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Glossary

Every term is a starting point, not just a definition — each one links to the lessons and exercises that actually teach it.

Topic

Level

117 terms

A B C D E F G H I J K M O P Q R S T U V W #

A

A/B TestingintermediateA/B testing shows two versions of something to different users at random, then compares a chosen metric to see which performed better.1 lesson3 exercises
AARRR FunnelintermediateThe AARRR funnel tracks users through five stages, acquisition, activation, retention, referral and revenue, to find where growth is actually stuck.Definition only
AccessibilitybeginnerAccessibility is designing digital products so people with disabilities can use them. It removes barriers for visual, auditory, motor and cognitive impairments.Definition only
Accessibility EvaluationintermediateAccessibility evaluation is the systematic auditing of a product to identify and remediate usability barriers for people with disabilities.2 lessons23 exercises
Accessibility StandardsintermediateAccessibility standards are formal guidelines that ensure digital products are usable by people with disabilities.3 lessons35 exercises
Action Priority MatrixbeginnerAn action priority matrix plots work by impact against effort, producing four groups that suggest what to do now, plan, batch or drop.Definition only
Affinity DiagrambeginnerAn affinity diagram is a collaborative method that groups qualitative data, observations and ideas into thematic clusters.3 lessons15 exercises
AffordancebeginnerAn affordance is the perceived or actual property of an object that suggests how it can be used.1 lesson10 exercises
AgilebeginnerAgile is an iterative approach to product development that delivers working increments, welcomes change, and involves users throughout, instead of planning everything upfront.Definition only
Analytical ThinkingintermediateAnalytical thinking is the ability to deconstruct complex challenges into discrete components, examine relationships and deduce logical conclusions.8 lessons58 exercises
Analytics ToolsbeginnerAnalytics tools are software applications that collect, track and visualize quantitative user behavior within digital products.1 lesson3 exercises
Android DesignintermediateAndroid design is the practice of creating mobile application interfaces that follow Google's Material Design principles.6 lessons62 exercises
Atomic DesignintermediateAtomic Design is a methodology for creating modular design systems by breaking interfaces down into five hierarchical levels.6 lessons62 exercises

B

BacklogbeginnerA product backlog is an ordered, evolving list of user stories, bug fixes and technical enhancements needed for a product.5 lessons42 exercises
BrainstormingbeginnerBrainstorming is a divergent creative method where teams rapidly generate a broad volume of ideas without immediate judgment.7 lessons55 exercises
BrandbeginnerA brand is the collective reputation, perception and emotional promise that people associate with an organization.4 lessons41 exercises
Business MetricsintermediateBusiness metrics are quantifiable performance measurements used to track, assess and forecast an organization's financial and operational health.7 lessons47 exercises

C

Card SortingintermediateCard sorting is a research technique where participants organize topics into categories to inform information architecture.1 lesson3 exercises
Career PathbeginnerA career path is the progressive sequence of roles, responsibilities and skill proficiencies across a professional journey.6 lessons44 exercises
Chief Product Officer (CPO)advancedA Chief Product Officer is the executive who leads the overall product organization, strategy, design and commercial outcomes.6 lessons44 exercises
Cognitive LoadbeginnerCognitive load is the amount of mental processing power required to understand and use an interface.8 lessons65 exercises
ColorbeginnerColor is the visual property of light that lets people distinguish objects, and in design it is used to communicate meaning, create hierarchy, evoke emotion, and guide attention.Definition only
Color PalettebeginnerA color palette is the deliberate set of colors chosen to work together in a product, establishing a consistent visual language for brand, hierarchy, and communication.Definition only
Color TheorybeginnerColor theory is the study of how colors interact, combine and affect human perception and emotion.2 lessons22 exercises
CommunicationbeginnerCommunication is the active exchange of concepts, design rationale, research evidence and strategic context across diverse teams.6 lessons44 exercises
Contrast RatiobeginnerContrast ratio is the mathematical difference in luminance between foreground text or graphics and their background surface.4 lessons45 exercises
Creative ThinkingbeginnerCreative thinking is the cognitive ability to generate novel, non-obvious ideas that solve real user problems.7 lessons55 exercises
Critical ThinkingintermediateCritical thinking is the disciplined cognitive process of analyzing evidence, questioning assumptions and evaluating arguments.7 lessons55 exercises
Customer DevelopmentintermediateCustomer development is a formal four-step framework for discovering and validating customer needs before scaling a business.7 lessons47 exercises
Customer ExperiencebeginnerCustomer experience (CX) is the cumulative perception a person forms across every interaction with a company.6 lessons44 exercises
Customer Journey MappingintermediateCustomer journey mapping is the process of creating a timeline that illustrates a customer's relationship with a company.2 lessons20 exercises
Customer RetentionbeginnerCustomer retention is the ability of a product to keep existing customers active and paying over time.6 lessons44 exercises
Customer SegmentationintermediateCustomer segmentation is the process of dividing a broad target market into distinct subsets based on shared traits or behaviors.2 lessons6 exercises

