Plain-English definitions for UX, product, user research, accessibility, service design, CRO, AI, and digital strategy terms used in day-to-day digital work.
Showing 379 of 379 terms
Product
An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is the simplest version of a product that delivers real value to users while allowing teams to test assumptions and learn quickly. It focuses on solving a core problem with minimal effort, helping teams validate what works before scaling development.
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Product-market fit is the point where a product consistently meets the needs of a defined audience, resulting in strong adoption, retention, and organic growth. It shows that the product is solving a real problem in a way users genuinely value.
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A value proposition clearly explains why a product is valuable and why users should choose it over alternatives. It defines the core benefit and differentiator in a way users can quickly understand and act on.
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Product strategy defines how a product will achieve business goals by solving user problems in a focused and sustainable way. It sets direction, priorities, and trade-offs to guide decision-making.
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Product vision is a long-term statement that defines what a product aims to achieve and the impact it will have on users and the business. It provides direction and purpose beyond short-term delivery.
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Product lifecycle describes the stages a product goes through from initial idea to growth, maturity, and eventual decline or evolution. It helps teams understand where a product is and what actions are needed next.
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Product adoption refers to how users start using and integrating a product into their behaviour or workflows. It measures how successfully a product moves from awareness to regular use.
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Retention measures how well a product keeps users over time by continuing to deliver value. It is a key indicator of product success and long-term viability.
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Churn is the rate at which users stop using a product over a given period. It highlights where value is not being sustained and where users are dropping off.
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A feature is a specific piece of functionality within a product that delivers value to users. It represents something users can do or experience as part of the overall product.
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Feature creep is the uncontrolled addition of new features to a product, often beyond its original scope or purpose. It can lead to increased complexity, delays, and reduced usability.
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Product differentiation is what makes a product distinct from competitors in a way that matters to users. It defines why users should choose one product over another.
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Competitive advantage is a sustained edge that allows a product or business to outperform competitors. It can come from unique capabilities, brand, technology, or market positioning.
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Time to market is the amount of time it takes to move from an idea to a live product or feature. It reflects how quickly a team can deliver value to users.
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Scaling is the process of growing a product or system to handle increased demand without compromising performance or experience. It applies to technology, users, and operations.
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A pivot is a strategic change in direction based on learning, feedback, or market signals. It involves adjusting the product, audience, or approach to improve outcomes.
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A proof of concept (PoC) is a small-scale experiment used to demonstrate that an idea, technology, or approach is feasible. It focuses on validating whether something can work, rather than whether it should be built.
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Alpha is an early, internal version of a product used to test core functionality before it is exposed to real users. It is typically incomplete, unstable, and focused on validating whether the product basically works.
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A beta is a near-finished version of a product released to real users to test performance, usability, and identify issues before full launch. It helps validate how the product performs in real-world conditions.
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Gold Master is the final version of a product that is considered complete and ready for release. It represents the approved build that will be distributed to users without further changes.
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A release candidate is a version of a product that is potentially ready for release, pending final testing and validation. It should be feature-complete and stable, with only critical issues remaining.
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A release is the point at which a product or feature is made available to users. It marks the transition from development to real-world use and often involves deployment, communication, and monitoring.
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A roadmap is a strategic plan that outlines the direction, priorities, and timeline for a product or initiative. It communicates what will be delivered and why, rather than just listing features.
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The backlog is a prioritised list of work that needs to be delivered, including features, fixes, and improvements.
View glossary termUser Experience
A user story describes a piece of work from the user’s perspective, focusing on value rather than features.
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An epic is a large body of work that can be broken down into smaller, manageable pieces.
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The process of understanding problems before building solutions.
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The process of building and releasing solutions.
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Testing whether a product or feature meets real needs.
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Market fit refers to how well a product aligns with the needs, expectations, and demand of a specific market. It indicates whether there is a real opportunity for the product to succeed commercially.
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Early adopters are the first group of users willing to try a new product, often before it is fully mature. They are typically more tolerant of issues and provide valuable feedback that shapes the product.
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Product iteration is the process of continuously improving a product through small, incremental changes based on feedback, data, and learning. It allows teams to evolve products over time rather than relying on large, infrequent updates.
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Product velocity refers to the speed at which a team can design, build, and release product improvements. It reflects how efficiently a team can turn ideas into working solutions.
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User Experience (UX) refers to the overall experience a person has when interacting with a product, including usability, accessibility, and how it feels to use. It focuses on making products useful, usable, and enjoyable.
