Process Glossary

Here you can find important tech terms and definitions, explained in a simple and clear way.

User-Centered Design (UCD)

User-Centered Design (UCD) is an iterative design philosophy and process in which the needs, wants, and limitations of the end-user are placed at the absolute center of every phase of the design process. Rather than forcing the user to adapt to the software's limitations or the company's internal goals, the software is engineered to adapt to the user's natural psychology and workflows.

UI Kit (User Interface Kit)

A UI Kit (User Interface Kit) is a comprehensive, pre-designed collection of graphic files and resources—typically built in a tool like Figma—that contains all the structural UI elements needed to design a website or application. It includes standardized buttons, input fields, navigation bars, dropdown menus, checkboxes, typography scales, and color palettes.

Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is the earliest, most stripped-down version of a new product (or website) that has just enough core features to be usable by early customers. The goal of an MVP is to launch quickly, gather real-world user feedback, and validate business assumptions before investing massive amounts of time and budget into developing secondary, "nice-to-have" features.

Kanban

Kanban is a highly visual Agile project management framework designed to manage work by balancing demands with available capacity. It utilizes a "Kanban Board" (physical or digital, like Trello or Jira) divided into columns representing the stages of a workflow (e.g., "Backlog," "In Design," "In Development," "QA," "Launched"). Tasks are represented as cards that move from left to right as work progresses.

Gantt Chart

A Gantt Chart is a specialized bar chart used heavily in project management that illustrates a project schedule. It maps out tasks along a visual timeline (the x-axis), showing exactly when specific phases of a project start, how long they will take, and when they are scheduled to finish. Crucially, it visualizes "dependencies"—tasks that cannot start until a previous task is completed.

WYSIWYG Editor

WYSIWYG (an acronym for "What You See Is What You Get") refers to a user interface that allows a user to edit text, images, and content in a format that looks exactly like the final output. In web development, it is the standard rich-text editor used inside a CMS (like the Webflow Editor or Google Docs) where bolding a word actually makes it bold on the screen, rather than requiring the user to type HTML tags like <strong>word</strong>.

Waterfall Methodology

The Waterfall Methodology is a traditional, linear project management approach where each phase of a project must be 100% completed and signed off before the next phase can begin. The sequence strictly flows downward (like a waterfall): Discovery -> Design -> Development -> QA -> Deployment. Once a phase is finished, it is incredibly difficult and expensive to go back and make changes.

Workflow Automation

Workflow Automation involves using technology to execute complex, multi-step business processes without manual human intervention. In web development, this is typically achieved using API platforms like Zapier or Make.com, which act as visual "translators" that allow completely different software applications (like a Webflow website, a Slack channel, and a Salesforce CRM) to talk to each other and pass data instantly.

Git (Version Control)

Git is the world's most popular distributed version control system, used by developers to track changes in source code over time. It allows multiple team members to work on the same project simultaneously without overwriting each other's work. If a mistake is made or a bug is introduced, Git allows developers to safely "roll back" the codebase to a previous, stable version.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a non-linear, iterative methodology used to understand users, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems to create innovative solutions. Unlike traditional linear development, it is deeply human-centric and consists of five core phases: Empathize (with your users), Define (their needs and problems), Ideate (create ideas), Prototype (build mockups), and Test.

Design Handoff

The Design Handoff is the critical phase in a project lifecycle where the finished, approved visual designs (usually in Figma) are transferred to the development team to be built into a functioning website (in Webflow or code). It represents the bridge between how a site looks and how a site works.

Backlog

A Product Backlog is a prioritized, structured list of all the features, bug fixes, design updates, and technical tasks required to improve a website or software product.

Agile Methodology

Agile Methodology is a project management and product development approach that prioritizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback. Instead of delivering a project all at once at the very end, work is broken down into small, manageable increments called "sprints."

XD (Adobe XD)

XD is one of the industry-standard tools for UI/UX Design, performing functions similar to Figma.

Workflow

A Workflow defines the repeatable process for any business activity, from the internal steps a developer takes to build a feature to the automated sequence that routes a new lead. In web development, key workflows include: development, marketing, and content.

Testing (A/B, Usability, etc.)

Testing is a core component of both Quality Assurance (QA) and Optimization and is a continuous activity. Key types include: A/B testing, usability testing, functional testing, and performance testing.

Quality Assurance (QA)

Quality Assurance is a comprehensive process that spans the entire Revamp and development cycle, ensuring high-quality standards are met. It involves: testing, technical checks, and aesthetic review.

Reusable Components

Reusable Components are the building blocks of Modular Design and the coded realization of a Component Library. They are built once and then dropped onto any number of pages or templates across the site.

Naming Convention

A Naming Convention provides a structure and vocabulary for the entire development project. Using a recognized system (like BEM or a custom client-specific standard) for naming CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) classes is vital.

Iteration

Iteration is the principle of continuous improvement, moving away from a single, static product launch toward an ongoing cycle of refinement. It is the engine behind Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and Growth-Focused Strategies.

Integration

Integration is the fundamental act of making disparate software tools work together. For B2B/SaaS, this means connecting the Webflow marketing site to the rest of the business ecosystem: CRM, analytics, and marketing.

High-Fidelity Prototype

A High-Fidelity Prototype is the final output of the design phase, typically created in Figma. Unlike a low-fidelity Wireframe, it includes all the final elements.

Design System

A Design System is more than a simple Style Guide; it is the single source of truth for the entire interface. It is typically housed in Figma (design files) and implemented in Webflow (code structure). It defines rules for: brand identity and component library.

Deployment

Deployment is the technical procedure that pushes the final, tested code from the development environment to the live production environment. It includes several non-negotiable steps.

Component Library

A Component Library is the heart of a Design System, containing all the modular parts used to construct the interface. These components are fully defined in Figma (design specs) and built as Reusable Components in Webflow (coded elements).

Atomic Design

Coined by Brad Frost, this methodology uses the metaphor of chemistry to organize a Design System into hierarchical components: Atoms, Molecules, Organisms, Templates, and Pages.