D

Dark ModebeginnerDark mode is an interface theme option that displays light typography and UI elements against dark background surfaces.2 lessons22 exercises
Dark PatternbeginnerA dark pattern is a deceptive interface design engineered to trick users into taking unintended actions.7 lessons55 exercises
Data Privacy DesignintermediateData privacy design embeds privacy safeguards, data minimization and user consent directly into interfaces.7 lessons55 exercises
Data ScienceintermediateData science is the discipline of analyzing complex datasets using statistics and algorithms to uncover actionable insights.1 lesson3 exercises
Data VisualizationintermediateData visualization is the graphical representation of information and data using charts, graphs and visual maps.4 lessons41 exercises
Decision MakingintermediateDecision making is the cognitive process of evaluating evidence, weighing trade-offs and choosing a deliberate course of action.13 lessons99 exercises
Design CritiqueintermediateA design critique is a structured group session where peers analyze work against product objectives and usability principles.7 lessons55 exercises
Design ElementsbeginnerDesign elements are the basic visual building blocks like line, shape, colour, space and type that designers combine to communicate meaning in an interface.Definition only
Design EthicsintermediateDesign ethics is the moral practice of creating products that respect user autonomy, well-being and privacy.7 lessons55 exercises
Design LeadershipintermediateDesign leadership is the practice of guiding design strategy, mentoring teams and advocating for user-centered culture.6 lessons44 exercises
Design PrinciplesbeginnerDesign principles are shared guidelines a team uses to make and defend design decisions, especially when two options both look reasonable.14 lessons139 exercises
Design ProcessbeginnerThe design process is the structured series of steps designers follow from an initial idea through research, design, prototyping, and validation to a finished solution.Definition only
Design SprintintermediateA design sprint is a five-day collaborative framework for validating ideas and solving critical challenges through prototyping and testing.13 lessons99 exercises
Design SystemintermediateA design system is a shared set of components, style values and usage rules that lets a team build consistent interfaces without re-deciding the basics.9 lessons96 exercises
Design TheoryintermediateDesign theory is the foundational framework of principles that explains how and why visual communication works.11 lessons96 exercises
Design ThinkingbeginnerDesign thinking is a human-centered problem-solving approach that moves through five stages: empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test.Definition only
Design ToolsbeginnerDesign tools are specialized software applications used to research, wireframe, prototype and deliver digital products.3 lessons22 exercises
Double DiamondbeginnerThe Double Diamond is a design process framework that maps design innovation across four alternating divergent and convergent phases.7 lessons55 exercises

E

Eisenhower MatrixbeginnerThe Eisenhower Matrix is a prioritization tool that categorizes tasks by urgency and importance into four quadrants.6 lessons44 exercises
Experience MappingintermediateExperience mapping is a technique that visualizes a person's end-to-end journey across every channel and touchpoint.2 lessons20 exercises

F

FacilitationintermediateFacilitation is the skill of guiding a group through collaborative processes to achieve shared objectives efficiently and equitably.13 lessons99 exercises
Fitts's LawbeginnerFitts's Law is an ergonomic principle stating that the time to hit a target depends on how far away it is and how large it is.1 lesson10 exercises
FontsbeginnerFonts are digital files that render character sets in specific weights, styles and sizes to make text readable.4 lessons41 exercises
Frictionless OnboardingintermediateFrictionless onboarding is an onboarding design approach that guides new users to core value with minimal delay or effort.2 lessons16 exercises

