For clients unfamiliar with the world of branding and web, the terms we use in the industry can be confusing or intimidating. Here's a plain English guide to some of the most commonly used design vocabulary.
(Tweaked 2022)
Brand
According to Wolff Olins, your brand is the set of ideas a company or product stands for, which is shaped by the company’s actions, and recognised through a visual and verbal style. Branding is a key aspect in presenting what you do to your customers. See 'Visual Identity' below for more information.
Visual Identity
Your brand or company name, logo, colour scheme, typefaces, and slogans, all comprise your visual identity - the way you present your organisation or business to the outside world. Your visual identity should be appropriate to what you do, distinctive, and versatile for use in a variety of contexts. All aspects of the visual identity should work together to communicate a clear and eye-catching message about who you are to your intended audience.
Brand Guidelines
The brand guidelines document developed as part of a brand/visual identity package will help you to use your logo and other visual elements of your branding in the way they were intended to be used by the designer. They'll show you how - and how not - to use your branding to maximum effect, ensuring you get the best out of your visuals.
Content Management System
A CMS will allow you to publish, edit, and organise the content on your website, keeping your website fresh and up-to-date. Clients are given training in content management as part of the web design and build package.
Creative Brief
We'll work through a series of questions and discussion points together to establish the brief for your project - a formal document helping both designer and client to understand and outline the project's aims and desired outcomes.
UI / UX
User Interface and User Experience - understanding and accounting for the look and feel of the website or application from the user's perspective, as well as how it works in terms of the user journey through the website or application.
Wireframe
The wireframe is like a blueprint for your website - a sketch produced by the designer to plan where each element of the website will go.
Web Design
The design is the visual aspect of the website which your audience interacts with. Design is concerned with the look, feel, and layout of the website, as well as how to engage people that come across your website.
Web Development
The development of your website concerns all the ingredients that make your website design work and come to life.
QA
Thorough Quality Assurance testing is a vital aspect of the website build, and ensures that every part of the website functions as it should.