tasks without confusion or frustration.

Usability testing

Usability testing is the process of watching real people use your website, app, or product to see what works and what doesn’t. It helps identify confusing layouts, hard-to-find buttons, or anything that makes the experience frustrating. The goal is to fix issues before launch so users can navigate smoothly without getting stuck.

User activation

User activation is the moment when a new user first experiences the real value of a product. It’s the point where they go from just signing up to actually using key features, like making a purchase, setting up their profile, or completing their first transaction. A smooth activation process helps turn new users into regular customers.

A user persona is a fictional profile that represents your ideal customer based on real data and research. It includes details like their goals, challenges, behaviors, and preferences, helping you better understand who you’re creating your product or service for. Personas make it easier to design solutions that meet the needs of your target audience.

User-centred design (UCD)

User-centred design (UCD) is an approach where products are designed with the user’s needs, behaviors, and preferences in mind. Instead of guessing what people want, businesses research, test, and gather feedback to make sure their website, app, or service is easy and enjoyable to use. The goal is to create something that solves real problems without frustration.

Voice accessibility

Voice accessibility means making sure websites, apps, and digital tools can be used with voice commands instead of typing or tapping. This helps people with disabilities, those who have trouble using a keyboard or touchscreen, or anyone who prefers voice control. Features like voice search, screen readers, and voice assistants make digital experiences more inclusive.

A walkthrough is a simple guide that helps users understand how to use a website, app, or product. It can be an interactive tutorial that pops up when someone signs up or a short set of instructions. Walkthroughs make it easier for people to get started without feeling lost.

A workshop is a hands-on session where people come together to learn, solve problems, or generate ideas. It usually involves discussions, activities, and collaboration to help teams make decisions or improve a product. Workshops can be used for brainstorming, user research, or training.

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