Design jargon
Useful design jargon that will make you sound smarter when talking about your next design.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
Affordance
The perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it can be used (e.g., a button "affords" pressing).
Predictability
The ability of users to anticipate what will happen based on the design's behavior or feedback.
Discoverability
The ease with which users can find features, options, or actions within the interface.
Intent
The purpose or goal behind a user's action, which the design aims to support or enhance.
Signifier
Visual or tactile cues that indicate how an object should be used (e.g., a raised button suggests it can be clicked).
System Status
Users should always be informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
Gulf of Execution
The gap between a user's intention and the ability to execute that intention through the design.
Gulf of Evaluation
The gap between what the system presents and how easily the user can interpret whether their goal has been achieved.
Mapping
The relationship between controls and their effects, where a good design ensures that the user understands the action-result relationship without confusion.
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