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User Interface (UI) refers to the visual and interactive elements of a product, such as buttons, layouts, and typography. It focuses on how a product looks and how users interact with it.
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An interface is the point of interaction between a user and a system, where inputs are made and outputs are received. It can be visual, physical, or conversational.
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Usability is how easy and efficient it is for users to complete tasks within a product. It focuses on clarity, simplicity, and reducing effort so users can achieve their goals without confusion or friction.
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Accessibility is the practice of designing products so they can be used by people with a wide range of abilities, including those with disabilities. It ensures that content and functionality are available to as many users as possible.
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Inclusive design is an approach that considers the full range of human diversity when creating products, ensuring they work for as many people as possible. It goes beyond accessibility by designing for different contexts, abilities, and experiences from the start.
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Friction refers to anything that slows users down or makes it harder for them to complete a task. It can be caused by poor design, unnecessary steps, unclear messaging, or technical issues.
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Cognitive load is the amount of mental effort required for a user to understand and interact with a product. High cognitive load makes tasks harder, slower, and more error-prone.
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A mental model is the way users understand how a system works based on their past experiences and expectations. It shapes how they predict interactions and outcomes.
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Affordance refers to how the design of an element suggests its possible actions. It helps users understand what they can do without needing instructions.
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Information scent refers to the cues users rely on to decide whether a piece of content or a link will lead them to what they’re looking for. It is created through labels, headings, and context that signal relevance.
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Discoverability is how easily users can find features, content, or functionality within a product, even when they are not actively searching for them. It focuses on making options visible and understandable.
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Feedback is the system response that informs users about the result of their actions. It helps users understand what has happened and what to do next.
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Consistency is the use of uniform patterns, behaviours, and visual elements across a product to create familiarity and predictability. It helps users learn once and apply that knowledge throughout the experience.
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Interaction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.
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Interaction design is the practice of designing how users interact with a product, focusing on behaviour, flow, and responsiveness. It ensures interactions are intuitive, efficient, and meaningful.
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Visual hierarchy is the arrangement of elements in a way that guides users’ attention to the most important information first. It uses size, contrast, spacing, and layout to prioritise content.
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Layout is the arrangement of elements on a page or screen, determining how content is organised and presented. It influences readability, usability, and overall experience.
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A reusable solution to a common design problem.
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A standardised approach to solving recurring design challenges.
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A small interaction that provides feedback or enhances usability.
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How well a design adapts to different screen sizes.
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Designing for mobile devices before scaling up to larger screens.
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Designing layouts that adjust to specific device types.
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The full path a user takes to complete a task, including every step, decision, and interaction along the way.
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The steps users take within a system to complete a task.
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Any interaction a user has with a service or brand.
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A specific problem or frustration users experience when trying to complete a task.
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Moments that exceed user expectations.
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How simple and intuitive something feels to use.
View glossary termInformation Architecture
The structure and organisation of content so users can find what they need.
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How users move around a website or product.
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Navigation structure is the overall organisation and hierarchy of navigation within a product, defining how content and features are grouped and accessed. It shapes how users move through the system and understand its layout.
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Taxonomy is the system used to classify and organise content into structured categories. It defines how content is grouped, named, and related within a product or system.
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Categorisation is the process of grouping content or items based on shared characteristics or meaning. It helps users understand relationships and find relevant information more easily.
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Tagging is the process of assigning keywords or labels to content to make it easier to organise, filter, and retrieve. Tags are often flexible and non-hierarchical compared to categories.
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Labelling is the practice of naming content, categories, and interface elements in a way that is clear and meaningful to users. It directly affects how users understand and navigate a product.
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Findability is how easily users can locate the information or content they are looking for within a product or system. It depends on clear structure, intuitive navigation, and effective search, ensuring users can get to what they need without friction.
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Wayfinding is how users understand where they are, where they can go, and how to get there within a product or system. It relies on clear navigation cues, structure, and feedback to help users move confidently through an experience.
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Content structure is how information is organised and arranged within a product or system. It defines how content is grouped, ordered, and connected to make it easier for users to understand and navigate.
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Content hierarchy is the prioritisation and ordering of information to guide users through content in a clear and meaningful way. It determines what users see first, what stands out, and how information is consumed.
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A content model defines the types of content within a system and how they relate to each other. It provides a structured framework for creating, managing, and scaling content consistently across products and platforms.
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Metadata is data that describes and provides information about other content, such as titles, descriptions, tags, and attributes. It supports organisation, search, and content management.
