Glossary

A measure of how quickly a significant impact to the business is likely to be experienced. Urgency + Impact = Priority.

A technique for capturing potential requirements of a new system or software change. It describes how a user interacts with the system to achieve a specific goal.

A person who uses services. Distinct from the Customer (who pays for them), though they can be the same person.

The overall experience of a person using a product such as a website or computer application, especially in terms of how easy or pleasing it is to use.

User Experience (UX) Design is the process design teams use to create products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users. This involves the design of the entire process of acquiring and integrating the product, including aspects of branding, design, usability and function.

User feedback describes the qualitative and quantitative information collected from users about their reactions to a product, service, or experience. It serves as a direct line to understanding user satisfaction, frustration, and desires.

A user flow is a visual representation, often a diagram, of the path a user takes through a product to complete a task. It breaks down the process into individual steps, decision points, and interactions, mapping the journey from entry point to successful outcome.

The User Interface (UI) is the point of human-computer interaction and communication in a device. This can include display screens, keyboards, a mouse and the appearance of a desktop. It is also the way through which a user interacts with an application or a website.

User Interface (UI) Design is the process of building interfaces in software or computerized devices, focusing on looks or style. Designers aim to create interfaces which users find easy to use and pleasurable. UI design refers to graphical user interfaces and other forms—e.g., voice-controlled interfaces.

A user journey is the experiences a person has when interacting with something, typically software. It describes the step by step process that a user goes through to achieve a goal, incorporating their feelings, pain points, and moments of delight across different touchpoints.

A user persona is a fictional character created to represent a user type that might use a site, brand, or product in a similar way. Personas are constructed from data collected from user research and segmentation to help design teams understand users' needs, experiences, behaviors and goals.

User research focuses on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies. It provides the empirical foundation for design decisions, ensuring that products solve real problems for real people.

A user scenario is a narrative description that outlines how a specific user persona interacts with a product or service to achieve a specific goal. It focuses on the motivation, context, and actions of the user, rather than the specific UI details.

A user story is a tool used in Agile software development to capture a description of a software feature from an end-user perspective. It usually follows the format: "As a [type of user], I want [an action] so that [a benefit/value]."

User testing (or usability testing) involves evaluating a product or service by testing it with representative users. Participants attempt to complete typical tasks while observers watch, listen, and take notes. The goal is to identify usability problems, collect qualitative data, and determine the participant's satisfaction.

The functionality offered by a product or service to meet a particular need. Utility can be summarized as "what the service does" and whether it is "fit for purpose."