Technical Terms for

BA/PC/PM

An intro about technical jargons and terms

being used in IT industry and at Zignuts.
Agile Methodology
Agile is a general term and conceptual framework used to describe a number of
“light-weight” methodologies, such as Extreme Programming (XP), SCRUM, and Rapid
Application Development (RAD), which exhibit a series of common characteristics.
Some of these characteristics include iterative analysis and development,
time-boxed iterations of a predefined length, delivery of the most critical features
and functions first, delivery of a complete build with an initial set of limited features
within a few months (often 1-2 months), small cross-functional teams usually of 6-9
team members, daily team communication meetings, and reduced levels of
documentation.
Agile Methodology
Agile
Agile is about having a flexible mindset, embodied in a set of values and principles
and exhibited by a variety of complementary practices. Agile initiatives involve
constant change. Business analysts working on agile initiatives continually reassess,
adapt, and adjust their efforts and tactics. Business analysts conduct analysis and
deliver work products at the last responsible moment to continually allow flexibility
for change.

Agile business analysis ensures that information is available to the agile team at the
right level of detail at the right time. Business analysts help agile teams answer these
questions:

● What need are we trying to satisfy?

● Is that need worth satisfying?
● Should we deliver something to satisfy that need?
● What is the right thing to do to deliver that need?
Authentication
Authentication is the process of determining whether someone or something is, in
fact, who or what it says it is. Authentication technology provides access control for
systems by checking to see if a user's credentials match the credentials in a
database of authorized users or in a data authentication server.
Authentication
ATTRIBUTES
An attribute defines a particular property of an object, element or file. It can also
refer to a specific value for a given instance of that property. For example, eye color
is an attribute of a person, while screen size is an attribute of a smartphone or TV. In
computing and computer programming, an attribute is a changeable property or
characteristic of some component of a program that can be set to different values.
ATTRIBUTES
API (APPLICATION PROGRAMMING
INTERFACE)
An API is the interface used for building web applications. APIs provide building
blocks for coders to use, and then the coders put those blocks together to create the
program they are trying to build. Examples of APIs include Google Maps API (allows
developers to embed Google maps on web pages), Twitter APIs (Twitter has two
APIs—REST, which allows developers to access core Twitter data, and Search, which
allows developers to interact with Twitter Search and trends data), and Amazon
Product Advertising API (allows developers to access Amazon’s product database
and advertise Amazon products on a website).
API (APPLICATION PROGRAMMING
INTERFACE)
Automated Testing
Automated Testing means using a programming language (such as Java) to write
scripts that will navigate a website or app. These scripts can generate reports for
issues such as broken links, missing text, etc.
API Testing
API Testing means checking the quality/accuracy of an API, which stands for
Application Programming Interface. APIs send requests and responses to/from
remote servers.For example, say that you type in text and click “Search” on
Google.com. The search engine API then sends the content request, and returns the
search results.
API Testing
Accessibility Testing
Accessibility Testing means checking that the app or site is user-friendly for people
with various disabilities. For example, verifying that videos have closed captioning for
people with hearing disabilities, or that images have descriptions for people with
visual disabilities. Accessibility testing can cover many other disabilities including
motor impairments, learning disabilities, and more.
Back-end
Back-end refers to any process that software or applications perform that are not
about of the user experience, meaning they are not visible to the user. For example, a
website encrypts your credit card data in the back-end of the checkout page, so that
information is not visible to third parties.
Back-end
Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs are an element of user experience that makes websites easier for users
to navigate. Websites and software use breadcrumbs to create a visual path from
one page to another.
Breadcrumbs
Bug
A bug is a mistake in coding that prevents a program from working correctly. A
software bug is an error, flaw or fault in the design, development, or operation of
computer software that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result, or to
behave in unintended ways.
Burndown Chart
A Burndown Chart is a tool used by multiple software engineering methods to track
the progress of work completed. It compares the amount of work remaining
(typically measured along the vertical axis) against time (measured along the
horizontal axis). The burndown chart gives a quick view of the amount of work that is
completed over time.
Burndown Chart
Business requirements
Business requirements include high-level statements of goals, objectives, and
needs. Business requirements do not include any details or specific features. They just
state the problem and the business objective to be achieved such as