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Indexing is the process of organising and storing content in a way that makes it searchable and retrievable. It enables systems to quickly locate relevant information based on queries.
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Search is the functionality that allows users to find content or information by entering queries. It relies on indexing, metadata, and relevance algorithms to return useful results.
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Search relevance is how well search results align with a user’s intent, not just the exact words they entered. It determines whether results are actually useful or just technically matched.
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Filtering is the process of narrowing down a set of results by applying specific criteria such as attributes, categories, or ranges.
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Faceted navigation is a system that allows users to filter content across multiple attributes simultaneously, combining different criteria to refine results.
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Content governance defines the rules, roles, and processes that control how content is created, managed, and maintained over time.
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Content ownership assigns responsibility for specific content to individuals or teams, ensuring accountability for its accuracy and maintenance.
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Content debt is the accumulation of outdated, duplicated, or poorly structured content that creates ongoing maintenance and usability issues.
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Content mapping aligns content to user journeys, needs, and touchpoints to ensure the right information is delivered at the right time.
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Content inventory is a complete catalogue of all content within a system, including pages, assets, and associated metadata.
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A content audit is the process of reviewing and evaluating all existing content to understand its quality, performance, relevance, and accuracy.
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A content gap is a missing piece of content that users need but cannot currently find within a system or experience.
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Content strategy defines how content is planned, created, managed, and maintained to meet both user needs and business goals.
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Content design is the practice of creating and structuring content based on user needs, ensuring it is clear, useful, and usable within a specific context.
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Content flow describes how content is sequenced and presented across a journey to guide users through information and actions.
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Content grouping is the practice of organising related content together to improve clarity, usability, and findability.
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Content relationships define how different pieces of content are connected, linked, and related within a system to provide context and improve navigation.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Conversion rate is the percentage of users who complete a desired action compared to the total number of users.
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A conversion is any action a user takes that aligns with a defined goal, such as making a purchase, signing up, or completing a task.
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A funnel represents the stages users go through from initial interaction to completing a goal, showing how many progress or drop off at each step.
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A conversion funnel is a specific type of funnel focused on the steps users take to complete a conversion, highlighting progression and drop-off points.
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Drop-off refers to users leaving a journey before completing a desired action or reaching the next step.
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Drop-off rate is the percentage of users who leave a process at a specific stage without progressing further.
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Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of users who click on a link, button, or element compared to the number of users who see it.
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Bounce rate is the percentage of users who leave a website or page without taking any further action or interacting beyond their initial visit.
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Engagement refers to how users interact with a product, content, or experience, including actions like clicks, time spent, and interactions.
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Acquisition is the process of attracting new users or customers to a product, service, or platform.
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Retention rate is the percentage of users who continue to use a product or return over a given period of time.
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Lifetime Value (LTV) is the total revenue a customer is expected to generate over the entire duration of their relationship with a product or business.
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Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the total cost of acquiring a new customer, including marketing, sales, and related expenses.
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Average Order Value (AOV) is the average amount spent each time a customer places an order.
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A lead is a potential customer who has shown interest in a product or service, typically by providing contact information or engaging with content.
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Lead generation is the process of attracting and capturing potential customers’ interest and information.
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Attribution is the process of identifying which channels, interactions, or touchpoints contributed to a conversion.
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A channel is a source or pathway through which users arrive at a product, such as search, social media, paid ads, or direct traffic.
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Traffic refers to the number of users visiting a website, app, or digital product over a given period.
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A session is a single period of user interaction with a product, from entry to exit within a defined timeframe.
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An impression is recorded each time content, an ad, or a link is displayed to a user, regardless of whether they interact with it.
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Conversion intent describes a user’s likelihood or readiness to complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
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User intent is the underlying goal or reason behind a user’s action, search, or interaction.
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Purchase intent is a specific type of user intent that indicates a user is considering or ready to make a purchase.
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User behaviour refers to how users interact with a product, including actions, patterns, and decision-making processes.
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Scroll depth measures how far users scroll down a page, indicating how much content they view.
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Interaction rate is the percentage of users who interact with elements such as buttons, links, or features compared to those who view them.
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Exit rate is the percentage of users who leave a website or journey from a specific page, regardless of how they arrived there.
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Engagement rate is the percentage of users who interact with content or features compared to the total number of users who see them.
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A conversion path is the sequence of interactions and steps a user takes before completing a conversion.
