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5.2: Key terms and concepts

  • Page ID
    24880
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    Table 5.2.1
    Term Definition
    Above the fold The content that appears on a screen without a user having to scroll.
    Accessibility The degree to which a website is available to users with physical challenges or technical limitations.
    Breadcrumbs Links, usually on the top of the page, that indicate where a page is in the hierarchy of the website.
    Call to action (CTA) A phrase written to motivate the reader to take action such as sign up for our newsletter or book car hire today.
    Content audit An examination and evaluation of existing content on a website.
    Content strategy In this context, a plan that outlines what content is needed for a web project and when and how it will be created.
    Convention A common rule or tried-and-tested way in which something is done.
    Conversion Completing an action or actions that the website wants the user to take. Usually a conversion results in revenue for the brand in some way. Conversions include signing up to a newsletter or purchasing a product.
    Credibility In this context, how trustworthy, safe and legitimate a website looks
    Fidelity An interface design. A low-fidelity prototype will be basic, incomplete and used to test broad concepts. A high fidelity prototype will be quite close to the final product, with detail and functionality and can be used to test functionality and usability.
    Information architecture The way data and content are organised, structured and labelled to support usability.
    Navigation How a web user interacts with the user interface to navigate through a website, the elements that assist in maximising usability and visual signposting so users never feel lost.
    Prototype Interactive wireframes, usually of a higher fidelity, that have been linked together like a website, so that they can be navigated through by clicking and scrolling.
    Responsive design A design approach that enables a website display to change depending on the size of the viewport or screen, regardless of the device on which it is displayed.
    Search engine optimisation (SEO) The process of improving website rankings on search engine results pages.
    Sitemap On a website, a page that links to every other page in the website, and displays these links organised according to the information hierarchy. In UX terminology, this is the visualised structural plan for how the website’s pages will be laid out and organised.
    Usability A measure of how easy a system is to use. Sites with excellent usability fare far better than those that are difficult to use.
    User-centred design (UCD) The design philosophy where designers identify how a product is likely to be used, taking user behaviour into consideration and prioritising user wants and needs. UCD places the user at the centre of the entire experience.
    User experience design (UXD) The process of applying proven principles, techniques and features to create and optimise how a system behaves, mapping out all the touchpoints a user experiences to create consistency in the interaction with the brand.
    User interface (UI) The user-facing part of the tool or platform i.e. the actual website, application, hardware or tool with which the user interacts.
    Wireframe The skeletal outline of the layout of a web page. This can be rough and general, or very detailed.

    This page titled 5.2: Key terms and concepts is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Rob Stokes via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.