The Difference Between UX And UI Design Explained For Non-Developers

If you have spent any time around the programming or web design industry, you have probably heard the terms UX and UI bandied about. Maybe you have some idea of what these terms mean and how they are used within the tech industry. Maybe you have no idea. No matter what your current state of knowledge, it is a good idea to get to know the difference between these two forms of design.

Even if you never write a computer program or design a website, understanding the key differences between UX and UI can help you take charge of your tech life and move forward in your career. You may not be a programmer or a web designer, but learning about UX and UI design can help you become a more effective manager or better business owner.

When your programming and web development friends chat about the UX of a website, they are talking about its user experience design. Simply put, the UX is how the end user views the website. When you log on to the Amazon.com website or type a search term into Google, you do not care about the programming prowess or underlying algorithms – you just want to find what you are looking for. That is what the UX is all about.

The term UI is related but somewhat different. When web designers talk about UI they are speaking of the user interface design. The user interface is how the user relates to a particular operating system, program or website. If you remember the old DOS operating system and how it was eventually replaced by Windows, you have seen the impact of superior UI up close.

The original Windows operating system replaced the distinctly user-unfriendly DOS interface with a much easier to use graphical interface. While some old techies still preferred DOS, the public at large clearly loved the Windows UI, and they voted with their dollars.

In many ways, the UX and UI concepts are interrelated. A website with a well-built user interface is likely to create a positive user experience, but behind the scenes, the two concepts are quite different.

Quality UX design is far more analytical, requiring an in-depth knowledge of programming concepts and the technical aspects underlying the website.  UI design, on the other hand, is much more closely related to old-style graphic design. In a sense, you can think of the difference between UX and UI as the difference between science and art.

There is another analogy that might be helpful when understanding both the distinctions between UX and UI and how they must work together to create a cohesive and unified whole. You can think of the programming code that underlies the site as the bones – without that rigid structure, the entire things fall apart. In that body analogy, the UX design would be the organs, supporting the vital functions of the website and ensuring that everything is running smoothly.

To carry that analogy a bit further, the website’s UI design would be the five senses – sight, touch, smell, taste and smell. The UI design is how the user experiences the world through the website, operating system, video game or other piece of technology.

This is not a perfect analogy, but it is a good place to start. In order to function properly, every website needs both a robust UX and a great UI design. Without a great user experience, the website will quickly be abandoned. If the user interface is not easy to use, first-time users are unlikely to come back for a second look.

User Experience design

User experience design is a vital part of building a great website, and no technology company can afford to ignore this vital aspect of the programming and web building process. When used properly UX can improve branding, build brand loyalty, boost customer satisfaction and drive sales.

The user experience is all about building ease of use and usability into the website. The interaction between the end user, or customer, and the product is key, and it is at the heart of UX design.

It is important to note that UX design is not confined to websites. Good UX design is just as vital to digital products, from video games to mobile apps. More importantly, the term UX design is broad enough to encompass all interactions between current and would-be customers and the company.

Nor is user experience confined to the digital world. You hear customer service experts talk about improving user experience all the time, whether they are talking about restaurant meals, the furniture shopping experience or the process of buying a car. The same concepts that go into creating a great user experience for the company website can be extended to everything the business does.

User Interface design

User interface design is just as critical to the business as the user experience. Smart companies know that the user experience and user interface are complementary halves of an overall whole, and they understand the importance of creating a positive impression of the company through the proper use of technology.

When properly implemented, a good user interface is an extension of the branding efforts the company has already built. The user interface should be easy for the customer to interact with, and the design should be intuitive and simple to navigate.

Graphic design is a major component of creating a quality user interface, but that does not mean there is no technology involved. User interface is a multi-faceted role, requiring a wide range of skills. Moreover, the required skills can vary from company to company, making the field even more challenging. Some firms may want their user interface teams to have a strong programming background, while others may lean toward applicants with a graphic design or artistic background. Reading job descriptions carefully and making sure your skills are a good match for the opening is the best way to succeed in this sometimes esoteric field.

In its simplest terms, the user interface is the point at which the computer system or digital product and the user interact. Whether that digital product is a video game, a mobile app or a website, the concept behind UI is the same.

Winding things up

A career in UX or UI design can be very rewarding, but as with any field of endeavor a basic understanding of the concepts underlying the segment is a vital first step. Whether you are coming from a programming background or more artistic field, moving into UX or UI design can be a smart career move. The more you know about how UX and UI work, both separately and together, the easier it will be to make the move to this potentially lucrative field.