View glossary termStrategy
Digital strategy is a plan that defines how digital products, services, and channels are used to achieve business and user goals.
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Strategy is a high-level plan that defines long-term goals and the approach to achieving them.
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Digital transformation is the process of using digital technology to fundamentally change how an organisation operates and delivers value.
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Transformation is a fundamental change in how a system, organisation, or experience operates, often involving structure, processes, and behaviour.
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An operating model defines how an organisation delivers its products or services, including processes, roles, systems, and workflows.
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A business model describes how an organisation creates, delivers, and captures value.
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A revenue model defines the specific ways a business generates income from its products or services.
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A value chain is the full set of activities and processes involved in creating, delivering, and supporting a product or service.
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Market positioning defines how a product or brand is perceived in relation to competitors in the minds of customers.
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The competitive landscape is the overall view of competitors within a market, including their strengths, weaknesses, and positioning.
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A stakeholder is any individual or group with an interest in a product, project, or outcome, including internal teams and external parties.
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Stakeholder alignment is the process of ensuring all stakeholders share a common understanding of goals, priorities, and direction.
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Business objectives are specific, measurable goals that an organisation aims to achieve over a defined period.
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A KPI is a measurable value used to track progress towards a specific business objective.
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OKRs are a goal-setting framework that defines clear objectives and measurable key results to track progress.
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ROI measures the return generated from an investment compared to its cost.
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Governance defines the rules, processes, and structures that guide decision-making and ensure accountability within an organisation or system.
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Decision making is the process of selecting the best course of action from available options based on information, goals, and constraints.
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Prioritisation is the process of ranking tasks, features, or initiatives based on their importance, impact, and effort.
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Capability refers to an organisation’s ability to perform a specific function or deliver a particular outcome.
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A capability gap is the difference between the capabilities an organisation currently has and those it needs to achieve its goals.
View glossary termArtificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is the use of machines and systems to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving.
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Machine Learning is a subset of AI that enables systems to learn from data and improve performance without being explicitly programmed.
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A model is a system or representation used to process data and generate outputs, often trained to perform specific tasks.
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An algorithm is a set of rules or instructions used to solve a problem or perform a task.
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A Large Language Model is an AI model trained on vast amounts of text data to understand and generate human-like language.
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Generative AI refers to systems that create new content such as text, images, or code based on learned patterns from data.
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A prompt is the input or instruction given to an AI system to guide its output or response.
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Prompt engineering is the practice of designing and refining prompts to produce better, more reliable outputs from AI systems.
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Automation is the use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention.
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A workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.
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Data is raw information collected and stored for analysis, processing, or decision-making.
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A data pipeline is a system that moves, processes, and transforms data from one source to another.
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A data source is the origin from which data is collected or accessed.
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Training data is the dataset used to teach a machine learning model how to perform a task.
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A dataset is a structured collection of data used for analysis, training models, or processing.
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Data quality refers to the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and reliability of data.
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Model accuracy measures how often a model produces correct or expected outputs compared to known outcomes.
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Model drift occurs when a model’s performance declines over time due to changes in data or real-world conditions.
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Bias in AI refers to systematic errors or unfair outcomes caused by skewed data, assumptions, or model design.
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Hallucination in AI refers to when a model generates incorrect or fabricated information that appears plausible.
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Fine-tuning is the process of further training a pre-trained model on specific data to improve performance for a particular task.
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Retrieval-Augmented Generation combines a language model with external data retrieval to improve accuracy and relevance of outputs.
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Embeddings are numerical representations of data, such as text or images, that capture meaning and relationships.
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A vector database stores and retrieves data based on vector representations, enabling similarity search and retrieval.
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Human-in-the-Loop is a process where human input is used to review, validate, or guide automated systems.
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Inference is the process of using a trained model to generate outputs or make predictions based on new input data.
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Model output is the result or response generated by a model after processing input data.
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AI output refers to any result generated by an AI system, including text, images, predictions, or decisions.
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AI reliability refers to the consistency and dependability of AI outputs over time and across different scenarios.
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AI trust refers to the level of confidence users have in an AI system’s outputs, behaviour, and decision-making.
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AI governance is the framework of policies, processes, and controls used to manage and oversee AI systems responsibly.
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AI ethics involves the principles and guidelines that ensure AI systems are developed and used in a fair, transparent, and responsible way.
View glossary termSystems
A platform is a system or environment that enables users, services, or applications to interact, build, or operate.
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A system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.
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Architecture refers to the structure and organisation of a system, including how components interact and are designed.
