UI is not UX, UX is not UI
The process of figuring out the pain points of the users is a part of User Experience Design, followed by rough sketching and brainstorming session for solutions. Then we validate the sketches (Low Fidelity prototypes) through various UX methodologies like Heuristic Evaluations and Cognitive Walkthrough (Methods where experts use rules of thumb to measure the usability of design concepts).
After several iterations in the design, we will move forward with the high fidelity prototypes and development.
You can think of UI design or user interface design in this way:
User Interface Design = Visual Design + Interaction Design.
Visual design is the look and feel of the digital product. Interaction design is the way people interact with your digital product.
When someone interacts with a button on your website or application, does the button gives feedback on hovering or maybe changes noticeably so that the user knows it, they already have interacted with the specific button?
People ignore design that ignores people.
-Frank Chimero, Designer
A UX Designer will likely design the whole product by keeping the user in mind. From the needs of the user to the problems, they’ve been facing.
User Experience Designer will design the user flows, the step the user will take to register on the platform. For Example: How will they learn that they need to register for further benefits? What will be their action while registering on the website?
After the UX Designer designs the User flow, it’s passed to the User Interface Designer. Who is responsible for making the user flow more interactive and at the same time aesthetically pleasing. Refining those interactions by adding color and by providing proper clues to the user to help them successfully register themselves.
How UI affect the user emotionally?
People look for solutions to their problems every time. If they land on your website or application, They’ll have a goal in mind to accomplish. Be it searching for a 2BHK flat or booking an appointment with a dentist to get a root canal, or maybe they want to buy a cool gift for their partners. It can be anything.
The first step for the UX Designer is to figure out the target audience, Which can be of any demographic, depending on the product. For which designers have to study their mindset, psychology, and what’s important to them. What are they searching for exactly? What are their needs? What are their pain points while looking for a place to stay in the city? Here, UX designers take interviews, observes people, then they might make prototypes and end up asking passersby for their thoughts about it.
Everything is designed, few things are
designed well. -Brian Reed
To design a product Well, designers need to understand their users and their emotional perception. People will visit your website just because it looks good, But if they stay there and use the service provided, then it makes your product useful. However, Once they make an emotional connection with the product, they’ll keep using your services. They started trusting you, Believing in the service you’re providing. So making their journey of accomplishing the task is to be fun and positive. That’s where the UI designer steps in and takes charge.
UX Design: A huge umbrella
When it comes to UX design, It is Huge. Like seriously! A broad field and it’s becoming one of the most popular fields day by day. From small scale start-ups to large scale MNCs are adapting according to the needs. Be it websites or mobile applications, most of the companies are willing to understand their product users and their mindsets, to make it more successful. Validating their understanding before they start developing the product is the best option.
While User Interface design sticks to one region that is User Interface, it does not make it limited to websites and applications. Every digital screen needs a graphical user interface. Nowadays, car dashboard systems, Music Players, watches, and many more. We see digital screens everywhere in our life. Which makes the User Interface Design a key player in the whole game of development.
Takeaways
- We should always design products keeping our users in mind.
- Understanding them and their pain points will help us to come up with the best solution to their problems.
- UX design exists to make users’ tasks easy and efficient. On the other hand, making that journey aesthetically beautiful that affects the user emotionally is where UI designer comes in the scene.
Good design stands out. Great design fits in.
– M. Cobanli