What do you do when the bread crumb navigation stops rendering in certain browsers because they cache minified JavaScript incorrectly? How about when the holdover audience of your vertically integrated industry publication doesn’t fit the psychological segmentation profile your content marketing strategist projected in their original qualitative research analysis? Is your layout elastic? Do you love LAMP? Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?
If you are a new to web design, digital marketing, or any other profession that is predominantly Internet based, there is a lot of jargon and specific terminology that you’ll need to navigate to understand what you’re doing. If you are clueless at the terms that you see on your computer screen, fret not, because there are many useful glossaries out there – specially made for web designers and other people that are forced to deal with them in their daily roles. Here are some of the most comprehensive and useful resources that you can turn to in times of confusion:
Web Design
If it’s your first brush with web design, it will come as no surprise that many words will sound alien to you. If you wish to learn more about these web design words, then here are the glossaries you should refer to:
- Smashing Magazine Web Design Glossary: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/05/21/web-design-industry-jargon-glossary-and-resources/
- University Of Minnesota-Duluth Web Design Glossary: http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/support/Training/Online/webdesign/glossary/
Graphic Design
Many designers learn the craft all by themselves, that’s why they are not fully-educated about the more complex graphic designing terms. Some terms are often used incorrectly as well. Here are some glossaries to visit if ever you’re confused about a graphic design terminology:
- Creative Curio Graphic Design Glossary: http://creativecurio.com/graphic-design-glossary/
- Ars Logo Design Graphic Design Glossary: http://www.ars-logo-design.com/glosary_corporate_logo_design.htm
Typography
Typography is important in web design, as it involves the selection of line length, typefaces, point size, and line spacing. There are many factors involved, such as the bracket, crossbar, stem, terminal, and counter, to name a few. If ever you’re in a typography dilemma, here are some websites to visit:
- Fontshop Typeface Glossary: http://www.fontshop.com/glossary.php
- Adobe Typography Glossary: http://www.adobe.com/type/topics/glossary.html
- About Typography Glossary: http://desktoppub.about.com/od/glossarytype/Typography_Glossary.htm
Usability
In web design, it’s important to create a usable website for browsers. Factors such as colors, button shapes, and call to action messages can affect your visitors a great deal. If you want to familiarize yourself with the terms used in usability, then here are the glossaries you ought to read:
- Usability Body Of Knowledge Glossary: http://www.usabilitybok.org/glossary
- Bob Goodman Usability Glossary: http://www.bobgoodman.net/main/glossary.html
- Universal Usability Glossary: http://www.sapdesignguild.org/editions/highlight_articles_01/uu_glossary.asp
CSS, JavaScript, DOM and (X)HTML
As a beginner, you need to be knowledgeable about the terms that concern property, tree node, selector, attribute and HTML-tags. If you’re getting more confused by the second during a meeting with your web designer, then here are the glossaries to refer to when it comes to CSS, JavaScript, DOM and (X)HTML.
- Sitepoint CSS Glossary: http://reference.sitepoint.com/css
- Sitepoint HTML Glossary: http://reference.sitepoint.com/html/html-concepts
- W3schools JavaScript Glossary: http://www.w3schools.com/js/default.asp
- Microsoft XML Glossary: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms256452.aspx
Content Management Systems
Popularly known as CMS, these programs permit the publishing and editing of online content without advanced programming knowledge. CMS sites such as Joomla, WordPress, and TextPattern have a unique world of terms and definitions, and you can learn more about them by visiting these websites:
- WordPress Codex Glossary: http://codex.wordpress.org/Glossary
- Joomla Glossary: http://help.joomla.org/content/view/1607/214/
- TextPattern Glossary: http://textbook.textpattern.net/wiki/index.php?title=Alphabetical_Tag_Listing
Marketing
Marketing is important in web design, but some of the terms aren’t self-explanatory. Since you’re going to be hearing them on a daily basis, it pays to know the basic marketing terms so you can at least interpret what others are saying, even if you don’t plan to use the terms yourself. Here are some glossaries that list numerous marketing terms:
- About Marketing Glossary: http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingglossary/a/marketingterms.htm
- The Channel Professional Marketing Glossary: http://www.channelventures.com/channelprofessional/marketglossary.html
- Marketing Glossary: http://marketingglossary.com/
If ever you’re lost in translation during a web design conversation with an inbound marketing representative, remember to turn to these glossaries. After all, it’s best to be fully informed and educated than to litter your response with responses that don’t make sense.
- The Best Glossaries for All Types of Online Professionals - October 12, 2012
- Addressing Unnatural Backlinks as a Proactive SEO Strategy - August 17, 2012
Hi Sunny
That’s a comprehensive list on the design side. I actually wrote a glossary for pay per click marketing a few weeks back. I thought that it would be helpful to add this to the list? Please let me know what you think?
http://deepfootprints.co.uk/pay-per-click-ppc-glossary/