Our Lingo
This document describes the common lingo and terminology which we use when communication with you about your Application, Website or Service.
Shared Use
| lingo | Description |
|---|---|
| GWS | An abbreviation of "Griffin Web Studio" - the name for our company in shorthand/abbreviated form. |
| Accessibility (a11y) | The practice of designing web content that is usable by people with disabilities. |
Product Design
During the Design phase of your product we use the following lingo to keep the conversation concise and to the point.
| Lingo | Description |
|---|---|
| Wireframe | A low-fidelity visual representation of a web page layout, focusing on structure and functionality. |
| Mockup | A static representation of a design that shows what the final product will look like, including colors and images. |
| Prototype | An interactive simulation of a web application that allows users to experience the design before development. |
| UI Kit | A collection of pre-designed UI components and styles that can be used to build user interfaces. |
| Color Palette | A set of colors used in a design to create a cohesive look and feel. |
| Typography | The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing. |
| Grid System | A structure that helps designers align elements on a page, creating a balanced and organized layout. |
| Visual Hierarchy | The arrangement of elements in a way that clearly indicates their importance and guides the user's attention. |
| Favicon | A small icon associated with a website, typically displayed in the browser tab. |
| Branding | The process of creating a unique identity for a product or service, including logos, colors, and messaging. |
| User Flow | The path a user takes through a web application to complete a task, often visualized in flowcharts. |
| Design System | A comprehensive guide that includes design principles, components, and patterns to ensure consistency across a product. |
| Affordance | A design principle that suggests how an object should be used based on its appearance. |
| Mood Board | A visual collage of images, colors, and typography that conveys the overall feel and direction of a design project. |
| Interaction Design | The design of the interaction between users and products, focusing on how users engage with interfaces. |
| Usability Testing | A method of evaluating a product by testing it with real users to identify areas for improvement. |
| Responsive Design | An approach to web design that ensures a website looks good on all devices by adapting its layout. |
| Iconography | The use of icons to represent ideas, actions, or objects in a visual format. |
| Style Guide | A document that outlines the visual and stylistic elements of a brand or product, ensuring consistency in design. |
| Design Thinking | A problem-solving approach that emphasizes empathy, ideation, and experimentation in the design process. |
| Sketching | The practice of quickly drawing ideas to explore concepts and communicate design intentions. |
| User Persona | A fictional character that represents a segment of the target audience, used to guide design decisions. |
Product Development
During Development phase of your product we may use the following lingo to keep the conversation concise and to the point.
| Lingo | Description |
|---|---|
| HTML | HyperText Markup Language; the standard markup language for creating web pages. |
| CSS | Cascading Style Sheets; used for styling HTML elements on web pages. |
| JavaScript | A programming language that enables interactivity on the web pages. |
| API | Application Programming Interface; a set of rules for building software applications in a decentralised manner and allow seamless communication about each of it's parts. |
| Responsive Design | An approach to web design that makes web pages render well on various devices. |
| UX | User Experience; the overall experience a user has when interacting with a product. |
| UI | User Interface; the means by which a user interacts with a computer or software. |
| Framework | A pre-built collection of code that provides a foundation for building applications. |
| CMS | Content Management System; software that helps users create, manage, and modify content on a website. |
| SEO | Search Engine Optimization; the practice of improving the visibility of a website in search engines. |
| Version Control | A system that records changes to files over time, allowing for easy collaboration and tracking. |
| Frontend | The part of a web application that users interact with directly. |
| Backend | The server-side part of a web application that processes requests and manages data. |
| MVC | Model-View-Controller; a software architectural pattern for implementing user interfaces. |
| Microservices | An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services. |
| Progressive Web App | A type of application software delivered through the web, built using common web technologies. |
| DevOps | A set of practices that combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). |
| A/B Testing | A method of comparing two versions of a webpage to determine which one performs better. |
| Dark Mode | A user interface option that uses a dark color scheme to reduce eye strain. |
| Headless CMS | A content management system that provides content without a front-end, allowing for more flexibility in presentation. |
| SPA | A Single page Application that interacts with the user by dynamically rewriting the current page rather than loading entire new pages. |
| Serverless | A cloud computing execution model where the cloud provider dynamically manages the allocation of machine resources. |