Product Design and User Experience Terminology

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards defining core terms in product design, user experience, research, and interaction architecture based on the lecture notes.

Business Logic

Rules and logic specifying why and how a product or system should behave (e.g., requiring phone verification).

User Experience (UX)

The overall experience of a user when using a product or service.

User Interface (UI)

The visual and interactive parts of a product that the user directly interacts with.

Customer Experience (CX)

The overall customer experience across all touchpoints with a business, not just the product itself.

Product Design

The process of solving user and business problems from research and problem definition to design, testing, building, and measuring results.

Problem Discovery

The process of finding and understanding the real problem before jumping to a solution.

Problem

An obstacle or need that a user or business faces that requires investigation or a solution.

User Research

Collecting information about users, their needs, behaviors, goals, and problems.

User Segment

A group of users who share important common characteristics, needs, or behaviors.

Need

Something a user truly requires to achieve a goal or solve a real problem.

Goal

The outcome or result that a user or business wants to achieve.

User Interview

A targeted conversation with users to understand their experience, needs, behavior, and problems.

Survey

A method of gathering information from a larger number of people using a set of questions.

Analytics

Examining user behavioral data to understand what users are actually doing.

Usability Testing

Observing users while they perform a task to identify issues when using a product.

Observation

Directly examining user behavior, especially in real conditions of use.

Research Analysis

Examining and organizing research data to identify patterns, problems, and insights.

Pattern

A recurring behavior, problem, or event observed in data or across multiple users.

Insight

A deep, actionable understanding of a user's cause, need, or behavior that can change decision-making direction.

Problem Definition

Specifying exactly what problem exists, for whom it exists, and why it matters.

Problem Statement

A clear and focused sentence stating the primary problem of the user or product.

Ideation

The process of generating and evaluating several potential solutions for a problem.

Solution

A method, feature, or change proposed or executed to solve a problem.

User Flow

The path and steps of user interaction with a product to achieve a goal.

Information Architecture (IA)

Organizing and structuring information and features so users can easily find and understand them.

Wireframe

A simple representation of the structure, layout, and hierarchy of a page before final visual design.

Prototype

An interactive version of a design used to test flows and conduct testing with users.

Low - Fidelity

A simple prototype or design that focuses on structure and idea rather than the final appearance.

High - Fidelity

A prototype that is close to the final product in terms of visual appearance and interaction.

Iteration

The cycle of designing, testing, learning, and refining to improve a product.