Glossary – U

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U&lc

Upper and lowercase.

UAT

User acceptance test.

UC

Uppercase.

U-commerce

The combination of e-commerce, m-commerce, and t-commerce. See also e-commerce, m-commerce, t-commerce.

UE

User experience.

UML

Unified modeling language.

Undue hardship

Significant difficulty or expense that would be incurred to adjust the normal work environment, method, or circumstances for an individual with a disability.

Unified modeling language (UML)

A graphical visualization language that consists of a series of symbols and connectors used to create process flow diagrams.

Uniform resource indicator (URI)

The address of a web page.

Uniform resource locator (URL)

The address of a web page.

Unit

A separately testable element specified in the design of a computer software component. Also, a software component that is not subdivided into other components.

Unit testing

Testing of individual hardware or software units or groups of related units.

Universal serial bus (USB)

A serial computer interface that allows connection of up to 127 devices.

Unstructured interview

An interview that consists of very general questions and no predetermined plan for the flow of the conversation. See also interview.

Upper and lowercase (U&lc)

A combination of uppercase and lowercase letters.

Uppercase (UC)

All capital letters. See also lowercase.

URI

Uniform resource indicator.

URL

Uniform resource locator.

Usability

The principle that information and software should be easy to access, understand, remember, and use.

Usability Plan

A document that defines the scope of work required to make information or software easy to access, understand, remember, and use.

Usability study

Research conducted to determine whether information or software is easy to access, understand, remember, and use.

Usability testing

Testing, under real-world or controlled conditions, that evaluates whether information or software is easy to access, understand, remember, and use.

Usage

The customary way in which a language is spoken or written.

USB

Universal serial bus.

Use case

The specification of tests that are conducted from the end-user perspective; that is, using software as an end-user would in conducting their daily activities.

Useful segment/module

An economically and programmatically separate component of a capital project that provides a measurable performance outcome for which the benefits exceed the costs, even if no further funding is appropriated.

User

The ultimate customer for the product; the people who will actually use the product.

User acceptance test (UAT)

Testing performed to obtain confirmation by the customer or a subject-matter expert that the system, modification, or addition meets mutually agreed-upon requirements.

User acceptance testing

A formal product evaluation performed by a customer as a condition of acceptance or purchase.

User analysis

Identification of user requirements for a product. Also called audience analysis.

User assistance

Techniques and technologies to facilitate software usage; for example, online help, tool tips, wizards, and printed documentation.

User Documentation Plan

A project document that provides an overall perspective of the types of user documentation needed to support the project,  along with the priority and timing of each document in the release cycle. TEMPLATE

User experience (UE)

All aspects of the user’s interaction with an organization, product, or service.

User friendliness

The ease of learning a computer, software application, or system.

User interface

All of the elements of an interface, including interaction, layout, sound, text, and visual design. See also graphical user interface.

User interface design

The process of coordinating all the elements of an interface, including interaction, layout, sound, text, and visual design, to achieve the best possible interaction for users.

User research

Identifying and defining users’ roles, wants, and needs to develop clear, complete, and concise system requirements and to enhance usability.

User-centered design

A process that focuses on cognitive factors (for example, perception and problem solving) as they relate to people’s interactions with a product.

Users Manual

A document that contains all essential information the user needs to make full use of a product. The manual includes a description of the system functions and capabilities, contingencies and alternate modes of operation, and step-by-step procedures for system access and use.

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