Glossary of Usability Terms
Analytics
Statistical data taken from a website
Blueprints
The underlying structure of a website, detailing the main content and navigation
Card Sorting
A user centred design technique where you ask users to arrange your website content into groups that they would expect o see on your website. Typically involves groups or individual users rearranging cards & post-it notes on a table or wall.
Cognitive Walkthrough
Simulating a typical users interaction with a website.
Content management
The management of information on a website.
Conversion
When a user completes an action on your site, such as a purchase, request for information or registration.
Conversion Rate
The ratio of people that visit a website site compared with how many actually convert to a purchase/request/registration.
Customer journey
The route an individual takes through a website, page by page.
Eye-tracking
Recording the eye movements of an individual while viewing a website to determine where they are looking on the page.
Information architecture
The organization of information on a website, including how it is grouped, labelled and linked together.
ISO
International Standards Organization
Keywords
The words a person types into a search engine
Lead
How a user first heard about, found, or was directed to a website (e.g. an email campaign, Google ad, magazine article, related website link)
Natural listings
The main results produced by a search engine that are not paid advertisements
Navigation
Elements of a website that enable people to move from one page to another
Optimization
The process of making your website 'search engine friendly' and boosting its position in the natural rankings
Paid listings
The list of 'paid for' adverts that appear in a search engine results page
Paper Prototyping
A user centred design technique where real users help you design a website without a computer insight. Using just paper, pens, sticky tape, post-it notes, photocopies and scissors - users draw mock-ups of how they would expect the website to work.
Pay per click (PPC)
A pricing structure used for online advertising whereby the advertiser pays a certain amount each time a user clicks on one of their ads
Qualitative testing
A data collection method that involves descriptions and anecdotes rather than numerical measurement.
Return on Investment (ROI)
The value realised from the investment made in your website.
Scenario
Describes tasks or activities in a story format using the vocabulary of the users. Does not explicitly describe the technological support used to achieve the task.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
The process of making a website 'search engine friendly' and boosting its position in the natural rankings.
Search Engine Visibility (SEV)
How easy a website is to find on search engines.
Stakeholder
People or organizations who will be affected by the website and have a direct o indirect influence on the site requirements.
Structure
The navigational pathways within a site and how the content is organized.
Target audience
The people most likely to visit a website or be interested in its products/services
Tracking
The process of recording user movements (customer journeys) on a website
Traffic
The number of visitors a website receives
Usability
The extent to which a website can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use
User
The people who interact directly with the website to achieve a task
User-centred Approach
Focussing on meeting the users needs
User experience
How the user feels when visiting a particular website
User profile
Collection of attributes for a typical user
Visitor
Someone who visits a website and is thus a potential customer
Eye Catching Tracking
Through the use of a specialist eye tracking monitor, we can monitor exactly what users are looking at on a screen. This information gives you a more detailed insight into how your website is working. All of our customers that have used eye tracking in their usability tests have found it incredibly valuable. [eye tracking info]