● increased revenue/throughput/customer reach,

● reduced expenses/errors,
● improved customer service, etc.
Business requirements
CRUD
CRUD stands for: Create, Read, Update, Delete. These are the four basic functions
that can be performed when working with data in persistent storage.
CRUD
Cache/Caching
A cache is where a computer stores information from a webpage to make it easy for
you to access repeatedly, without having to reload the webpage.
Cache/Caching
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the technology that stores data over the internet instead of on a
physical processor.
Cloud computing
Cloud Server
A cloud server is a pooled, centralized server resource that is hosted and delivered
over a network—typically the Internet—and accessed on demand by multiple users.
Cloud servers can perform all the same functions of a traditional physical server,
delivering processing power, storage and applications.
Cloud Server
Cookie
A cookie is a piece of data that a webpage creates to be stored on an individual's
computer after they visit the website to track the user's browsing patterns.
Cross-platform
A program is cross-platform when it can run across multiple devices, like a computer
or a smartphone.
Cross-platform
Cross-browser/cross-device
Cross-browser/cross-device means that testing is being done, or a bug is occurring,
on multiple internet browsers (such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc) or
multiple devices (Androids, iPhones, tablets, desktops, etc). Learn more about the
importance of cross browser testing.

Cross-browser/device testing is important, as many bugs will be on one browser or

device but not another.
Cross-browser/cross-device
Cross-browser/cross-device means that testing is being done, or a bug is occurring,
on multiple internet browsers (such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc) or
multiple devices (Androids, iPhones, tablets, desktops, etc). Learn more about the
importance of cross browser testing.

Cross-browser/device testing is important, as many bugs will be on one browser or

device but not another.
CSS
Cascading style sheets (CSS) is the computing language used to provide style
elements like design and font specifications to a basic web document that uses HTML.
Domain
Specific to the internet, the term domain can refer to how the internet is structured,
and domain also refers to how an organization's network resources are organized. In
general, a domain is an area of control or a sphere of knowledge.
Domain
DEVOPS(DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS)
Devops is a software development process that focuses on helping development,
operations, and quality teams understand each other and collaborate better. By
unifying these three separate departments, Devops teams aim for shorter
development cycles and more dependable software releases.
DEVOPS(DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS)
DATA ARCHITECTURE
How data is collected, stored, accessed, and used in companies and organizations.
DATA ARCHITECTURE
Embed
To embed something within content or a message is to put a link or an image within
the text. For example, if you are on a webpage and see a social media feed displayed
on the page, the creator of the webpage has embedded the feed into their website
content.
DATABASE
A database is an organized collection of structured information, or data, typically
stored electronically in a computer system.
DATA MODELING
Determining what kind of data is needed and how it will be structured and
organized.
DATA VISUALIZATION
Data visualization is the use of graphs, charts, tables, infographics, etc. in order to
define and communicate data being analyzed and the the findings that have come
from it.
Encryption
Encryption is when you convert data into a code that is hard to decipher in order to
keep the data private.
End user
An end user is a person who is the intended user of a piece of software or hardware.
Designers or engineers refer to the end user when clarifying the purpose of their
product and how it will be useful.
Entity Relationship Diagram
An entity-relationship diagram models the relationships between entities in a
database. Standard symbols are used to represent different types of information.
The conventional notation uses rectangles to represent entities (nouns), diamonds to
represent relationships (verbs) and ovals to represents attributes of entities. Other
notations are sometimes used.
Firewall
A firewall is a type of software that programmers use to protect a network from
outside connections.
FTP
A file transfer protocol(FTP) is a way to send files from one device to another over the
internet.
FRONT END
Front end describes all the parts of a website that can be seen and interacted with by
users. Front end web development usually involves coding with HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript.
FRAMEWORKS
Frameworks are collection of programs and components commonly used in
software development. Rather than spending time seeking out each of these
components separately, developers can take advantage of frameworks where they
are collected in one place. Examples of frameworks include Ruby on Rails, Bootstrap,
AngularJS, and Joomla.
Functional Requirements
Functional requirements are product features or functions that developers must
implement to enable users to accomplish their tasks. So, it’s important to make them
clear both for the development team and the stakeholders. Generally, functional
requirements describe system behavior under specific conditions.

