Jargon Busting

An attempt to demystify some web design terminology you may have come across in this web design malarky,  below is an A to Z of common web design terms.

We hope it helps!…

Accessibility:

Optimising a website so that it can be used by people with disabilities. For example, a text-only version of a website will make it easier for a visually impaired person to listen to its content using special text-to-speech software.

Accessibility is not just about disability! It also refers to ensuring websites can be used by people with different technologies – slow connections, small screens, PDAs, mobile phones.

Blog:

A regularly-updated online journal, with timely links to other blogs or websites of interes

Browser:

The software used to view websites, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Note: we strongly recommend Firefox as an alternative to Internet Explorer – you can download here – you will not look back!

Cascading style sheets (CSS):

Web pages of computer code that help dictate the style of a website (such as the type of fonts used for various sections).

Content management system (CMS):

A web-based way for people without extensive technical knowledge to update content on their websites.

Database-driven sites:

A site that uses this technology is more dynamic than flat, static-sites, as certain changes to content and design can instantly be applied across the entire website. A popular type of database technology is MySQL (pronounced ‘My sequel’).

Domain name:

Your website address (such as www.stablewebdesign.co.uk).

E-Commerce:

The buying and selling of goods and services via the internet. Examples include Amazon, Play.com or Tesco.com.

Eye tracking:

Technology that tracks where people’s eyes travel across a screen, used to optimise website design.

Forum:

An online message board that allows visitors to create conversation ‘threads’ and reply to other messages.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language):

The underlying computer code used to display websites.

Hosting company:

The organisation that stores your website and keeps it online.

Persona:

A fictitious character that represents a typical member of your target market. Your persona’s biography will include information on their likes, dislikes, interests and so on.

Pixel:

Short for picture element. The smallest element of an image. Graphics are often measured in pixel width.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication):

Often known as news feeds. RSS technology allows the syndication of content found on blogs and news sites. It saves subscribers having to visit each of their favourite sites, as their latest headlines and abstracts can all be viewed via a special news reader.

Search engine:

A website such as Google or Yahoo! that lets you search other web pages by typing in key words.

Search engine optimisation (SEO):

The ever-changing art of optimising your website content so that it appears high up in search engine results. SEO methods should be used so that they won’t impact on your users’ experience. An experienced SEO agency will know which techniques may also be frowned upon by search engines.

Social network:

Websites like MySpace and Facebook that make it easy for like-minded people to make friends, and create and share messages or other content with them.

Tag:

A key description applied to a piece of information such as blog entry, or image, for example.

Unique sessions:

The measure of individual visitors to a website, as opposed to how many separate web pages they viewed.

Usability:

How easy a website is to navigate – how easy it is for people to find what they are looking for.

User-centred design (UCD):

Design process that focuses on identifying and meeting the needs of end users (of a website for example).

Web 2.0:

The latest generation of websites whose technology makes it easy for users to create their own content. Examples include the social networking site Facebook and the photo-sharing site Flickr.

W3C:

The World Wide Web consortium, a group that develops and agrees on technical web standards.

Weblog:

See blog.

Wireframe:

A visual reference point that outlines where the main design elements will be placed on a website. It may be as simple as a sketch on paper, or designed in something like Microsoft Word.

XML:

Extensible Markup Language. Computer code that describes how data included on a web page, document or other file is structured (as opposed to how it’s displayed). This allows particular content to be intelligently used by other websites or applications.
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Find even more graphic design / web related mumbo jumbo here