The Difference Between UX and UI Design

Posted on: Jul 18, 2024

Sources: Lamprecht, E., Emil Lamprecht Writer for The CareerFoundry Blog. (2023). UX vs. UI Design: What’s the Difference? [2024 Guide]. Retrieved from CareerFoundry

UX design focuses on creating a seamless and meaningful user experience by understanding user needs, researching, and designing intuitive interfaces. In contrast, UI design focuses on a product’s visual, interactive elements to create aesthetically pleasing interfaces.

1. UX vs. UI design

UX design refers to “user experience design,” while UI stands for “user interface design.” Both elements are crucial to a product and work closely together. However, they differ significantly in their roles and focus areas.

A list of differences between UX and UI design

What is user experience (UX) design?

User experience (UX) design is a human-first approach to product design. Don Norman, co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group Design Consultancy, coined the term in the late 1990s. He describes it as:

“User experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.”

UX design applies to anything that can be experienced, such as websites, appliances, or even a visit to the supermarket. It’s not limited to digital fields but has found its primary application there due to the rise of the tech industry.

What does UX design involve?

UX designers focus on how an experience makes users feel and how easily they accomplish tasks. For example:

How easy is the checkout process when shopping online?
Does your app simplify managing your finances?
Is the handle of a vegetable peeler comfortable to grip?

UX Tasks and Responsibilities

Key areas of UX design work include:

Strategy and Content:
- Competitor and user research
- Product structure and strategy
- Content development
Wireframing and Prototyping:
- Creating wireframes and prototypes
- Testing and iterating designs
Execution and Analytics:
- Collaborating with UI designers and developers
- Tracking goals and iterating based on user feedback

What is user interface (UI) design?

UI design focuses on the visual and interactive elements of a product. This includes buttons, typography, colors, and animations, ensuring that the product’s interface is intuitive and aesthetically pleasing.

UI Tasks and Responsibilities

Visual Design:
- Design research
- Branding and graphics development
- User guides and storylines
Responsiveness and Interactivity:
- Prototyping interactive elements
- Adapting designs for different devices
- Implementing designs with developers

2. Key Differences Between UX and UI Design

UX and UI are complementary but distinct disciplines:

UX Design: Focuses on solving user problems and mapping out the user’s journey.
UI Design: Enhances this journey through visuals and interactivity.

Infographic comparing UX and UI tasks

“A great product experience starts with UX followed by UI. Both are essential for the product’s success.” – Rahul Varshney, Co-creator of Foster.fm

Summary

UX is about the overall feel of the experience.
UI focuses on how the product’s interface looks and functions.
Both are needed to create successful products.

3. How UX and UI Work Together

Helga Moreno explains:

“Something that looks great but is difficult to use exemplifies great UI and poor UX. Conversely, something very usable but visually unappealing demonstrates great UX but poor UI.”

Why Do Companies Combine UX/UI Roles?

Many job ads list UX/UI together due to overlapping skills and the relatively new nature of these fields. It’s important to read job descriptions carefully to understand the actual focus.