June 2024
UI vs UX: what’s the difference? If you’ve heard of these two terms before, you may think that they’re the same thing, but they’re very different. We’ll discuss what these two abbreviations are and how they relate to your website or app design.
Before you can fully understand the key differences between UI design vs UX design, you need to know what they both stand for in design.
UI or user interface is something that you interact with on your screen. Open up an app on your smartphone and look at the visual elements that you see. Each element is part of your UI, including:
Your UI is how others will navigate your site or app. A lot goes into your user interface, such as choosing the right colors and fonts, planning for how the screen will render and more.
UX is short for user experience. If someone goes to your website or opens your app, the UX and interface design work together harmoniously. Imagine that you open an app and to post a photo, you need to go to post > photo > verification > and go through other steps.
During this whole navigational process, the menu changes and you find yourself tapping on the links multiple times because the page isn’t loading.
Even if the app looks great, would you continue to use it?
Probably not.
Why? The UX was not up to your standards and made using the app more of a hassle than anything else.
UI vs UX has its differences, but without one, you cannot have the other. Key differences exist between the two that can help you better understand what is part of your UI and what is contributing to the UX – both good and bad.
UI vs UX are very different because one has to do with your navigation and the structure of your site or app, but that’s not the only diff between UI and UX. Key differences include:
An app or website always has a look and feel. Looks relate to your UI design and aesthetics and include your visual elements. For example, the UI design relates to your buttons and navigation on the screen.
UX is the feel.
Does the site or app make the user feel like the experience is intuitive and easy to follow? A UX may also cause a person to feel:
High level design is more of your user interface. Individual elements and interactions are all part of your UI, and this is more of a high-level overview of how someone navigates through your site or app.
UX is where all of the fine details exist:
If you look at the site from a high-level view, it may have a stunning UI that looks, on the outside, like it is intuitive and easy to use. But when you begin navigating around the site and look at the fine details of it all, that’s the user experience.
UI designs are typically created using mockups and graphics, whereas UX designs are created via prototypes and wireframes.
Prototyping helps define the user flow and the functionality of the digital product, whereas graphics and mockups suffice for the visual elements of the product.
UX aims to solve problems for users and alleviate pain points, while UI aims to create a visually appealing interface.
Again, this goes back to the look vs. feel concept. UX does the work to create a certain “feeling” when using the product, while UI creates a specific look. Both are important. They just serve different purposes.
The aim of UX design is to create a great user experience through user-friendly design and functionality.
The type of experience you create for users will likely determine whether or not they return to your site or product. In fact, improving a site’s UX design can boost conversion rates by as much as 400%.
On the other hand, a bad UX design can cause 70% of ecommerce customers to abandon their purchases.
In other words, the quality of your UX really does matter.
Great UX design is a must, but it doesn’t happen by accident. It requires extensive research to understand who the users are and the problems they face. Understanding your audience is the first step. Testing and gathering feedback will help refine the design to ensure it resonates with users.
While UX focuses on creating a positive user experience from a functional standpoint, UI design aims to create an intuitive and visually appealing interface.
Without smart UI design, users may have a negative experience. The goal of your UI design should be to make the user’s life easier – not more frustrating.
Good UI design also helps create a positive user experience by making navigation simple and seamless. It helps your product stand out in the crowd, builds trust and can even boost efficiency.
But to create a good impression, you must ensure that your UI:
Ultimately, simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to great UI design.
Although similar in nature, there are some significant differences between UI vs UX. The two work together to shape the user’s experience when they use your app, website or other digital product.
Working with an experienced design professional is the first step to ensuring that your digital product offers the best user interface and user experience.
At BMG Media, we live and breathe design. Our web design and development team has more than a decade of experience in UI and UX design.
Contact us today for a quote and to discuss your design needs.
