For someone outside the design and software world, the notions of UX and UI are similar. But they do have a rather different meaning.
The UX is mostly about the experience that a user has with something provided by a business. UI on the other hand is a combination of buttons, interfaces, widgets that the customer can interact with. In this article, we are sharing the difference between the two notions and how sometimes they are dependent on one another!
Defining the User Interface
Simply put, the user interface is just about anything that allows the user to interact with a website, digital service, or product. This can include screens, lights, sounds, keyboards, touchscreens, and so on. The user interface itself consists of buttons, sliders, text entry fields, images, the text on that page, and so on.
It also includes visual elements like animations, widgets, transitions. All of these need to be added seamlessly and the
UI designer needs to ensure that the way the interface is created makes sense for the customer.
After all, the way that the user interface is created will bring in a certain look and feel.
And it’s that look and feels that will end up showcasing value or pushing potential customers away. It’s a very thin line, which is why the visuals and the interface itself need to match the personality and purpose of that tool, app, or service. Each one of the visual elements needs to be united when it comes to the way they look but also regarding their purpose.
Defining the User Experience
UX, also known as the user experience is usually determined by the way people are interacting with the app or the service you are providing. You need to see if the way the users navigate everything is logical and seamless.
You always want to offer a smooth user experience and ensure that all unnecessary steps are removed as fast as possible. The UX is determined by how simple or hard it can be for the user to interact with the UI elements. So in many ways, the UX is determined by the UI designers.
However, the UX can be improved by UX professionals as they can optimize some of the methods used to interact with the interface. They can also remove some steps or just make the experience a lot more fluid and seamless.
Both UI and UX are crucial when it comes to creating a digital product or service and presenting it to the audience. It’s a true challenge because customers have specific expectations, and you will need to optimize both the UX and UI design accordingly to offer the best value.
Of course, these notions also rely on as much feedback as possible, as that’s what will give customers a sense of integral quality and purpose while also eliminating any of the challenges that can arise. Ideally, UX and UI designers need to work together, as that’s the only way to bring amazing results for the customer base!