G

Gestalt PrinciplesbeginnerGestalt principles are psychological laws explaining how human visual perception naturally groups separate elements into unified patterns.5 lessons50 exercises
Grid SystembeginnerA grid system is a structural layout framework of columns and rows that aligns content consistently across an interface.5 lessons50 exercises

H

Heuristic EvaluationintermediateA heuristic evaluation is a usability inspection method where experts review an interface against established design principles.10 lessons73 exercises
Hick's LawbeginnerHick's Law states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices available.8 lessons65 exercises
Human Interface GuidelinesintermediateHuman Interface Guidelines (HIG) are Apple's official design specifications for building native software on its platforms.6 lessons62 exercises
HyperlinkbeginnerA hyperlink is an interactive element that navigates the user to another page, document or anchor location.1 lesson10 exercises

I

Information ArchitectureintermediateInformation architecture (IA) is the structural design of shared information environments to make content findable and usable.2 lessons6 exercises
iOSintermediateiOS is Apple's mobile operating system that powers iPhone, establishing core touch conventions and app frameworks.6 lessons62 exercises
IterationbeginnerIteration is the cyclical process of prototyping, testing, analyzing and refining a design to progressively improve its quality.9 lessons75 exercises

J

Jakob's LawbeginnerJakob's Law states that users spend most of their time on other websites, so they expect your site to work like all the others they already know.6 lessons60 exercises

K

KanbanbeginnerKanban is a visual agile workflow method that optimizes delivery by visualizing tasks and limiting work in progress.6 lessons44 exercises

M

Market ResearchintermediateMarket research is the systematic study of an industry, its competitors and target audiences to guide commercial product strategy.6 lessons44 exercises
Mental ModelintermediateA mental model is what a user believes about how a system works based on their past experiences and beliefs.8 lessons65 exercises
MicrocopybeginnerMicrocopy refers to the small bits of text in an interface that guide users, explain actions, and alleviate concerns.1 lesson3 exercises
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)beginnerA minimum viable product is an early version of a product built with core features needed to validate hypotheses with real customers.8 lessons64 exercises
Mobile DesignbeginnerMobile design is the discipline of designing digital interfaces tailored specifically for handheld touchscreen devices.1 lesson10 exercises
MoSCoW PrioritizationbeginnerMoSCoW prioritization is a requirements technique that sorts deliverables into Must have, Should have, Could have and Won't have.6 lessons44 exercises

O

OKR FrameworkintermediateThe OKR framework is a goal-setting system connecting ambitious qualitative objectives with measurable quantitative key results.6 lessons44 exercises
OnboardingbeginnerOnboarding is the structured process of guiding new users to discover, configure and experience a product's value.2 lessons16 exercises

P

PersonasbeginnerA persona is a research-backed fictional profile representing a core segment of your target audience.2 lessons20 exercises
Pixel DensityintermediatePixel density is the number of physical pixels packed into a physical unit of screen area, usually measured in pixels per inch.1 lesson10 exercises
Problem SolvingintermediateProblem solving is the systematic process of discovering root causes, generating viable alternatives and executing effective solutions.7 lessons55 exercises
Product DiscoveryintermediateProduct discovery is the ongoing practice of exploring user problems and testing solution ideas before building, so teams ship what users actually need instead of what they guess.Definition only
Product LifecycleintermediateThe product lifecycle describes the stages a product passes through from initial concept to retirement.6 lessons44 exercises
Product ManagementintermediateProduct management is the practice of deciding what a product should do and in what order, balancing user needs, business goals and what is buildable.6 lessons44 exercises
Product Management ToolsbeginnerProduct management tools are software applications that help teams plan, track and analyze digital products.6 lessons44 exercises
Product ManagerbeginnerA product manager is the person accountable for a product's direction, deciding which problems get solved, in what order, and whether it worked.6 lessons44 exercises
Product Strategy & PlanningintermediateProduct strategy is the overarching plan that defines a product's target audience, value proposition and commercial goals.6 lessons44 exercises
PrototypebeginnerA prototype is an experimental simulation of a product used to test ideas and interactions before full development.3 lessons22 exercises

Q

Qualitative ResearchbeginnerQualitative research is a research approach that collects non-numerical observations to understand user motivations and behaviours.5 lessons32 exercises
Quantitative ResearchbeginnerQuantitative research is a method that gathers numerical data to measure user behaviour and test hypotheses at scale.1 lesson3 exercises

