When it comes to defining the UI / UX design, we need to understand two main things: first, these two concepts are as closely related and close as possible, and that they are two different and separate things. For the UX designer, the ability to work and understand UI is incredibly valuable. Thanks to this skill, they get more perspectives on their work and create an even better user experience.
Here are five main differences between UI / UX to know for not being confused and understand what the UI design company is, and what the UX designer missions are.
source (https://growthoutfitter.com/whats-the-difference-between-ux-and-ui/)
UX and UI are separated things
UX is about identifying pain points and user goals. Its development begins with research, creating a prototype, testing, improvement, re-testing of changes, and re-improvement. The conditional endpoint is when the business goals and the user’s aspirations are met and combined.
UI is about the picture. It includes all aspects of the visual presentation of the product. It starts from colors and typography and comes to whether the button on the site will change after clicking so that the user understands that the action has taken place. Since both are developing interactions, UX designers can be considered architects and UI designers as those working with micro-interactions.
UX makes it convenient, UI makes it attractive
The work of a UX designer begins with detailed research, the creation of user personas, analyzing and segmenting them. As a result, you get a minimum viable product, or, more precisely, a minimum valuable product. It is thoroughly tested; you identify strengths and weaknesses, refine the product according to collected data, and improve it repeatedly.
Once user flows and wireframes have been tested and the prototype is ready, it’s time to appeal to the product visually. And this is the work of a UI designer. The process includes creating a color scheme and typography to make the product pleasant to the perception, recognizable, and even more convenient to use.
These things are not chosen to the designer’s taste, although their professionalism helps achieve the best harmony. The color scheme and other items are determined during the UX research and are maximally adapted to the target audience, preferences, and tastes. Based on this, the UI designer creates a visual hierarchy that will be used in all future interactions with users.
A well-established hierarchy helps understand the purpose of a particular page, the following steps, and their sequence. And, as a result, achieve the goal for which users came to the site.
UX leads to the goal, UI creates associations
People come to the site with a specific objective: to read an article in the blog, make a purchase, get information, find inspiration, and so on. The task of the UX designer is to understand these goals and do everything possible so that the user can achieve them with minimal effort and, on the way to this goal, get all the necessary information (for them and for the business).
To do so, you need to ask questions to your audience, investigate it, test all options you come up with to find a perfect balance between business needs and the desires and needs of your users. Once this is embodied, the product gets its so-called personality; it becomes valuable.
The UI designer, in turn, works to make the user want to continue researching the product, spend time with it, interact, come back again, tell others about it. Aaron Walter, the author of Designing for Emotion, says that “People will forgive your shortcomings, follow your lead, and sing your praises if you reward them with positive emotion.” This is the point where the expertise level of the UI designer is determined.
UX is done before UI (almost always)
Here we come to understand how UX and UI designers work together as a team.
First, the UX designer conducts research that supports or denies the original idea, sets the direction for further work, and brings it to the beginning. Then they create a prototype, test it, maximally adapt to the user personas.
When the prototype is finalized (for this particular stage), it’s time for the UI designer to work on the visual part and micro-interactions. However, this is not always a linear process. The main factor is who is working on the design: one person or a few different. If one, these two lines are intertwined.
(source: https://cieden.com/e-learning-platform)
UX is connected to the product, interfaces, and services, UI – only to interfaces
User experience is a vast field, which covers extensive research, testing of hypotheses, creating options, and a prototype, as a result. Companies that work on their online presence have a focus on it, but not only. In general, everyone who interacts with users offers services, products, or information has to work on the best possible user experiences.
At the same time, the user interface is connected only to the interface itself. Of course, it’s not just about how the user will get acquainted with the product through the screen of a laptop or smartphone; it’s also about smartwatches, ticket desks, promotional materials, etc.
Conclusion
The main job of UX design is to make the user experience with the product convenient and seamless while remaining imperceptible. The mission of the UI, in turn, is not just to be noticeable, but to create an association, an image, to be recognized, and to establish a brand. When the first one helps achieve the goal, the second one communicates with the user through an attractive interface. Here you can find answers to all your UI/UX-related questions and find skilled and talented specialists for your exact product.
