Contents
Overview
Consumers today have high expectations for digital experiences that are responsive, fast, seamless, and personalized. New technological advancements are pushing the limits of what technology can do and what users expect, requiring organizations to think “big” about what they can deliver.
Organizations that are successful in digital transformation and meeting today’s consumer demands invest heavily in research and design – user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). Many people use the terms UX and UI interchangeably, but the two are distinct fields of study, and each is critical to the success of digital products, whether they are websites, web apps, or mobile apps.
If you’re entirely new to design or interviewing for web design jobs, having a basic understanding of when and how to use these terms is essential.
Read on for a simple analogy, which will help you differentiate between the two, and more importantly, find out why you shouldn’t be so hung up on this old design debate.
What are UI and UI Design?
A website or product’s user interface (UI) refers to its appearance rather than its functionality. The user interface is concerned with design, branding, layout, colors, buttons, menus, icons, and fonts.
UI design, also known as interface design, is creating an aesthetically pleasing user interface (UI). However, the best UI designs would go even further, revealing users with a design that outpaces their expectations.
What are UX and UX Design?
“User Experience,” or “UX,” refers to all customer interactions with a company’s product, app, or website. UX is more about function than design because of the emphasis on interactions and experiences. UX is very open-ended, asking what a user might want, require, or feel at every stage.
User experience design is about acknowledging how clients feel when they interact with a website, app, or product is the goal of user experience design. Designing for customer perception necessitates understanding the relationship between design, context, user research, and testing.
UI vs UX: What’s the Difference?
Many people wonder what the distinction between UI vs UX design is, whether UI is a component of UX, and which comes first, UI or UX. Worry not for these is a common question since the terms are frequently interchanged when used.
Let’s look at some of the key differences between UX and UI design:
1) Focus
The UX designer is concerned with interactions throughout the user journey, whereas the UI designer is concerned with aesthetics.
The UX designer seeks solutions to user problems by evaluating the product’s purpose and functionality. In contrast, the UI designer defines the look of the product, which influences the quality of the user interaction.
2) Level of Abstraction
A UX designer is much more concerned with the broad outlines of the product’s form and function, whilst UI is in charge of the measurable articulation of these components.
3) Skillset
UI design is concerned with the look and feel of the interface, as well as brand recognition and graphic design like logo designing, storyboard, trends, and market analysis.
UX has a social component that necessitates market research and client consultation, as well as more systematic skills in prototyping, wireframing, and product performance analytics. UX frequently involves the skills or input of design, market analysis, and QA experts.
4) Product Layer
The UX design phase affects both the front and back ends of the product, right down to core functionality, including how the product works, is developed, where what interface is selected, and which services are used. The UI only applies to the interface’s presentation level.
5) Application
As the theory relates to any user experience, UX design principles apply to any type of product, physical or digital. On the other hand, UI only applies to digital products requiring an “interface” (interaction between computer and user).
6) Design Tools
With such differences in skill sets, it makes sense that UX and UI designers use different methods. For graphics, UI designers use tools like Principle and Flinto. UX designers use wireframing tools and techniques such as Balsamiq and Mockplus to collaborate with layout, content, and functionality.
Bottomline
Consumer demands constantly change, necessitating constant skill updates for UX and UI designers. User experience design includes user interface design, but this does not imply that UI is less important when comparing UI vs UX design. In reality, a poorly designed UI can have a significant impact on the UX of your web application or product. The user interface is the very surface of your product, and if it is not executed properly, it may preclude users and cause them to seek support from your competing companies. As a result, it is prudent to make wise investments in favorable UX and UI design.
Our UI and UX designers have helped several businesses improve their brand attributes with innovative products that will contribute to success. At Brandshark, we combine expert design with web design services to create a wide range of creative digital marketing experiences that combine form, function, style, and presentation. Our experienced team comprises expert storytellers and graphic designers who encapsulate and communicate the essence of your brand for spectacular results. Contact us today to know how we can help!
Featured Image from Canva