Glossary: Common Terms with Creative Teams from A–Z

Glossary: Common Terms with Creative Teams from A–Z
17 Feb 2025
01

This glossary features three beginner-friendly terms per letter for anyone new to creative teams.

A

  • A/B Testing – Comparing two versions of something (like an email or design) to see which performs better.
  • Accessibility – Designing so that everyone, including people with disabilities, can engage with your content or product.
  • Art Direction – The creative vision behind a project’s visual style, mood, and aesthetic.

 


 

B

  • Brand Guidelines – A set of rules that define how a brand should look, sound, and feel.
  • Bounce Rate – The percentage of users who visit one page and then leave without clicking further.
  • Brief – A document that outlines the purpose, goals, and scope of a creative project.

 


 

C

  • Copywriting – Writing words that persuade, inform, or inspire action—used in ads, websites, emails, and more.
  • CRM (Customer Relationship Management) – A tool to manage contacts and communications with clients or customers.
  • CTA (Call to Action) – A prompt that tells the audience what to do next, like “Get Started” or “Contact Us.”

 


 

D

  • Design System – A reusable set of components and styles that keeps branding and interfaces consistent.
  • Dropdown Menu – A website feature that reveals more navigation choices when clicked.
  • Draft – An early version of creative work—meant to be shared, reviewed, and improved.

 


 

E

  • Email Marketing – Sending promotional or helpful content directly to people’s inboxes.
  • Engagement – How much people interact with content—likes, comments, shares, or clicks.
  • Export – Saving a design, video, or asset in a final format (like JPG, PDF, or MP4) to be shared or published.

 


 

F

  • Figma – A popular collaborative design tool for building and reviewing digital layouts.
  • Friction – Anything that slows down or confuses users—a red flag in UX design.
  • Feedback – Constructive input on creative work that helps guide improvements.

 


 

G

  • Grid System – A layout tool used in design to align content neatly and consistently.
  • Google Analytics – A tool that shows how people find and use a website.
  • GIF – A looping image or short animation often used for visual emphasis or fun.

 


 

H

  • Hierarchy (Visual) – Guiding the viewer’s attention through layout, size, and placement.
  • Hero Section – The bold top area of a webpage with a headline and call to action.
  • Hex Code – A six-digit code used in design to specify colors (like #FF5733).

 


 

I

  • Icon – A small symbol used to represent actions or ideas (like a trash can for delete).
  • Iteration – A version of a design or concept that builds on feedback or new ideas.
  • Information Architecture (IA) – How content is organized and structured, especially on websites.

 


 

J

  • JavaScript – A coding language that adds interactivity to websites.
  • Journey Map – A visual that shows the steps a user takes when interacting with a product or brand.
  • JPEG – A common file format for images used online and in presentations.

 


 

K

  • Keywords – Words or phrases that help your content show up in search engines.
  • KPI (Key Performance Indicator) – A way to measure success against goals.
  • Kerning – Adjusting space between letters in a word to make it more visually balanced.

 


 

L

  • Landing Page – A standalone webpage designed to encourage one specific action.
  • Logo – A symbol or wordmark that represents a brand.
  • Lorem Ipsum – Placeholder text used in drafts before the final content is ready.

 


 

M

  • Mockup – A polished visual of a design that shows what the final product will look like.
  • Moodboard – A collection of visuals, textures, and colors used to capture the creative vibe.
  • Mobile-First – Designing for smaller screens (like phones) before scaling up to desktops.

 


 

N

  • Navigation – The menus or links that help people explore a website or app.
  • Naming Convention – A standardized way of naming files or layers to keep projects organized.
  • NPS (Net Promoter Score) – A simple survey metric that measures how likely users are to recommend a brand.

 


 

O

  • Open Rate – The percentage of people who open an email you sent.
  • Opacity – How transparent something appears in design—lower opacity = more see-through.
  • Onboarding – The experience of welcoming and guiding new users, clients, or team members.

 


 

P

  • Persona – A fictional character that represents a typical user or customer based on research.
  • Prototype – A test version of a website or app used to try out functionality and design.
  • Pixel – The tiny building blocks of digital images and screen displays.

 


 

Q

  • Qualitative Research – Learning from user interviews, surveys, or feedback to understand feelings and behaviors.
  • Quick Win – A small change or fix that makes a noticeable positive difference.
  • Quality Assurance (QA) – Testing to make sure something works properly before it goes live.

 


 

R

  • Responsive Design – A layout that adapts to different screen sizes and devices.
  • Revision – An update made based on feedback or review (common in creative work!).
  • Repository – A shared space (often GitHub) where devs store and collaborate on code.

 


 

S

  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – Helping content show up in search engine results.
  • Style Guide – A document that outlines how to stay consistent with fonts, colors, and tone.
  • Storyboard – A visual plan of scenes or steps, often used for video or animation.

 


 

T

  • Typography – The styling and arrangement of text to make it readable and appealing.
  • Template – A reusable design or layout that saves time and ensures consistency.
  • Touchpoint – Any moment someone interacts with your brand—like a website visit, ad, or email.

 


 

U

  • UX (User Experience) – How someone feels when using a product or service.
  • UI (User Interface) – The buttons, menus, and visuals users interact with.
  • Usability – How easy and intuitive something is to use.

 


 

V

  • Value Proposition – The reason someone should care about your product—what’s in it for them.
  • Visual Hierarchy – Using size, space, and contrast to lead the viewer’s attention.
  • Version Control – A system (like Git) that tracks changes to files and lets teams work safely together.

 


 

W

  • Wireframe – A basic sketch that shows layout without full design details.
  • White Space – Empty space in a layout that makes content easier to read and understand.
  • Workflow – The step-by-step process creative teams follow to complete a project.

 


 

X

  • XML – A format used for organizing data that’s readable by both humans and machines.
  • X-Factor – That special something that makes a brand or idea stand out.
  • XP (Extreme Programming) – A collaborative, feedback-driven approach to software development.

 


 

Y

  • YAML – A readable format developers use to configure apps and sites.
  • Yield – The results you get from creative work—like clicks, views, or conversions.
  • You-Centered Design – A friendly phrase that means keeping the user’s needs at the center of creative decisions.

 


 

Z

  • Zapier – A no-code tool that connects different apps and automates tasks.
  • Z-Index – A CSS property that controls what appears on top in layered web designs.
  • Zero State – The blank or first-time screen a user sees—an opportunity to guide and welcome them.

 


 

Ideas
02
More Ideas
2 Min Read
Tips When Picking a Company Domain/URL
Development, UX15 May 2025

Here are a few do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when picking your website domain.

Read more
2 Min Read
The Pros and Cons of AI Design Tools for Logo Creation
Design18 Apr 2025

The best logos happen when AI’s efficiency meets the thoughtful, strategic insight of a professional.

Read more
2 Min Read
Why Advertising Still Works: Lessons from David Ogilvy
Marketing12 Mar 2025

Here are five lessons from Ogilvy that every marketer and business owner should remember.

Read more
6 Min Read
Glossary: Common Terms with Creative Teams from A–Z
Design17 Feb 2025

This glossary features three beginner-friendly terms per letter for anyone new to creative teams.

Read more
2 Min Read
Housekeeping: Update Your Copyright Year
Development3 Jan 2025

Don’t forget to update the copyright year in your footer… better yet, automate it.

Read more
We are here to listen
03
Nourish
Our Creativity
Talk to us about your project Say hello
Follow usLinkedInInstagram Write usSay Hello
In Pursuit of Beauty
and Common Sense.
© 2025 Bowen UX