What’s the Difference Between UI VS UX Design?
The terms “UX Design” and “UI Design” float around multiple industries and have even been used interchangeably. But what do they mean in the world of web development, and what differences are there between them? For starters, UX stands for User Experience Design, while UI stands for User Interface Design. They are both professional roles meant to result in an ideal, balanced product, but sometimes their distinctions aren’t obvious—and often, their roles will intertwine. In this post, we’ll explore the meanings of UI vs UX, and how having them will enhance your website or product.
What is UX Design?
A user experience (UX) Designer is concerned with a user’s feelings and perceptions. They conduct research and tests on how users behave with a product or service and communicate how to best improve their experiences while addressing issues that arise. A UX Designer might closely work with creative directors, visual artists, or front-end developers to form wireframes, models, personas, mockups, and user scenarios. They make sites easier to navigate and aim for the highest user satisfaction.
Skills Required For A UX Designer:
- Researching
- Storyboarding
- Usability testing
- Analysis of competitors
- Using design software such as Photoshop and Illustrator to create visuals, wireframes, and mockups.
Someone with “UX” in their title will want to know how a user interacts with (or experiences) a product. They focus on making a website useful and easier for the user convert.
What is UI Design?
A user interface (UI) Designer is concerned with how the products are formatted. They control what appears on screen, and often work closely with UX Designers in order to create a consistent and cohesive style, such as the use of color schemes and fonts. Someone examining UI Design would advise on where to put content such as menus, error screens, and sidebars.
Skills Required For A UI Designer:
- Prototyping
- Brand development
- Color and Typography
- Foundational design and animation
- Using design software such as Photoshop and Illustrator to refine UX designs, or create their own
Someone with “UI” in their title will want to control the layout (or interface) of a product. They focus on making a website beautiful.
UI vs UX Conclusion
Both UX designers and UI designers ultimately have the user in mind. They work closely together with tech teams in order to form an ideal website, making it both practical and aesthetically sound.
Suffice to say, having one without the other will not be without consequences for the user and website. The skills of both prove so vital that many UX Designers will pick up UI skills and vice versa to become well-rounded. Similarly, Web developers with UX and UI design skills are highly valued. If you’re looking for the right web designer for your website, call Brave River for a free website assessment – our team can help bring your vision to life!