Affinity Diagram

A data visualisation tool that can be used to explore and group people's thoughts or reactions to a set of concepts. Affinity diagrams are often used in user research and design thinking as an experimental technique for generating new ideas or solutions.

The emergent patterns in these visual representations can help identify which aspects your audience will respond well to, thus enabling decisions on the information architecture and next steps in the process.

It is important to note that affinity diagrams were initially developed for qualitative research but have since been adapted for quantitative research (though they are not typically used with statistical data).

More terms you might want to know

Prototype

Usually the first functional form of a new product, created to test a concept or prove out some aspects of design.

Stem

The part of a letter, usually a vertical line, that rise above the x-height.

Die Cut

A type of print/design created with a metal stamp to create a shape out of paper using a die cutting machine. Die cuts can be used in apparel, home decor and promotional products.

Contrast

Contrast in design can be accomplished by placing two opposite colours adjacent to one another, creating a focal point within the design that dominates the composition.

Typesetting

The process of arranging type to make written material readable. The arrangement of type involves decisions about individual letters and words (e.g. line spacing, letter spacing, and word spacing) and more significant page layout decisions (e.g., margins, headline position on the page).

Lowercase

The designation of a set of character encoding styles for glyphs that are not capital letters.

Masthead

The name, logo, and other identifying information at the top of a newspaper or magazine publication.

Type Classification

A system used to describe and identify typefaces by their basic visual characteristics.

Link

A prominent design feature of web applications. Links can be used to navigate websites, provide shortcuts to content, or change views within a web application. These links allow for ease of access and save time when users need to find information or use services from other domain names.

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics are made up of two sets of points: control points (which determine shape) and anchor points (determining length). Anchor points attach geometry to form a shape like a ball or a heart.

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