Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
183 results found in research methods.
- End-User Elicitation (Elicitation Study, User-Defined Gestures)
- A participatory research method where end users are asked to propose or create their own interaction techniques, gestures, or commands for a given system function, rather than having researchers presc…
- Experience Sampling Method (ESM, Ecological Momentary Assessment, EMA)
- A research methodology that collects data about participants' experiences, behaviors, and states in real time and in natural settings through repeated brief surveys or prompts delivered at predetermin…
- Eye Tracking (Gaze Tracking, Eye-Tracking)
- A research methodology and assistive technology that measures where a person looks (fixation points), how their gaze moves across a display (saccades), and how long they focus on specific areas (dwell…
- Eye tracking (Gaze tracking, Eye-gaze tracking, Eye Tracker)
- A technology that measures where a person is looking on a screen or in an environment by detecting eye position and movement, typically using infrared light and cameras. In accessibility, eye tracking…
- Fair Compensation (Equitable Compensation, Research Compensation)
- The practice of providing adequate and equitable payment to research participants for their time, expertise, and contributions. In accessibility research, fair compensation is particularly important b…
- Feature Hashing (Hashing Trick)
- A technique used in machine learning to convert text or categorical data into fixed-length numerical feature vectors by applying a hash function. Feature hashing is particularly useful for handling hi…
- Field Deployment (In-the-Wild Deployment, Real-World Deployment)
- A research evaluation method where a system or tool is released to real users in their natural environments rather than being tested only in controlled laboratory settings. In accessibility research, …
- Fitts's Law (Fitts Law)
- Fitts's law is a predictive model of human movement that describes the time required to rapidly move to a target area as a function of the distance to the target and the target's size. Widely used in …
- Fitts's Law (Fitts Law)
- A predictive model of human movement that describes the time required to rapidly move to a target area as a function of the distance to the target and the size of the target. Formulated by Paul Fitts …
- Focus Group (Focus Group Discussion, Group Interview)
- A qualitative research method in which a small group of participants (typically 3-10) with shared characteristics discuss a topic guided by a moderator, allowing researchers to explore perspectives, o…
- Formative Evaluation (Formative Usability Testing, Formative Assessment)
- Usability evaluation conducted early in the design process using prototypes, mockups, or wireframes to identify design problems and inform improvements. Formative testing is qualitative and iterative,…
- Fraudulent Participants (Impostor Participants, Fake Participants)
- Individuals who falsely claim to meet a study's eligibility criteria in order to participate in research, typically for financial compensation. In accessibility research, fraudulent participants may c…
- Gamified evaluation (Game-based assessment, Gamified testing)
- A research methodology that incorporates game design elements — such as challenges, scoring, progressive difficulty, and rewards — into the evaluation of technology or user performance, to increase pa…
- Gaze Tracking (Eye Tracking, Eye Gaze Tracking)
- Technology that measures and records eye movements to determine where a person is looking, for how long, and in what pattern. In low-vision research and rehabilitation, gaze tracking can reveal visual…
- Gesture Elicitation (User-Defined Gestures)
- Gesture elicitation is a participatory design method where end users are asked to invent gestures for a set of device functions, rather than having gestures predetermined by designers or engineers. Pa…
- Gesture Elicitation Study (Gesture Elicitation, User-Defined Gestures)
- A research methodology in which participants are presented with the effects or outcomes of actions (called referents) and asked to propose gestures they would naturally perform to trigger those effect…
- Global South (Developing World, Majority World)
- A term referring broadly to countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania that have been historically marginalized in global economic and political systems. In accessibility research, the Glob…
- Grounded Theory
- A qualitative research methodology in which theory is systematically generated from data through iterative coding, categorization, and comparison rather than testing a pre-existing hypothesis. In acce…
- Heat Map (Heatmap, Attention Map, Gaze Map)
- A data visualization technique that uses colour intensity to represent the distribution and density of user attention or interaction on a page or interface. In eye tracking research, heat maps aggrega…
- Human-Centered Threat Modeling
- A methodology borrowed from security and privacy research that identifies the people and institutions who intend to cause harm to a specific population, the threats they pose, and the defensive strate…