Glossary of Terms

Designing for usability

Keyword Definition
Accessibility The degree to which a system can be used by people with disabilities or impairments.
Architecture The structure and organization of a system's components and their relationships, defining its properties, behavior, and interactions.
Complexity The state of having intricate and interconnected parts or elements in system design, making it harder to understand, maintain, and modify.
Components The individual parts or elements that make up a system, such as modules, functions, or objects.
Consistency The uniformity and predictability in the design and behavior of a system's elements.
Constraints The limitations and restrictions on a system's design and implementation, such as time, budget, technology, or resources.
Effectiveness The accuracy and completeness with which a user can achieve their goals using a system.
Efficiency The level of productivity and ease of use a system provides to its users.
Error Prevention The design and implementation of features that reduce the occurrence of user errors.
Interfaces The points of interaction between different components or systems, defining how they communicate and exchange information.
Kiss Approach The 'Keep It Simple, Stupid' approach in system design emphasizes simplicity and avoiding unnecessary complexity.
Learnability The speed and ease with which a user can learn to use a system.
Requirements The specifications of what a system must do or qualities it must have, usually gathered from stakeholders and users.
Satisfaction The extent to which a user is pleased or dissatisfied with a system.
Simplicity The quality of being clear, straightforward, and uncomplicated in system design, making it easier to understand, maintain, and modify.
System Design The process of defining the architecture, components, and interfaces of a system to satisfy specified requirements and constraints.
System Usability The extent to which a system is easy to use and fits the needs of the users.
User Experience The overall experience and satisfaction a user has while using a system.
User Interface The visual elements and controls through which a user interacts with a system.