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Integration is the process of connecting different systems, tools, or services to work together.
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An API is a set of rules and protocols that allows different systems or applications to communicate and exchange data.
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The backend is the part of a system that handles data processing, logic, and server-side operations.
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The frontend is the part of a system that users interact with directly, including interfaces and visual elements.
View glossary termProduct
Product risk refers to the potential for a product to fail, underperform, or create negative outcomes for users or the business.
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A product opportunity is a potential area where a product can deliver value, solve a problem, or meet a user need.
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Product scope defines what is included and excluded in a product, project, or release.
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Product positioning defines how a product is presented and perceived in the market relative to competitors.
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A product narrative is the story that explains what a product is, why it exists, and how it delivers value.
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Product alignment ensures that teams, stakeholders, and efforts are working towards the same goals and direction.
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Product ownership refers to the responsibility for defining, managing, and delivering a product’s vision and outcomes.
View glossary termUser Experience
An error state is a UI condition that occurs when something goes wrong, preventing a task from being completed.
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An empty state is a UI condition where no data or content is available to display.
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A loading state is a UI condition shown while content or data is being fetched or processed.
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Visual feedback is the visual response a system provides to user actions, such as highlighting, animations, or changes in state.
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System feedback is any response from a system that informs users about the result of their actions or the current state.
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Learnability is how easy it is for users to understand and start using a system or interface.
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Efficiency measures how quickly and easily users can complete tasks once they are familiar with a system.
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Predictability refers to how well users can anticipate what will happen when they interact with a system.
View glossary termInformation Architecture
Content clustering is the grouping of related content around a central topic to improve organisation and discoverability.
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Knowledge structure refers to how information is organised, connected, and represented within a system.
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Information flow describes how information moves through a system, from input to output.
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Navigation depth refers to how many levels a user must go through to reach content within a structure.
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Navigation breadth refers to how many options are available at each level of a navigation structure.
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Menu structure defines how navigation options are organised and presented within a menu.
View glossary termUser Experience
Behaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.
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A decision point is a moment in a user journey where a user must choose between actions that affect what happens next.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
User motivation is the underlying reason or drive that causes a user to take action.
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A trust signal is any element that increases user confidence in a product, service, or decision.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Social proof is evidence that other people have used, trusted, or benefited from a product or service.
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Credibility is the perceived trustworthiness and authority of a product, brand, or system.
View glossary termStrategy
Strategic direction defines the overall path and priorities a product or organisation is moving towards.
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Strategic vision is a clear description of what a product or organisation aims to become in the future.
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Strategic planning is the process of defining goals, priorities, and actions to achieve a desired future state.
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Business alignment ensures that teams, strategies, and activities are working towards shared goals.
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Organisational structure defines how teams, roles, and responsibilities are arranged within a business.
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Change management is the process of planning and managing how changes are introduced and adopted within an organisation.
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A transformation programme is a coordinated set of initiatives aimed at fundamentally changing how an organisation operates.
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Digital maturity measures how effectively an organisation uses digital tools, processes, and capabilities.
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A business capability is an ability an organisation needs to achieve its goals.
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Operational efficiency measures how effectively a business delivers outputs with minimal waste and effort.
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Business performance measures how effectively a company achieves its goals, typically through financial, operational, and customer metrics.
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Strategic focus is the prioritisation of key areas that align with business goals and drive meaningful outcomes.
View glossary termArtificial Intelligence
Data labelling is the process of tagging data with meaningful labels so it can be used for training machine learning models.
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Data processing is the transformation of raw data into a usable format through cleaning, structuring, and analysis.
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Data integration is the process of combining data from multiple sources into a unified view.
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Data enrichment is the process of enhancing existing data by adding additional information or context.
View glossary termSystems
Full stack refers to development that covers both frontend and backend components of a system.
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Infrastructure refers to the underlying systems and resources that support applications and services.
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Cloud refers to the delivery of computing services such as storage, processing, and networking over the internet.
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Deployment is the process of releasing software or updates to a live environment.
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A specific setup where software runs, such as development, staging, or production.
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A version is a specific iteration of software or a product at a point in time.
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A release cycle is the process and frequency of delivering updates or new versions of a product.
View glossary termUser Experience
Iteration is the process of repeatedly improving a product through cycles of testing, feedback, and refinement.
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Scalability is the ability of a system to handle increased demand without losing performance.
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Performance refers to how quickly and efficiently a system responds to user actions and processes tasks.
