Empathy

A type of understanding that is achieved by taking the perspective of another individual. Different people's perspectives often have different needs and values, so empathy can help you understand those differences.

More terms you might want to know

Backslanted

A type of design that features the strokes running predominantly from the upper left to the lower right.

It can also be used in reference to a type of lettering, typically for advertisements, to be read in either direction. It is also used to help the reader navigate through and around the advertisement.

Full-stack Developer

A software developer who designs, develops, maintains and supports the entire end-to-end product. These developers are capable of developing and implementing modern solutions to any industry problem. They typically work with different technologies such as mobile application development, web application development, back-end software development and front-end software development.

Microcopy

The small, non-essential text that appears on an interface. It has been set up specifically to be short and concise to draw attention to an essential user experience.

Descenders

The portion of a letter such as y, p, q or j that hangs below the baseline of the text.

Font Type

Most typefaces are classified into one of five basic classifications: serif, sans serif, script, monospaced, and display.

Asymmetry

The degree of difference between the two sides of an object or system.

Layout

Layout is a defining characteristic of design. It dictates the positioning of content and design elements. Layouts can range from the simple, such as a four- or two-column layout, to more complex designs like grids with multiple hierarchy levels.

Material Design

A design language developed by Google. The goal of Material Design was to create fluid, natural movement for users on any platform they happen to be using.

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).

Grid

A system of columns and rows designers use to create layouts. It's used in graphic design and web development to align elements for easy use on the page. Grids are a key part of design because they help you create balance, rhythm, proportion and hierarchy in your layout.

Problem?

Got a suggestion or found an issue with the glossary?
Let me know!