For example:
● The system sends an approval request after the user enters personal
information.
● A search feature allows a user to hunt among various invoices if they want to
credit an issued invoice.
● The system sends a confirmation email when a new user account is created.
Gateway
A gateway is the point in one system where it connects to another system.
Homepage
A homepage is the first page of a website, and typically the page that you access
through search engines.
HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
HyperText Markup Language or HTML is used to define the structure of webpages.
Markup languages describe annotations that are added to any document that are
distinguishable from the original text of the document. In the case of HTML, these
annotations are HTML tags which are used to define the structure of a webpage such
as headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, data, quotes, and more.
HYBRID APP
Hybrid apps are applications that will work on different platforms (computers, mobile
devices, tablets) and are a combination of a native app (one that is stored locally on
your device) and a web app (one that is accessed through a web browser on the
Internet). Amazon and Apple App Stores, Twitter, Yelp, and Gmail are all examples of
hybrid apps.
IDE (INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT)
IDE is a software application that includes tools like source code editors (text editors
specifically designed for writing code), debuggers (tools for testing code), and build
automation tools (tools for compiling code into machine-readable format and
running automated tests). Examples of IDE’s include Eclipse, Visual Studio, and VIM.
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a standard text-based format for representing
structured data based on JavaScript object syntax. It is commonly used for
transmitting data in web applications (e.g., sending some data from the server to
the client, so it can be displayed on a web page, or vice versa)
Load Testing
Load Testing is very similar to performance testing, but with even more of a focus on
finding the exact point at which an app or site would crash or go down. For example,
say that you’re about to launch your new mobile app. You have no idea how many
people will be using it. How do you know if your servers will stand up to the demand?
To be safe, you can do load testing to identify the maximum number of users it
could support.
Malware
Malware is a term for malicious software, meaning software that is used for illegal
purposes or to harm a system.
Manual Testing
Manual Testing means testing the app or site by hand. For example, opening a
browser and manually navigating to different sections of a website, looking for user
experience issues or bugs.
MVP
MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product. For a version of an app or website to be
“MVP,” it needs to meet criteria that the team has decided is the bare minimum
required for launch.

For example, a business owner might decide that a GPS section of an app is an “MVP
feature,” meaning it has to be included even for a soft launch. They also might decide
that a video feature is “Post-MVP,” meaning it can be added after the initial launch.
Non-Functional Requirement
Non-functional requirements are characteristics of a system or solution which
describe non-behavioral characteristics or qualities of a system. Non Functional
Requirements have also been called the 'ilities': usability, reliability, interoperability,
scalability, extensibility, etc. Non-functional requirements are also commonly
referred to as quality of service (QoS) requirements or service-level requirements.

Some examples are:

● The website pages should load in 3 seconds with the total number of
simultaneous users <5 thousand.
● The system should be able to handle 20 million users without performance
deterioration.
NATIVE APPS
Native apps are made specifically for certain platforms. They only run on the
platforms they were built for, and are stored locally on those devices. Mail for iOS and
Ingress for Android are both examples of native apps.
NFC (NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION)
NFC is technology that lets mobile devices communicate using radio waves when
they’re very close to each other (about four inches or less) and is used for services
like sharing files, pairing accessories, or wireless payments. Companies can use NFC
to make products interactive with consumers’ mobile devices, such as including
NFC-enabled tags on products that allow users to register products, get discounts, or
place new orders with their mobile device.
OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING (OOP)
Object-oriented programming is a type of computer programming/software
design that focuses on the creation of objects that have specific and unique
attributes and abilities. In OOP, computer programs are made up of these created
objects that then interact with one another. This is in contrast to earlier
programming languages that focus more on the process of turning input data into
output data rather than the data (objects) itself. Examples of OOP languages
include Ruby, PHP, and Python.
Performance Testing
Performance Testing involves checking the response time for an application or
website in typical usage scenarios. For example, let’s say that you know that your
website gets 50,000 hits on a normal day. With performance testing, you could use a
program to see how many seconds it would take to load in that scenario.
Payment Gateway
A payment gateway is the technology that captures and transfers payment data
from the customer to the acquirer and then transfers the payment acceptance or
decline back to the customer. A payment gateway validates the customer’s card
details securely, ensures the funds are available and eventually enables merchants
to get paid. It acts as an interface between a merchant’s website and its acquirer. It
encrypts sensitive credit card details, ensuring that information is passed securely
from the customer to the acquiring bank, via the merchant.
Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance is about Process. It describes the proactive method of
establishing a process that is capable of producing a product or deliverable that is
error or defect free.
System Architecture
It will be a HEADLESS COMMERCE architecture having extreme flexibility for both the
frontend and backend of the platform. This will help in establishing eCommerce
strategies and strong preferences for specific functionalities and design. Furthermore,
such a cleaner architecture can benefit security (only front-end code and database
are accessible publicly, backend is completely independent) and scalability (can add
separate frontend servers, no downtime for maintenance etc.).