View glossary termSystems
Reliability is the ability of a system to consistently perform as expected without failure.
View glossary termSystems
Latency is the time delay between a user action and the system response.
View glossary termSystems
Downtime is a period when a system is unavailable or not functioning.
View glossary termSystems
Throughput is the amount of work or number of requests a system can handle over a period of time.
View glossary termSystems
Uptime is the amount of time a system is operational and available.
View glossary termSystems
System load refers to the amount of demand placed on a system at a given time.
View glossary termSystems
A request is an action sent from a client to a server asking for data or a service.
View glossary termSystems
A response is the data or result returned by a server after receiving a request.
View glossary termSystems
A service is a component or function that performs a specific task within a system.
View glossary termSystems
Microservices is an architecture where a system is built from small, independent services that communicate with each other.
View glossary termSystems
A monolith is a single, unified system where all components are tightly integrated.
View glossary termSystems
A dependency is a component or system that another part of the system relies on to function.
View glossary termSystems
A stack is the combination of technologies used to build and run a system.
View glossary termSystems
A framework is a structured set of tools and conventions used to build applications more efficiently.
View glossary termSystems
A library is a collection of pre-written code that developers can use to perform common tasks.
View glossary termSystems
A build is the process of compiling and packaging code into a runnable application.
View glossary termSystems
A pipeline is a sequence of automated steps that process code or data from start to finish.
View glossary termSystems
Continuous Integration is the practice of frequently merging code changes into a shared repository with automated testing.
View glossary termStrategy
Continuous Delivery is the practice of automatically preparing code for release so it can be deployed at any time.
View glossary termUser Experience
A prototype is an early version of a product used to test ideas, interactions, and concepts.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
An experiment is a structured test used to evaluate hypotheses and measure outcomes.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
A variant is a version of a design or experience used in testing or experimentation.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Statistical significance indicates whether the results of an experiment are likely due to real effects rather than chance.
View glossary termUser Experience
Cognitive Load Theory explains how the amount of mental effort required affects a user’s ability to process information.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Loss aversion is a psychological bias where people prefer avoiding losses over acquiring equivalent gains.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
The framing effect is a cognitive bias where decisions are influenced by how information is presented.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias where people rely heavily on the first piece of information they see.
View glossary termUser Experience
Hick’s Law states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number of choices available.
View glossary termUser Experience
Fitts’s Law states that the time required to move to a target depends on its size and distance.
View glossary termUser Experience
The Peak-End Rule is a psychological principle where people judge an experience based on its most intense point and its ending.
View glossary termUser Experience
The Serial Position Effect is a cognitive bias where people remember the first and last items in a sequence better than those in the middle.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Choice overload occurs when too many options make decision making difficult and reduce the likelihood of action.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
The Default Effect is a cognitive bias where users are more likely to choose a pre-selected option.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
The Scarcity Principle is a psychological concept where limited availability increases perceived value.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Commitment and Consistency is a principle where people are more likely to follow through with actions that align with previous commitments.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
The Reciprocity Principle is a psychological concept where people feel obligated to return a favour.
View glossary termStrategy
A service blueprint is a visual map that shows how a service is delivered, including frontstage and backstage processes.
View glossary termUser Experience
Touchpoints are the moments where users interact with a product, service, or brand.
View glossary termUser Experience
Moments of truth are critical points in a journey where users form strong impressions about a product or service.
View glossary termUser Experience
Scannability is how easily users can quickly read and understand content without reading every word.
View glossary termUser Experience
Progressive disclosure is a design technique that reveals information gradually as needed.
View glossary termUser Experience
ARIA labels are attributes used in HTML to improve accessibility by providing additional context for screen readers.
View glossary termUser Experience
Focus order defines the sequence in which interactive elements receive focus when navigating with a keyboard.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Event tracking is the process of capturing specific user actions within a system for analysis.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
An attribution model defines how credit is assigned to different touchpoints in a user journey for contributing to a conversion.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Cohort analysis groups users based on shared characteristics to analyse how those groups behave over time.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
A confidence interval is a statistical range that estimates where the true value of a result is likely to fall.
View glossary termUser Experience
An insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.
View glossary termUser Experience
Sampling is the process of selecting a subset of data or users to represent a larger population.
View glossary termUser Experience
Qualitative research explores user behaviours, motivations, and experiences through non-numerical data.
View glossary termUser Experience
Quantitative research focuses on numerical data to measure behaviours and patterns.
