In this blog post, we have given a brief differentiation between UI and UX design. The differences will help you make the right choice while hiring UI/UX designers from design agencies.
User Experience (UX) is a broad term, the conglomeration of a myriad of factors implemented for optimization of products for ensuring its effective and enjoyable use, whereas User Interface (UI) is used for augmenting appearance, feel, interaction and presentation of products. Most of the individuals have a wrong perception that differences between UI and UX design is mere and serve the same purposes, but the reality is far from the truth.
The difference between UI and UX design doesn’t deter businesses from expecting that UX designers will have expertise in UI design too, and vice-versa. They often wish to hire either of the experts from an app company, to handle the entire project.
We are going to discuss here the biggest difference between UI and UX design that will help businesses understand why they need to give equal attention to both designers and also what benefits they will be able to gain by hiring UX and UI designers.
Differences Between UI and UX Design
Though there is a difference between UI and UX, both have a common role in making mobile applications meaningful and user-friendly. UX design is defined as an important process that helps designers identify the actual needs of users, which is an important process to sketch out a rough prototype that is further validated or invalidated based on the requirements. UI is a combination of both visual and interaction design. The visual design employs an overall look, feel and personality of your application. Interaction design, on the other hand, imparts an important way that people interact with your product. Though both UX and UI designers are engaged in designing interactions. But, UX designers play the role of macro-interaction architects whereas UI designers as a micro-interaction architect.
UX designers define the step that users would like to follow to sign up for newsletters, messages, etc. Their design is then passed to UI experts who further refine it by adding color and also emphasize on the original design, and help users get clues to navigate the process of sign up successfully.
Also read: A Comprehensive Mobile App UI/UX Design Process
Work Order
UX Design is the First Step
In general, UX design is the primary stage of analyzing and planning to create any application or product. UX professionals are concerned about handling in-depth research works that can validate or invalidate the app ideas and provide proper guidance for the development of the products.
UI Design is the Second Step
Once prototyping is done after going through multiple phases, UI design is then created to enhance the visual design as well as micro-interactions, which are based on various factors that include who are concerned about handling the UX and UI – is it the same or different team?
Interface
UX Makes Interface Useful
In simple terms, UX defines the entire journey of customers that they make while using mobile apps. It involves a research-based competitive study, which develops and improves personas and building an MVP based on the needs and expectations of the target audience. The MVP is further validated with the testing throughout its lifecycle.
UI Improves Beauty of Interface
The user interface includes making a selection of typography and color scheme while ensuring these will be easier to use and also highly attractive. On the other hand, the selection of these factors is based on the defined reasons specific to the type of product. UI also involves the implementation of a visual hierarchy that is meant to serve as users’ guide and helps them in completing their goals easily.
Users
UX helps Users Fulfill Their goals
UX is all about figuring out the needs of users and also what’s important to them. During the process, professionals observe people, interview them, etc. Based on these, final prototypes are made and then guerrilla testing is performed. These are further important to observe if they can validate the product value proposition and business.
UI Connects Users Emotionally
An appealing UI easily catches the attention of users and makes them hooked to your mobile application for longer. It establishes a personal and emotional connection with users and enables them to do the stuff following their interests.
Scope
UX is Applicable For a Range of Products, Services, and Interfaces
UX design is gaining popularity day-by-day for being widespread, applicable for a range of products, services, interfaces, etc. It not only caters to the business having a digital presence but also for various others engaged in developing products and offering UI/UX services that are catching onto the value of need.
UI is Only For Interface
Though UI is only for User Interfaces, it doesn’t reflect that it is limited to the graphic user interfaces only. Nowadays, you can easily observe the presence of interface on various devices such as washing machines, watches, vending machines, car dashboards and lots more.
Conclusion
UX and UI, both have a vital role to make a product, scalable and increase its brand value in the market. After going through the differences between UI and UX, we can conclude that UX design serves its main purpose to assist users with helping them accomplish their main tasks across platforms, whereas UI makes interface visually appealing to connect with users easily. So, businesses are advised to keep the difference between UI and UX Design in mind while hiring these professionals.
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