UI vs. UX Design : The Fundamental Differences
UI vs. UX Design
UI ( User Interface) and UX ( User Experience) are two terms that are used interchangeably by many. The terms are confusing and the difference, even though prominent, is hard to tell for a layman. We may find it difficult to correct someone in the office who uses UX when he means UI because we do not understand the two terms clearly.
However, once you get an idea of the two, the difference is stark and easy to point out. It is imperative to know this clearly as you might come across the terms frequently if you are somehow involved with a web design agency. Moreover, there are job opportunities for UI and UX designers. Many New York-based web design companies are looking for expert UI and UX designers. So who knows, maybe it will turn out to be the career change that you are looking for.
But before you start dreaming, you have to know what the two are. The fundamental difference is elegantly put to words by the host of User defenders podcast Jason Ogle: “UI is the bridge that gets us where we want to go, UX is the feeling we get when we arrive.”
UI – User Interface
User Interface is a mid-agent that aids the communication between humans and machines. In the age of the internet, UI stands for is everything that contributes to the look, feel and presentation of a website. It also includes page interactivity. UI creates color schemes, spacing, placement of icons and buttons and everything that is visually perceptible to the user. A web design company that provides quality UI services is hence in high demand.
UX – User Experience
UX or User Experience, as the name indicates, is everything that the user experiences. It focuses on how the webpage makes the person feel and how easily she can navigate and accomplish the desired task. Unlike UI, UX is not about the visuals but the overall feel of the website.
As you have guessed by now, a good UX design is integral in improving the quality of interaction between the firm and the client. A quality UX design creates a pleasant experience for the user. By incorporating modern UX design practices, it is the responsibility of the web design company to ensure that the needs of customers are met efficiently and reliably.
Comparison between UI and UX design – UI vs UX
The fundamental difference between the two the listed below:
| User Experience (UX) | User Interface (UI) |
| Applicable to physical and digital products | Applicable only to digital products |
| Gives importance to the overall feel of the user | Gives importance to the aesthetic appearance of the |
| Avoids all roadblocks in the user experience by using structural design | Creates typography by using animation, imagery, buttons and color combinations |
Importance of UI/UX design
UI and UX make the page more humane and easy to follow. A website without UI and UX is unimaginable. It would be difficult, even impossible, for the user to navigate the page and find what they want. This explains the mushrooming of web design firms in New York.
As seen earlier, UI focuses on aesthetic appeal. A webpage will be bland and unpalatable without a UI expert working behind it. With the right UI design, you will be able to easily spot out what you need. Moreover, the page will become attractive with the apt color schemes, spacing, placement of icons and buttons.
A website without UX would be tedious to navigate. The user will feel like she is trapped in the woods with no way out. If she wants to check out a product, she will face one obstacle after the other. UX makes the process linear and user-friendly.
Generally speaking, UI and UX make the web what we see today: a user-friendly space where you can get what you are looking for without much effort.
