We’re all beginners at something or other in our lives. And for anybody getting started on the user experience design journey, it’s no different. In fact, with the rate that the digital industry is growing, it seems there is always something new to learn in the UX and UI design field.

However, there are many misunderstandings among beginners regarding UX and UI. These are heavily related to the lack of clarity around how they differ and how they can be used to produce user-friendly solutions.

So, let’s get started with learning all about the ins and outs of UX and UI design…

UX Design and UI Design: What’s The Difference?

First and foremost, it’s important to understand exactly what UX and UI design entails and how they differ from one another.

User Experience (UX) Design: This is the experience the user gets from using your interface. Within this, it’s critical to consider how enjoyable the user journey is and whether it solves the user’s challenge in an efficient, easy to use way.
User Interface (UI) Design: This covers the physical characteristics of what the interface looks like and how it functions. For example, whether the text is readable or the colour of a button.

The design of a website can play a significant role in impacting the user experience, which means that UI and UX go hand-in-hand to form user-friendly solutions. However, while both are part of the design world, UI and UX are two completely separate entities and should be treated as such.

The key takeaway to keep in mind is that UX design covers the overall feel of the experience while UI design includes how the product looks and functions.

Why Is It Important To Consider UI and UX Design?

Quite simply, it all comes back to meeting your users’ needs. If your users’ online experience with your business is not a positive one, they will likely become frustrated, and they will be unlikely to return. After all, first impressions count and the design of your interface is a key component of this!

On the other hand, if the user has a positive online experience with your business, they’re much more likely to return and use your services again. This means generating more loyal customers which can quickly translate to more traffic, more conversions and more revenue.

The Role of a UX Designer and a UI Designer

As there are notable differences between UX design and UI design, it’s common to get designers who specialise in one or the other. However, it’s also worth noting that although different, UI and UX design are closely related and one usually can’t crop in conversation without the other. As such, in some cases, both UX and UI design are covered by one designer.

The UX designer’s role usually involves considering how the user will interact with the interface As the user experience covers the interaction between the user and the product, it’s your responsibility as the UX designer to consider the different parts that will shape this experience. This includes the steps that will be needed to take the user on an efficient and enjoyable user journey. The UI designer will then work to bring these considerations to life, designing how each of these steps will look on the actual interface.

As a UX/UI designer, your ultimate goal should be to create easy, efficient and positive experiences for the user. It’s your responsibility to think about how the experience of the interface will make the user feel and how easy it is for them to do what they came to the website or app to do.

For example, this could include how straightforward it is to use the navigation, how simple and fast the sign up process is or how little steps you can complete the checkout process in. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in channelling your skills into then a role as a UI or UX designer could be for you.

To conclude…

The world of UI and UX design is a big one – far more than we could possibly cover in one article. It has slowly risen through the ranks as one of the most popular professions in the digital industry and this momentum is only set to continue.

Like with many areas of digital, design is one field that you should never stop learning or excelling in. Whether it’s excelling at new design principles, working with new businesses in new industries, learning the latest tools or simply just trying to keep up with your customers’ ever-evolving needs and expectations, there is always something fresh to master.

Hopefully, this article will have provided you with some insight into UI and UX design and what you need to know to get started on your journey. If you want to find out about what we do, the opportunities we have available or just want to chat more, don’t hesitate to get in touch.