The required level of flexibility for this architecture will be derived with an API-FIRST
APPROACH. The frontend of the platform will be DECOUPLED from the eCommerce
platform and other systems. By separating the PRESENTATION LAYER (the front-end)
from the commerce layer (the back-end), more flexibility can be gained in serving
rich-content, brand experiences and overall user experience.
System Architecture
SAAS
SAAS stands for software as a service, meaning when a company distributes their
software on a subscription basis.
SEO
Search engine optimization(SEO) refers to techniques marketers use to make their
webpages rank highly on search engines.
STAKEHOLDER
Anyone who can be affected by an organization's actions, anyone who can be
indirectly affected by those actions, and those with significant influence on the
organization. Stakeholders will participate in the verification of deliverables.
Scrum
Scrum is one of several light-weight agile methods that use an iterative and
incremental approach for the development of information systems. The Scrum
method brings a small team together to work on a specified set of features over a
short period called a sprint (often 30-days).
SDK (SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT KIT)
SDK is a set of tools for creating specific types of software. SDK’s are released by
companies that control the platform the software is being developed for. For instance,
apps developed for iOS require the iOS SDK, Windows apps require the .NET
Framework SDK, and Java apps require the Java Development Kit.
Smoke testing
Smoke testing is one of the quickest/most basic forms of testing. It involves doing a
simple test of major features, often right before a release. The purpose is to see if
anything “catches on fire,” so to speak. (If you really want to get your metaphor on,
you could also use “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Or, if you’re a Billy Joel fan
and/or developer, “We didn’t start the fire.”)

Ideally the app will have also gone through more rigorous testing. But smoke testing
is used as a back-up to be extra cautious when there’s not enough time for the ideal
level of testing.
Sprint
Sprint is a set amount of time in an Agile QA process. A sprint includes a given
number of tasks that the team expects to finish in the timeframe (usually one to two
weeks).

Before a Sprint starts, the team gets together for Sprint Planning. During this session,
product manager(s), developers, and QA testers will decide which bug fixes or
features can be realistically included in the Sprint. To learn more about the
prioritization process.
Showstopper
Showstopper is a bug that is absolutely critical. If QA finds any showstoppers in a new
version of a test build, it shouldn’t be released to the public. Showstoppers are
considered a top priority for developers to fix — especially if they’re found in a live
version.

For example, if a mobile app consistently crashes whenever users sign up, that would
be considered a showstopper bug.
Server Architecture
Server architecture is the foundational layout or model of a server, based on which a
server is created and/or deployed. It defines how a server is designed, the different
components the server is created from, and the services that it provides.
Server Architecture
Test Cases
Test Cases are requirements with steps for testing whether a given part of the app or
site is working properly.
RAM
RAM is an acronym for random access memory. This is where your computer stores
data for the programs it runs.
Read-only
When the creator of a file uses settings that prohibit other people from editing or
deleting the contents of the file, they have created a read-only file.
RELATIONAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
(RDMS)
Relational database management systems are used to organize data into
tables—the data can then be accessed or reassembled without having to
reorganize the database tables. Examples of RDMS include SAP and MySQL.
RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN
Responsive web design is the practice of designing websites so that they adapt
gracefully to different-sized devices like phones, tablets, wearable devices, etc. If
you’re able to visit a website on your phone and it looks just as proportional and
seamless as it does on your computer, it’s an example of responsive web design.
Regression testing
Regression testing is much more thorough than smoke testing. A regression is a
bug with an existing feature, caused by code updates from a new feature or
different bug fix. Regression testing involves checking every possible aspect of the
pre-existing app features after a new feature or bug fix is deployed. This is to make
sure that the code updates didn’t break any other area of the software.

