Differences between UI and UX design

A constant debate in the design industry is that of UI/UX design as some persons say they are the same and others think they are not. It is also normal to find open positions for the role of “UI/UX Designer”, merging the roles together. You are still wondering what is the difference?

Read on to learn what the both terms mean, the differences, and also the relations.

Explanation of Both Terms

1. UX Design: this is the process of creating research based, interactive designs between human users and digital products or websites. Design decisions here are driven by research, analytics, empathy and test results. The main objective of UX design is to create products that provide meaningful experiences and are useful to users.

What does a UX designer do?

We now know what UX design is about but how does it translate into everyday tasks? Here are the roles of a UX designer.

• User research
• Content development
• Wireframing
• Prototyping
• Competitor analysis
• Testing and iteration
• Coordination with UI designs and other product team members
• UX analysis

2. UI Design: user interface (UI) design is the process of designing the look, feel and interactivity of a digital product. A user designer is responsible for features like icons and buttons, typography and color schemes, spacing, imagery, and responsive design.

Roles of a UI Designer

• UI designers create the user interface for digital products like apps, etc.
• Designing UI elements such as buttons, icons, sliders and scrollbars.
• Thinking responsive design; how the app interface will display on various screen sizes.
• Choosing the appropriate fonts and type settings.
• Creating animations.

Difference Between UI and UX Design

The major difference between UI and UX design is that UI is focused on the design of the interface a user uses to interact with a digital product, i.e. aesthetics and layout While UX design is about the overall feel of the experience, i.e. the human machine interaction.

The Gap Between UI and UX Design

Although the definitions of UX and UI suggest that they are similar design disciplines, their actual functions differ. The UI design is primarily focused on the aesthetic qualities of the design and the mood it conveys. However, even the most exquisitely designed UI will result in a poor user experience if there is poor UX. UI design is like the icing on UX cake.

Conclusion

Hopefully by this point you are aware of the distinctions between UI and UX design. Yes, they complement one another, but they also differ significantly. UX design requires greater analysis. Its foundations are in human psychology and cognitive behavior. More emphasis is placed on aesthetics in UI design software, or if a product looks good.

It is vital to identify the design category that most interests you and to place an emphasis on understanding the abilities required to produce excellent design solutions. I advise testing yourself in both if you’re fresh to the design industry. Real-world experience will not only help you determine which field is best for you, but it will also improve your design skills.

Thanks for reading.