View glossary termUser Experience
Customer feedback is information provided by users about their experience with a product or service.
View glossary termUser Experience
Voice of Customer is the structured collection and analysis of customer feedback to understand needs and expectations.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
User confidence that a product, service, or organisation will do what it promises.
View glossary termArtificial Intelligence
How accurate, useful, and relevant a result is.
View glossary termUser Experience
The surrounding conditions that shape behaviour and decisions.
View glossary termStrategy
The underlying reason a problem exists.
View glossary termUser Experience
How easy content is to read and understand.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Dividing users into groups based on shared characteristics or behaviour.
View glossary termUser Experience
How well users understand content, instructions, or interfaces.
View glossary termUser Experience
Confidence is the level of certainty in a decision or outcome based on available evidence.
View glossary termStrategy
Agile is an approach to product development focused on iterative delivery, collaboration, and adapting to change.
View glossary termStrategy
Scrum is an Agile framework that structures work into time-boxed iterations called sprints.
View glossary termStrategy
Kanban is a method for managing workflow by visualising tasks and limiting work in progress.
View glossary termStrategy
A sprint is a fixed time period where a team completes a set of planned work.
View glossary termStrategy
Sprint planning is the process of selecting and defining work for the upcoming sprint.
View glossary termStrategy
A stand-up is a short daily meeting to share progress and identify blockers.
View glossary termStrategy
A retrospective is a session to reflect on a sprint and identify improvements.
View glossary termStrategy
Refinement is the process of preparing and clarifying backlog items before development.
View glossary termStrategy
Dual Track Agile separates discovery and delivery into parallel streams of work.
View glossary termStrategy
Discovery is the phase of understanding problems, users, and opportunities before building solutions.
View glossary termUser Experience
Delivery is the process of building, testing, and releasing a product or feature.
View glossary termUser Experience
A design sprint is a structured, time-boxed process for solving problems and testing ideas quickly.
View glossary termUser Experience
Lean UX is an approach that focuses on rapid experimentation, collaboration, and learning over documentation.
View glossary termStrategy
A cross-functional team includes members with different skills working together towards a shared goal.
View glossary termStrategy
Dependencies are tasks, systems, or teams that must be completed or available before other work can proceed.
View glossary termStrategy
Constraints are limitations or restrictions that impact how a product or solution can be designed or built.
View glossary termStrategy
Trade-offs are decisions where improving one aspect requires compromising another.
View glossary termUser Experience
Acceptance criteria are the conditions that must be met for a piece of work to be considered complete.
View glossary termUser Experience
A UX designer focuses on creating effective, usable, and meaningful user experiences.
View glossary termUser Experience
A UX researcher studies user behaviour, needs, and motivations to inform design decisions.
View glossary termUser Experience
A product designer combines UX, UI, and product thinking to design end-to-end product experiences.
View glossary termStrategy
A product manager is responsible for defining product direction, priorities, and outcomes.
View glossary termSystems
A developer builds and maintains the technical implementation of a product.
View glossary termSystems
A QA engineer ensures a product works correctly by testing functionality, performance, and reliability.
View glossary termUser Experience
Journey mapping visualises the steps users take to achieve a goal across a product or service.
View glossary termUser Experience
Task completion measures whether users can successfully complete a specific task.
View glossary termUser Experience
Success rate is the percentage of users who successfully complete a task.
View glossary termUser Experience
Time on task measures how long it takes users to complete a specific task.
View glossary termUser Experience
Hierarchy is the organisation of elements to show importance and guide user attention.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
A primary action is the main action a user is expected to take on a screen or within a journey.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
A call to action is a prompt that encourages users to take a specific action.
View glossary termUser Experience
WCAG is a set of guidelines for making digital content accessible to people with disabilities.
View glossary termUser Experience
A screen reader is software that reads digital content aloud for users who cannot see the screen.
View glossary termUser Experience
A design system is a collection of reusable components, guidelines, and standards for building consistent products.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
A hypothesis is a testable assumption about how a change will impact an outcome.
View glossary termUser Research
Qualitative data is non-numerical information that describes user experiences, behaviours, and opinions.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Quantitative data is numerical information used to measure behaviours and performance.
View glossary termUser Experience
A behaviour pattern is a repeated way in which users interact with a product or system.
View glossary termUser Experience
An edge case is a rare or extreme scenario that falls outside typical user behaviour.
View glossary termUser Experience
The happy path is the ideal user journey where everything works as expected without errors.
