UI vs. UX: How the two terms differ and what they have in common

You have probably heard people using the terms UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) in the same sentence, or you may have seen job offers from companies looking for a UI/ UX expert. However, the question is whether both terms cover the same topic and purse the same goals. In this article, we want to explore whether the expertise of a UI-expert matches the expertise of a UX-expert and can therefore fulfil the role of a UX-expert and vice versa.

UX and UI are closely related but we need to distinguish the two terms and the roles of a UX and a UI designer.

Here are the key differences between UX and UI:

UX (User Experience)

The focus of UX is the overall experience that a user has when interacting with a product or service. It focuses not only on understanding the users’ needs and behaviour, but also on their emotions to create a seamless and enjoyable experience. UX involves aspects such as interaction design, wireframes & prototypes, information architecture, user research and scenarios. It addresses the entire user journey, from the initial interaction to the completion of a task.

UX is user-centered and focuses on understanding and matching the users’ needs. To deliver a great user experience, the UX designers need to be familiar with their target audience. Through UX research (quantitative and/or qualitative) it is possible to discover what the users like, which pain points they’re facing and how they behave online or while using a software or an app. This makes it possible to ensure that the product meets the users’ needs and provides them with added value.

In addition, the UX designers can start turning ideas into tangible models, such as wireframes and prototypes. As a result, it is possible to use these proofs of concept to test ideas, define requirements and set priorities. Regarding the timeframe, it is important to mention that UX never stops, but is an ongoing process that involves research, testing, and iterative design throughout the whole development lifecycle.

UI (User Interface)

The UI design is more visual-centered and concerned with the aesthetics and the visual appeal of the product. It ensures that the interface is user-friendly, and the navigation path is visually attractive and effortless to use. UI is a subset of UX design and it primarily focuses on the visual and interactive elements of the product, such as colour schemes, typography, button placements, icons, typography as well as other graphical elements. Invisibility is the key to success for developing an awesome UI design. A great UI goes invisible because the users can navigate through a website or app and find what they are looking for without encountering challenges or getting confused by the elements of the page. UI design typically occurs after UX design and is more about the final appearance. It is a phase in the design process that follows after UX aspects have been defined.

Here are some of the many tips that a UI designer must consider:

– The format content to fit the screen of the intended device. Users should not need to zoom or scroll horizontally to view the content of the entire page.

– Ensure that the contrast between the background and page elements is adequate.

– Buttons and images must match the text and be relevant to the users.

–  High-resolution is essential for all image assets.

– UI design needs to be responsive. That means that the user’s view on the laptop or mobile device must be the same in portrait or landscape mode and that the user should be able to read it with ease.

Is there such a thing as a UI/UX designer?

As you have read in this article, UI and UX designs are conceptually different, but they complement each other during the design process. The combination of UI and UX is important in order to create an effective and successful product. There are many examples of products that look shiny and pretty but have failed to take off because of the missing UX design of the product. Similarly, there are many products that are easy to use but do not have the ‘WOW’ factor that a good UI adds to a product.

Here is an example of the importance of good interaction between UI and UX: Think about how often people use Apple Maps in comparison to Google Maps. Even if Apple Maps is a defaulted app on each iPhone, people prefer a third-party app. The reason is the usability and the interaction between the amazing UI and UX.

Author:

Markus Kittenberger

Sources:

https://www.figma.com/resource-library/difference-between-ui-and-ux/

https://blog.prototypr.io/ux-vs-ui-similarity-differences-837775584cd8

https://www.coursera.org/articles/ui-vs-ux-design