UX Glossary

Notes on commonly used terms in user experience

The definitions come from official sources such as  ISO, UXPA, NN Group and usability.gov.

Words	Meaning
Accessibility	Accessibility is defined as the extent to which products, systems, services, environments and facilities can be used by people in a population with the broadest range of characteristics and abilities to achieve a goal specified in a given context of use.
Action	Literally. User behavior that a system accepts as a request for a particular operation.
Breadcrumb	The thing that appears at the top of the page when you navigate through the website's hierarchy. The one displayed as aaa > bbb > ccc. Similar to path. Breadcrumbs allow users to identify their current location within the system by providing a clickable trail of proceeding pages to navigate by.
Buttons	A button indicates an action upon touch and is typically labelled using text, an icon, or both. It's sometimes called a CTA (Call To Action). I suppose that means a “Call to Action (CTA)” button.
Checkboxes	This: ☑️. A type of multiple-choice question in which a checkmark appears inside a square box. It is used when multiple selections are allowed from a list of options. Checkboxes allow the user to select one or more options from a set. It is usually best to present checkboxes in a vertical list. More than one column is acceptable as well if the list is long enough that it might require scrolling or if the comparison of terms might be necessary. In contrast, the type where users can select only one option from multiple choices is called a radio buttons. (or option buttons)
Conformity assessment	Conformity Assessment is the demonstration that specified requirements relating to a product, process, system, person or body are fulfilled.
Context of use	User, tasks, equipment (hardware, software and materials), and the physical and social environments in which a product is used.
Date and time pickers	IOS A date picker allows users to select a date and/or time.  By using the picker, the information is consistently formatted and input into the system.
Degree of severity	A measure associated with a usability problem identified during a user test and which is used to identify the impact or the severity of a problem and its consequences on a user experience.
Dialogue	Interaction between a user and an interactive system as a sequence of user actions (inputs) and system responses (outputs) in order to achieve a goal
Dropdown Button	The dropdown button consists of a button that when clicked displays a drop-down list of mutually exclusive items.
Dropdown lists	Dropdown lists allow users to select one item at a time, similarly to radio buttons but are more compact allowing you to save space. Consider adding text to the field, such as ‘Select one’ to help the user recognize the necessary action. Drop-down menus are used when there are multiple options to choose from, especially when there are many options. For example, when selecting a country or state of residence, or choosing an occupation.
Effectiveness	Effectiveness is defined as the accuracy and completeness with which users achieve specified goals.
Efficiency	Efficiency is defined by the resources expended in relation to the accuracy and completeness with which users achieve goals.
Evaluation report	A document in which are presented the results of a user test or of an expert evaluation.
Executive Summary
Icons	An icon is a simplified image serving as an intuitive symbol that is used to help users to navigate the system.  Typically, icons are hyperlinked.
Image Carousel	Image carousels allow users to browse through a set of items and make a selection of one if they so choose. Typically, the images are hyperlinked.
Inspection based evaluation	Evaluation based on the judgment of one or more evaluators who examine or use a system to identify potential usability problems (including deviations from established criteria).
Interview	Activity during the user test during which the user test participant answers questions about their experience and overall impression of the interactive system.
Interview guide	A list of questions and clues that the interviewer uses during the interview to ensure that all relevant topics are covered.
Learnability	Learnability is defined as the extent to which digital products and services allow users to quickly become familiar with them and make good use of all their features and capabilities.
List boxes	List boxes, like checkboxes, allow users to select multiple items at a time, but are more compact and can support a longer list of options if needed.
Message Boxes	A message box is a small window that provides information to users and requires them to take an action before they can move forward.
Modal Window (pop-up)	A modal window requires users to interact with it in some way before they can return to the system.
Moderator	A neutral person who conducts a user test session.
Notetaker	A person who notes observations during a user test session.
Notifications	A notification is an update message that announces something new for the user to see. Notifications are typically used to indicate items such as the successful completion of a task, or an error or warning message.
Objects of the task	The key units of information or data with which users interact to perform their tasks.
Observation	A technique for gathering contextual information about the use of a system.
Observer	A person who observes users chatting or performing tasks related to a system.
Pagination	Pagination divides content up between pages and allows users to skip between pages or go in order through the content.
Participant	A representative user who performs typical tasks during a user test.
Progress Bar	A progress bar indicates where a user is as they advance through a series of steps in a process. Typically, progress bars are not clickable.
Prototype	Representation of all or part of an interactive system, that, although limited in some way, can be used for analysis, design and evaluation
Radio buttons	This: 🔘 Radio buttons are used to allow users to select one item at a time.
Recruitment	The process of selecting users who have the qualities and skills necessary to participate in a user test.
Recruitment questionnaire	A series of questions for potential participants to identify if they qualify for a user test.
Requirement	Condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a system, system component, product, or service to satisfy an agreement, standard, specification, or other formality imposed documents
Satisfaction	Satisfaction is defined by the degree to which user needs are satisfied when a product or system is used in a specified context of use.
Search Field	A search box allows users to enter a keyword or phrase (query) and submit it to search the index with the intention of getting back the most relevant results. Typically search fields are single-line text boxes and are often accompanied by a search button.
Survey	A set of questions that users answer as part of the assessment. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I didn't realize it was such an important tool for UX research until I studied UX research myself. By the way, effective surveys require careful question design, not just a simple list of questions.
System	Combination of interacting elements organized to achieve one or more stated purposes.
Tag	Tags allow users to find content in the same category.  Some tagging systems also allow users to apply their own tags to content by entering them into the system.
Task	Activities required to achieve a goal.
Text fields	Text fields allow users to enter text.  It can allow either a single line or multiple lines of text.
Toggles	A toggle button allows the user to change a setting between two states. They are most effective when the on/off states are visually distinct.
Tool Tip	In many cases, icons like these ⓘ, ℹ️ appear near the section names. A tool tip allows a user to see hints when they hover over an item indicating the name or purpose of the item. When I myself was a user who wasn’t familiar with the platform, the industry, or the company’s unique terms, I found these tips to be very helpful in gaining familiarity.
Usability	The extent to which a system, product or service can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.
Usability defect	Product attribute(s) that lead(s) to a mismatch between user intentions and/or user actions and the system attributes and behaviour
Usability lab	Environment specifically designed to conduct user testing.
Use error	User action or lack of user action while using the interactive system that leads to a different result than that intended by the manufacturer or expected by the user
User	Person who interacts with a system, product or service
User-based evaluation	Evaluation that involves representative users performing tasks with the system to enable identification of usability problems and/or measurements of efficiency, effectiveness, user satisfaction or other user experiences.
User experience (UX)	A person's perceptions and responses resulting from the use and/or anticipated use of a product, system or service. In terms of job categories, these roles can be divided into UX Research and UX Design based on their differences.
User interface (UI)	All components of an interactive system (software or hardware) that provide information and controls for the user to accomplish specific tasks with the interactive system.
User interface element	A basic component of a user interface that is presented to the user by the interactive system.
User need	Prerequisite identified as necessary for a user, or a set of users, to achieve an intended outcome, implied or stated within a specific context of use.
User test session	The moment during which a user participates in user testing.
Utility	Utility is the extent to which a technology provides the features the user needs.
Validation	Confirmation, through the provision of objective evidence, that specified requirements have been fulfilled