R

Responsive DesignbeginnerResponsive design is an approach that makes web interfaces automatically adapt their layout to any screen size.1 lesson10 exercises
RoadmapbeginnerA product roadmap is a strategic document that communicates the vision, priorities and directional progress of a product over time.6 lessons44 exercises

S

ScrumintermediateScrum is an Agile framework for managing complex product development through fixed time-boxed cycles called sprints.8 lessons64 exercises
Service DesignintermediateService design is the practice of orchestrating people, infrastructure, communication and material components to improve service quality.9 lessons75 exercises
SignifierbeginnerA signifier is a perceptible visual, auditory, or tactile signal that indicates what action is possible and where it should happen.1 lesson10 exercises
SMART Goal SettingbeginnerSMART goal setting is a framework for defining goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.6 lessons44 exercises
Stakeholder ManagementintermediateStakeholder management is the practice of identifying, engaging and aligning individuals who influence or are affected by a product.6 lessons44 exercises
StoryboardingbeginnerStoryboarding is a visual technique that illustrates a user narrative through a sequence of illustrated panels.2 lessons20 exercises

T

TeamworkbeginnerTeamwork is the collaborative effort of multidisciplinary individuals coordinating their skills to achieve shared product outcomes.6 lessons44 exercises
Thumb ZonebeginnerThe thumb zone is the physical area on a smartphone screen that a user can easily reach with their thumb while holding the phone one-handed.5 lessons50 exercises
Tree TestingintermediateTree testing is a research method that evaluates the findability of topics in an information architecture hierarchy in isolation from visual design.5 lessons32 exercises
TypographybeginnerTypography is the craft of arranging type so text is legible, readable and appropriate to the product, covering typeface, size, spacing and hierarchy.Definition only

U

UI ComponentsbeginnerUI components are reusable interface building blocks, such as buttons, inputs and dialogs, that look and behave the same wherever they appear.7 lessons72 exercises
Unmoderated TestingintermediateUnmoderated testing is a usability method where participants complete predefined tasks independently without a live researcher present.4 lessons29 exercises
UsabilitybeginnerUsability is the measure of how easily, efficiently and satisfactorily a user can accomplish goals with a product.7 lessons55 exercises
Usability TestingbeginnerUsability testing means watching someone attempt a real task with a product, without helping them, to find where the design causes confusion.5 lessons32 exercises
User Experience (UX) DesignbeginnerUX design is the multidisciplinary practice of designing digital products that provide meaningful, relevant and seamless experiences.9 lessons75 exercises
User FlowbeginnerA user flow is a diagram depicting the step-by-step path a user takes through an interface to complete a specific task.1 lesson3 exercises
User Interface (UI)beginnerA user interface is the visual and interactive touchpoint through which a human controls and interacts with a digital device.4 lessons41 exercises
User InterviewbeginnerA user interview is a qualitative research method where a researcher asks a participant guided questions to learn about their experiences.5 lessons32 exercises
User JourneybeginnerA user journey is a step-by-step timeline showing how a user interacts with a product to achieve a specific goal.2 lessons20 exercises
User ResearchbeginnerUser research is the practice of studying what people actually do with a product, so decisions rest on evidence instead of assumption.9 lessons50 exercises
User StorybeginnerA user story is a concise description of a feature told from the perspective of the person who needs it.3 lessons22 exercises
UX ResearchbeginnerUX research is the systematic study of what users do, need, and feel, so product decisions rest on evidence instead of guesses.6 lessons35 exercises
UX WritingbeginnerUX writing is the practice of crafting clear, concise text within interfaces to help users complete tasks.1 lesson3 exercises

V

Visual DesignbeginnerVisual design is the craft of shaping an interface's look, hierarchy and tone through typography, color and layout.4 lessons41 exercises

W

WireframingbeginnerWireframing means sketching a deliberately plain layout of a screen to settle structure and flow before any visual design is applied.4 lessons25 exercises

#

2x2 Prioritization MatrixbeginnerA 2x2 prioritization matrix is a visual decision tool that evaluates opportunities along two contrasting axes, typically effort and value.6 lessons44 exercises
8-Point GridbeginnerThe 8-point grid is a design system standard where all spacing, padding, margins, and component dimensions use multiples of 8 pixels.5 lessons50 exercises