Design
Affordance
Plain-language definitionA quality that suggests how an interface element can be used. Clear shape, labels, position, and feedback make actions easier to recognize.
Why it matters
Use the term to make a better decision.
In practice, affordance matters when a team needs to connect a technical or creative choice to a visible change in clarity, performance, discovery, or conversion. The useful question is not whether the term sounds sophisticated. It is what decision it helps the team make.