UX/UI Vocabulary Vocabulary

a design quality suggesting how an object should be used

“The button's raised appearance provides affordance for clicking.”

the mental effort required to process information

“Reducing cognitive load helps users complete tasks faster.”

a practical rule of thumb for evaluating usability

“Nielsen's heuristics guide interface evaluation.”

designing for users of all abilities and disabilities

“Accessibility requirements shaped the color contrast choices.”

the ease with which users can accomplish their goals

“Usability testing revealed the form was too complex.”

a skeletal outline of a page layout without visual design

“The wireframe established the basic information hierarchy.”

a high-fidelity visual representation of a design

“The mockup showed exactly how the final product would look.”

any obstacle that slows or prevents user goal completion

“Removing friction from checkout increased conversions.”

the process of introducing users to a product

“Effective onboarding reduced user drop-off by 40%.”

the structural design of shared information environments

“Good information architecture makes content findable.”