Usability.gov is archived and no longer updated.

External links may not function and information on the site may be out of date. Visit Digital.gov for current information.

Glossary

  • Background images
    Images, pictures or patterns that appear behind graphical user interface elements on a web page.
  • Banner
    Banners are graphic images that commonly function as Web-based billboards. Banner ads generally appear toward the top-center of the screen, and are used as attention-grabbing links to other sites.
  • Benchmark testing
    Testing against a set of standard best practices or past performance metrics.
  • Bitmapped
    An image that follows a pattern of square shaped pixels.
  • Bookmarks
    A list of saved links stored by a Web browser.
  • Bounded field/Unbounded field
    An unbounded field is a free form entry field, a bounded field sets the parameters for selection or entry for the user.
  • Braille terminal
    Machines that convert text on a screen to braille by raising bumps through holes on a flat surface.
  • Breadcrumbs
    Breadcrumbs are a navigation element that allows users to orient themselves within a Web site, or efficiently move to one of the intermediate pages. Breadcrumbs are usually placed near the top of the page (generally immediately beneath the browser's address bar). For example, if users are reading about the features and benefits of "widget x," breadcrumbs might show the following information: Home > Products > Widget x > Features/Benefits Breadcrumbs allow users to find their way to the homepage
  • Browser compatibility
    The ability of an Internet browser to properly interpret the code that makes up web pages since there is slight variation between each.
  • Bug-tracking system
    A computer program that is intended to detect and repair programming errors.