Understanding UI Design Vs. UX Design
You can’t have a nicely painted house unless you actually have paint and a house to paint. Profound, right? Well, the same rules apply when thinking about your website. It’s just as important to have a well-established foundation for your website as it is to have a visually appealing look, and vice versa. You can’t have one without the other.
That’s why it’s important to understand UI design and UX design. These terms are often used interchangeably, but it’s helpful for business owners to know the difference to ensure both UI and UX design processes are incorporated into their website for optimal performance.
So, what is UI and UX design? Simply put, UI design is how things function and UX design is how things look. Keep reading, though, and we’ll fill you in on the full details of what these terms mean and how using them together will be to your advantage.
What is UI Design?
The “UI” in UI design is an acronym for “user interface.” In simple terms, UI refers to the aesthetic elements of your website that users interact with.
If you think about our house metaphor, UI refers to the framework of that house.
Elements of a user interface can include buttons, toggles, menu bars, and icons — essentially, any visual elements that users can interact with on your website.
UI designing is designing to optimize website functions. Do users know where to find the exact information they are looking for? Do your call-to-actions lead users to the correct page? Do you have an organized page layout in the first place?
These are questions to ask when thinking about UI design and your website. Why? Because having an effective UI design will help you attract users to your website and keep them there for an enjoyable experience.
What is UX Design?
Similarly, the “UX” in UX design stands for “user experience.” User experience is all about — you guessed it — the experience of a user on your website.
In the case of our metaphor, the user experience is the paint on the house’s walls. It’s the family photo hanging above the mantle and the aroma of the caramel-scented candle on the coffee table. You get it. The user experience impacts how the user feels when interacting in your space — or in this case, on your website.
UX designers will focus on all aspects of a user’s experience on a website to ensure it meets the user’s needs. This will include making navigation processes apparent, making the look of each page consistent, and aligning the overall feel of your site with your target audience personas while incorporating data-backed research and optimizations.
A successful UX design will leave users feeling satisfied with their experience of interacting with your website and be more willing to engage with your business as a whole.
How UI Design and UX Design Work Together
We’d encourage you not to make the mistake of thinking you can only focus on one design process over the other. Your website will only be successful if your UI and UX design is working together.
For example, your website may look visually appealing in every sense, but users will most likely leave your site if they have to click through several pages to find the information they are looking for.
On the other hand, users may perceive your website’s functions as intuitive and well organized, but if it looks like it was designed in the ’90s and hasn’t been updated since, they’re just as likely to exit your site.
You must consider both UI and UX design when building or enhancing your website. You — or your UX and UI designers — should collaborate to create an efficient user interface that is also visually appealing. A UX designer will be responsible for aspects like configuring the navigation of the website while the UI designer will give it that attractive look.
OK, But Why Do I Need a Website in the First Place?
Working together, a great user experience will leverage your website’s content and a great user interface will make that content accessible. That’s why it’s so important to understand these two concepts and ensure your website is not lacking in either area.
But you may be asking yourself, why do I even need a website in the first place? Great question.
There are several benefits to having a website for even the smallest of small businesses. First and foremost, a website lets others know your business even exists just by having a presence online — and with great UI and UX design, you’ll attract those quality customers you’ve been after.
Having a well-designed and navigational website will also position your business as credible and with a strong brand will help you define who you are through your website. This can draw in heavy engagement and online interactions with customers who you may otherwise not have engaged with had you not had that online presence.
Having a website for your business is not required, but it is a huge benefit that will help you gain valuable leads and leverage your product or service.
Understanding UI and UX design is one thing, but actually putting these concepts into practice is another. Need someone to help? Contact our team at Dream Media Designs and we’ll help you develop the website your business needs.
