Request a Callback
+971 43801666
Jan 25, 2024
In product design or web design, the terms UI and UX are commonly used and often used interchangeably, but they mean two entirely different things. UI stands for User Interface, and UX stands for User Experience, which has exceptionally significant usage. As an overview, UI is a series of screens, pages and visual elements that enable users to interact with the product or service. In contrast, UX is the internal experience that the user perceives when they interact with every aspect of the product or service.
This blog will clear up the air regarding what UI and UX mean and the significant difference between UI and UX.
The UI (User Interface) design is a graphical layout where the users interact with the digital product or service. It is a place of interaction between humans and machines that involves clicking buttons, reading texts, sliding through images, entering texts in fields, and other interactive digital applications.
User Interface (UI) designers create interfaces in software or computer devices to deliver pleasurable and easy-to-use access points. Through Graphical User Interface (GUI), Voice-controlled Interface (VUI), Gesture-based Interface, UI designers provide clarity, consistency, and efficiency. UI designers are graphic designers who are concerned with the visual appearance of the application. They work towards making the application’s interface attractive, aesthetically pleasing, and themed appropriately.
The UX (User Experience) design is a result of the improvements of the UI design. The User Experience is coined to refer to the experience that a person has as they interact with a product or service. It incorporates all the aspects of end-user interaction with an application. Whether positive, negative or neutral, it defines every possible experience with a digital product or service.
The UX designers focus on creating an optimal experience for their users. They research the users’ motivation, needs, and behaviours and create a user persona to determine the information architecture of a digital product or service. UX designers are responsible for delivering the company requirements that meet the needs of the customers.
As UX designers are also concerned with the application’s interface, people get confused between UX design and UI design. UX designers are often in charge of the operation of the user interface. They pivot on the visual design, programming, psychology, and interaction design of an application. You can achieve these skills through UI/UX Design Training, which will also help you understand the difference between the two.
The main difference between UI and UX design is that UI design is all about the elements and function of how the product’s interface looks. On the contrary, UX is what the individual feels and experiences upon interacting with the product or service application. The following table will give you a better understanding of UI and UX differences.
| UI DESIGN | UX DESIGN |
| UI focuses on the application’s aesthetic look and function. | UX focuses on the user’s journey and experience to the product design |
| Combines tangible elements, colour palettes, buttons, text fields, animations, and imagery | Creates design solutions with the conceptual aspects for pain points that users encounter along their experience journey |
| UI design delights the user aesthetically | UX design delights the users with their effectiveness |
| UI is specific to digital products and experiences | The designers can apply UX to any kind of product, service or experience |
| UI follows the UX design and fills it in with visual and interactive elements. | The UX design comes first. It maps out the structure of the product development process. |
UI and UX are critical components of designing an application that is often wrongly interchanged. They work closely together, deciding the interface functionality and the product looks. As a result, the two entities rely on each other even with their significant differences.
UI vs UX poses a handful of differences. Even if the terms can overlap, the responsibilities of a UX designer and UI designer differ. Some predominant differences between UI and UX include the following:
The UX design relates to the social component alongside market research and communicating with clients to understand their needs and wants. Thus, it processes the developing stage and improves the quality of interaction.
The user interface design is a purely digital practice. It delights and entices customers through interactive visual elements like structure, labels, icons, typography, colour schemes and responsive designs. The UI designers combine graphics, motion, interaction, and brand design to deliver the best possible interface.
Read also How to Improve UI UX Skills?
Even so, UX and UI complement each other; the designers in each profession have entirely different roles to follow. Here is a brief structure of the functions of UX and UI designers:
UI designers are more focused on structuring the visual representation of the product application. To create a comprehensive style of visual identity and style guides, UI designers must possess graphic design, visual design, and branding design skills.
They work closely with UX designers to make sure that the product reflects the audience’s needs. Some specific details that take to be a good UI designer include:
UX designers focus on the product’s functionality and flow to create the most satisfying user experience. It is a way of designing a product, not specifically digital, after conducting adequate research and creating user personas. UX designers create prototypes and test them on users to enhance user experience on every touchpoint.
It is a multidisciplinary field that requires product development, product research, ideation, prototyping, testing, etc. Some of the responsibilities and qualities of a UX designer include:
As you understand the differences between UI and UX design, you can focus on the skills necessary to build a deeper understanding of the subject. UX and UI go hand in hand, but it is essential to know the differences to have the terms interchanged again. We have covered today and may have intrigued you to look for a career in the UI or UX field. The real-world experience can bring out the science of UX and the art of UI.
