User Research Vocabulary

a fictional character representing a user type

“The primary persona was a time-pressed working parent.”

Origin: Latin persona 'mask, character' originally 'actor's mask'

comparing two versions to determine which performs better

“A/B testing proved the shorter form converted better.”

Origin: English A and B as variable labels + testing

a technique where users organize content into groups

“Card sorting revealed unexpected category groupings.”

Origin: English card + sorting, from the physical card-based method

expert review using established usability principles

“The heuristic evaluation identified navigation issues.”

Origin: Greek heuriskein 'to discover' + Latin evaluare 'to determine value'

users verbalize thoughts while completing tasks

“Think-aloud protocols revealed user confusion points.”

Origin: English think + aloud, describing the verbal protocol

observing real users attempting to complete tasks

“Usability testing uncovered critical workflow issues.”

Origin: Latin usabilis 'fit for use' + testing

observing users in their natural environment

“Ethnographic research revealed unarticulated needs.”

Origin: Greek ethnos 'people, nation' + graphein 'to write'

visualization of user experience across touchpoints

“The journey map highlighted pain points in onboarding.”

Origin: Old French journee 'day's work or travel' + map

anyone with an interest in the design outcome

“Stakeholder interviews aligned business and user goals.”

Origin: English stake 'wager, interest' + holder

organizing research findings into thematic clusters

“The affinity diagram synthesized 200 interview notes.”

Origin: Latin affinitas 'relationship by marriage' + Greek diagramma 'figure'