For example, say that a developer adds a new profile field for “Birthday.” Regression
testing the profile section would mean verifying that all of the other fields were still
editable, saving changes still worked, numbers were still not allowed in the first
name field, etc. Sometimes even a small code change can cause a ton of
regressions. As a result, this type of testing is extremely important whenever there’s
an update — big or small.
Transition requirements
An additional group of requirements defines what is needed from an organization to
successfully move from its current state to its desired state with the new product.
They are only necessary for a short period of time while the transition takes place.
Examples can be “users must be trained to operate the system” or “previous data
must be migrated to the cloud storage.”
Technology Stack
A technology stack is a set of technologies that are stacked together to build any
application. Popularly known as a technology infrastructure or solutions stack,
technology stack has become essential for building easy-to-maintain, scalable web
applications. For example,
Technology Stack
USER INTERFACE (UI)
UI includes all the parts of a website, app, computer, smartphone, etc. that the user
can manipulate and interact with. Display and touch screens, website menus,
keyboards, your cursor—these are all part of a user interface.
USER EXPERIENCE (UX)
UX describes the emotions, attitudes, and ease-of-use a person has when using a
product or service. UX Design is the practice of using design to improve
communication between a product and its user in order to enhance the user’s
overall experience.
USER EXPERIENCE (UX)
UX describes the emotions, attitudes, and ease-of-use a person has when using a
product or service. UX Design is the practice of using design to improve
communication between a product and its user in order to enhance the user’s
overall experience.
USER FLOW
User flow is the path typical users take when starting on a website and moving
toward an action on the site. Creating a smooth path that is intuitive for users to
follow is part of user experience (UX) design.
USER FLOW
URL
URL is an acronym for unique resource locator and is used to identify unique
webpages.
USE CASE
Description of the position title, who holds that role, and the interaction that role has
with the systems in place.
User Story
A user story (typically used by Agile methodolgies) is a high-level requirement
containing just enough information to help the team produce a reasonable sizing for
the requirement. The user story is generally one to two sentences in the everyday
language of the user.
Use Case Diagram
A use case diagram is a UML diagram that provides a high-level graphical view of the
functionality (use cases) supported by the system and shows which roles (actors)
can invoke each use case. This high-level view of the system provides a context for
the readers of the more detailed use case specifications.
UPTIME & DOWNTIME
Uptime and downtime describes how long a website, computer, or other system has
been working (uptime) or not working (downtime).
User (stakeholder) requirements
The needs of discrete stakeholder groups (top-level managers, nonmanagement
staff, customers, etc.) are specified to define what they expect from a particular
solution. This group serves as a bridge between the generalized business
requirements and specific solution requirements. They are outlined in a User
Requirements Specification and can include, for example, ability to create various
reports, view order history and status, manage customer databases, etc.
User Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance criteria (AC) are the conditions that a software product must meet to be
accepted by a user, a customer, or other systems. They are unique for each user story
and define the feature behavior from the end-user's perspective.

Acceptance criteria are a set of conditions that must be met in order for a feature to
be considered ready to release. With an Agile process, the exact conditions can
change on the fly. After all, Agile teams pivot based on new information or ideas.
However, in order to consider the feature done, the final set of acceptance criteria
must be met.
For example, here’s acceptance criteria for a messaging feature:
● Premium users must be able to message any user on their friends list
● All users must be able to block any user
● Admin users must be able to delete a message
● All users must have “inbox” and “sent” sections
User Acceptance Testing
User Acceptance Testing means having real users beta test your app or site and
provide feedback. Also known as “UAT,” it can also refer to regular manual testing.
Learn more about the different types of user acceptance testing.
Unit Testing
Unit Testing means creating automated scripts to test individual parts of the app or
website code. Although it’s a form of testing, unit testing is usually done by
developers. The goal of unit tests is to ensure that each area of the code is working
properly.
VALIDATION
Selecting the best solution that fits the stakeholder's needs and determining if the
solution meets the requirements and objectives.
VERSION CONTROL
Version control is a tool used to keep track of changes to code and files on a
website or app and allows the user to go back and restore earlier versions in case of
bugs. Version control tools like Git are often built in to source code editors (programs
used to write and edit code) like Visual Code Studio, or offered as part of a web
hosting service.
VPN (VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK)
VPNs are networks that allow public internet connections to be used as private
networks as a means of improving security. When you use a public WiFi network, for
instance, your device and data are theoretically accessible by everyone else on the
network. When using a VPN, you’re still able to access the internet through the public
network, but are shielded by the VPN. VPN’s can be set up through some web
browsers (like Opera), or can be accessed through paid monthly services.
WIREFRAME
Wireframes are sketches of the key information that goes on each page of a website,
essentially showing the site or page’s “skeleton.” Designers can then use this sketch
as a starting point for laying out a website. These can be made in programs or written
on a napkin—we’ve seen it all.
WIREFRAME
WEB SERVERS
Web servers are computers used to store websites, online apps, documents, pictures,
or other data, and can be accessed through the internet by way of applications like
web browsers or file transfer protocol (FTP) clients. When you visit a website with the
browser on your computer or smartphone, you are requesting it from a web server.
WEB APPS
Web apps are websites that look and feel like an app (as opposed to a series of
linked pages). Facebook, Pandora, and Google Docs are all examples of web apps.
XML
XML stands for EXtensible Markup Language. XML was designed to transport and store
data. It is a self descriptive markup language. This means that the tags used to
describe the content of the XML file are not predefined, but instead the author defines
his own tags and document structure.
Thank You

Zignuts Technolab Private Limited

A409, Siddhraj Zori, Near Sargasan Circle, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India - 382421
Email - [email protected] Web - www.zignuts.com