Concepts
Working definitions for the vocabulary used across this site.
A7
AccessibilityThe practice of designing and coding interfaces to be usable by people with a wide range of auditory, motor, cognitive, and visual disabilities.Accidental signifierNo description yetAdaptabilityThe system's resilience in adjusting to new contexts, theming requirements, or unforeseen use cases without requiring a fundamental redesign of the ${fref"design/concepts/design-system.td", "design system"}.AffordanceNo description yetAgentNo description yetAnti-affordanceNo description yetAtomic designA methodology that breaks interfaces down into fundamental building blocks atoms which are assembled into increasingly complex structures molecules, organisms, templates, pages to create scalable systems.C6
ComponentA reusable, standardized interface element-not a one-off, unique implementation-that operates by encapsulating code, style, and behavior into a single package to ensure ${fref"design/concepts/consistency.td", "consistency"} and efficiency across a product.Component libraryA centralized repository of pre-coded, reusable UI elements-such as buttons, inputs, and navigations-that serves as a practical toolkit for developers to assemble consistent interfaces efficiently without rebuilding common patterns from scratch.Conceptual modelNo description yetConsistencyThe disciplined adherence to established visual and functional patterns across an entire product to reduce cognitive load and increase predictability for the user.ConstraintNo description yetCross-platformThe ability of a ${fref"design/concepts/design-system.td", "design system"} to deliver a cohesive experience and shared resources across distinct environments like Web, iOS, and Android.D5
Design systemA comprehensive ecosystem of standards, ${fref"design/concepts/documentation.td", "documentation"}, and reusable ${fref"design/concepts/component.td", "components"} that serves as the single source of truth to enable teams to build ${fref"design/concepts/consistency.td", "consistent"}, ${fref"design/concepts/scalability.td", "scalable"} products efficiently.Design tokenDesign ops A nickname for a design decision.DiscoverabilityNo description yetDiscoverableNo description yetDocumentationThe comprehensive written guidelines and code references-often hosted on platforms like Storybook or Zeroheight-that explain how to use the system's ${fref"design/concepts/component.td", "components"} correctly.E3
ExperienceNo description yetExperience designNo description yetExternal signifierNo description yetF3
FeedbackNo description yetFigmaA browser-based, collaborative vector design tool used for creating ${fref"design/concepts/user-interface-ui.td", "user interfaces"}, ${fref"design/concepts/prototyping.td", "prototypes"}, and managing ${fref"design/concepts/design-system.td", "design systems"} in real-time.FrameworkDesign tool, Frontend technology A pre-written package of code HTML/CSS/JS that provides ready-made UI components to speed up development.G3
GovernanceThe set of established protocols, roles, and review processes that control how a ${fref"design/concepts/design-system.td", "design system"} is maintained, updated, and evolved to prevent chaos.Grid systemA structural framework of intersecting vertical and horizontal lines that organizes content alignment to ensure visual order and ${fref"design/concepts/responsive-design.td", "responsiveness"} across different screen sizes.GroupingNo description yetH2
HandoffThe specific workflow phase where designers deliver finalized specifications, assets, and redlines to developers for implementation.Human-centered design (HCD)No description yetI4
Industrial designNo description yetIntentional signifierNo description yetInteraction designNo description yetIntuition over instructionNo description yetM3
MappingNo description yetMental modelNo description yetModularityThe architectural principle of building interfaces from distinct, independent units that can be combined, swapped, or reused without breaking the larger system.N2
Natural mappingNo description yetNorman doorA door with confusing usability features and signs, named after Don Norman.P5
Perceived affordanceNo description yetPrototypingThe creation of an interactive simulation of the ${fref"design/concepts/user-interface-ui.td", "UI"} to test user flows, animations, and logic without writing production code.ProximityNo description yetPsychologyThe scientific study of the human mind and its functions.PsychopathologyThe study of mental illness.S5
ScalabilityThe capacity of a ${fref"design/concepts/design-system.td", "design system"} to accommodate significant growth in product complexity, team size, or user base without compromising performance or stability.SignifierNo description yetSpatial correspondenceNo description yetStyle dictionaryA build system that automatically transforms platform-agnostic ${fref"design/concepts/design-token.td", "design tokens"} JSON into platform-specific code CSS, Swift, Android XML to ensure synchronization.System imageNo description yetU4
UnderstandingNo description yetUsability testingAn empirical research method where representative users perform specific tasks to identify friction points and validate that the design meets user needs.User experience (UX)The holistic quality of a user's entire interaction with a product, encompassing how intuitive, efficient, and satisfying the journey feels to the user rather than just how the ${fref"design/concepts/user-interface-ui.td", "interface"} looks.User interface (UI)The visual and interactive bridge between a human and a computer, consisting of the specific screens, buttons, and graphical elements that allow a user to perceive and control a digital product.V2
Version controlA system like Git or ${fref"design/concepts/figma.td", "Figma"}'s version history that records changes to files over time, allowing teams to track history, manage branches, and revert updates.Visual hierarchyThe strategic arrangement and styling of elements-using size, color, and contrast-to guide the user's eye sequentially through the most important information.