View glossary termUser Experience
A heuristic is a general rule or principle used to guide decision making.
View glossary termUser Experience
Heuristic evaluation is a usability inspection method where experts assess a product against recognised principles.
View glossary termStrategy
Alignment is the shared understanding and agreement between teams, stakeholders, and objectives.
View glossary termStrategy
A process is a defined sequence of steps used to achieve a specific outcome.
View glossary termStrategy
A legacy system is an outdated system that is still in use, often due to its critical role.
View glossary termStrategy
Service design is the process of designing and organising people, processes, systems, and touchpoints to deliver a complete user experience.
View glossary termUser Experience
Decision points are moments in a journey where users must choose between options or actions.
View glossary termUser Experience
Clarity is how easily users can understand what is happening and what they need to do.
View glossary termUser Experience
Overthinking in UX is adding unnecessary complexity or analysis that slows down decision-making and delivery.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Journey breakdown is the process of analysing a user journey step-by-step to identify issues and opportunities.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Optimisation is the process of improving a product or journey to increase performance, usability, or conversion.
View glossary termArtificial Intelligence
Signals are data points or triggers that indicate changes in user behaviour, context, or external factors.
View glossary termUser Experience
Incremental change is the process of making small, continuous improvements over time.
View glossary termUser Experience
End-to-end refers to the complete user journey from start to finish across all touchpoints.
View glossary termUser Experience
Mixed methods research combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to gain a more complete understanding.
View glossary termUser Experience
Primary research is data collected directly from users through methods like interviews, surveys, or testing.
View glossary termStrategy
Secondary research involves analysing existing data or studies rather than collecting new data.
View glossary termUser Experience
Behavioural data captures what users actually do within a product or service.
View glossary termUser Experience
Attitudinal data captures what users say, think, or feel about a product or experience.
View glossary termUser Experience
Usability testing is a research method used to evaluate how easily users can complete tasks within a product or service.
View glossary termUser Experience
Moderated testing is a usability testing method where a facilitator guides the participant through tasks.
View glossary termUser Experience
Unmoderated testing is a usability testing method where users complete tasks independently without a facilitator.
View glossary termUser Experience
Task success rate measures the percentage of users who successfully complete a given task.
View glossary termUser Experience
Error rate measures how often users make mistakes while completing a task.
View glossary termUser Experience
Think aloud protocol is a method where users verbalise their thoughts while completing tasks.
View glossary termUser Experience
Interview bias occurs when the way questions are asked or interactions are handled influences participant responses.
View glossary termUser Experience
Leading questions are questions phrased in a way that suggests a particular answer.
View glossary termUser Experience
Sample size refers to the number of participants included in a study or test.
View glossary termUser Experience
Recruitment is the process of finding and selecting participants for research or testing.
View glossary termUser Experience
Target users are the specific group of people a product or service is designed for.
View glossary termUser Experience
Screening is the process of filtering participants to ensure they match the target user criteria.
View glossary termUser Experience
A research objective defines what you are trying to learn or achieve through research.
View glossary termUser Experience
Observation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.
View glossary termUser Experience
Bias is a systematic distortion in thinking or data that affects the accuracy of research or decision-making.
View glossary termUser Experience
Confirmation bias is the tendency to favour information that supports existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.
View glossary termUser Experience
Remote research is conducted without physical presence, using digital tools to interact with participants.
View glossary termUser Experience
In-person research is conducted face-to-face with participants in a shared physical environment.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Session recording captures user interactions within a product for later analysis.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
A heatmap is a visual representation of user interaction data, showing areas of high and low activity.
View glossary termConversion Optimisation
Clickstream data tracks the sequence of pages and interactions a user takes during a session.
View glossary termStrategy
SEO is the process of improving a website’s visibility in search engines like Google through content, structure, and technical optimisation.
View glossary termArtificial Intelligence
GEO is the process of optimising content to be surfaced, cited, or used by AI systems such as large language models and generative search experiences.
View glossary termLET'S WORK TOGETHER
UX, research and product leadership for teams tackling complex digital services. The work usually starts where things have become harder than they need to be: unclear journeys, inconsistent products, competing priorities, or teams trying to move forward without a clear direction. I help simplify the problem, shape the right next step, and turn complexity into something people can actually use.
Previous feedback
I had a fantastic experience working with Andy. One of his most impressive achievements during our time at NHS HEE was masterminding a deeply complex information architecture for a new platform that brought together a large number of legacy websites.
Will Parkhouse
Senior Content Designer