Right or wrong, it’s very pleasant to break something from time to time
UX design refers to user experience design, while UI design stands for user interface design. Both of these are crucial to an IT product and need to work closely together.
Despite being very integral to each other, the roles themselves are quite different, involving distinct processes.
What is UI design?
The user interface is the graphical layout of an application.
It consists of the buttons users click on, the text they read, the images, sliders, text entry fields, and all the rest of the items the user interacts with.
This includes screen layout, transitions, interface animations and every single micro-interaction. Any sort of visual element, interaction, or animation must all be designed.
UI designers create the look and feel of an application’s user interface.
What is UX design?
A user’s experience of the app is determined by how they interact with it.
Is the experience smooth and intuitive or clunky and confusing? Does navigating the app feel logical or does it feel arbitrary?
Does interacting with the app give people the sense that they’re efficiently accomplishing the tasks they set out to achieve or does it feel like a struggle?
User experience is determined by how easy or difficult it is to interact with the user interface elements that the UI designers have created.
UI elements
Every day we work on tasks, write bug reports, check apps design, write test cases, etc. It's important to use a correct naming for different elements in the app so everyone on the project is on the same page. Of course, some elements have various names.
In the next few sections, UI elements are shown. They are divided in three pages: web apps, iOS apps and Android apps.
These can also serve as helpful intros:
UI elements Understanding the User's Perspective in UX Design
At the core of UX design lies the imperative to understand the user's perspective thoroughly. UX designers are tasked with ensuring that the application aligns with user needs, goals, and expectations. To achieve this, they delve deep into user psychology, studying behaviors, preferences, and pain points to craft a seamless and intuitive experience.
Key Steps in UX Design
User Research: UX designers use surveys, interviews, usability testing, and analytics to gather insights into user behaviors and preferences.
Information Architecture: They organize content and features logically for easy user navigation and task completion.
Prototyping and Testinge: UX designers create prototypes, test with users, and iteratively improve product layout and functionality.
Usability and Accessibility: They ensure inclusivity by designing for various abilities, screen sizes, and adhering to accessibility standards like WCAG.
While UX and UI design are distinct disciplines, they are closely intertwined. UX designers provide the foundational user-centric research and structure upon which UI designers build. The UI elements and visual aesthetics created by UI designers should align with the user experience principles established by UX designers to create a cohesive and enjoyable product.