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If you are a designer or web developer, you’ve probably heard of the terms “UX” and “UI” before. If not, these two terms may sound like something out of a science fiction movie. But in the world of technology, UI and UX are two words that are frequently mentioned and sometimes used interchangeably. But what do these terms mean?
User Interface (or UI) refers to the visual elements that the audience interacts with when visiting a website, app or any other device. This can be screens, buttons, toggles and icons. When developing a website or an app, a UI designer will organize the page layout, choose the color palettes and fonts, and design all interactive elements such as scrollers, toggles, drop-down menus, text fields and other buttons. They will also make high-fidelity wire-frames and layouts to show users what the final design will look like. User interface is more visual; this is the color, typography, layout and overall aesthetic of a website.
User experience (UX) is the entire interaction a user has with a product, including how they feel about it. The goal is to create a product that is accessible, functional and enjoyable. The term “UX” often applies to digital products (like websites, smartphones, apps, etc.), but this can also be applied to traditional products as well (a good example would be household appliances such as coffee makers, laundry devices, etc.). The role of a UX designer is to conduct research to identify goals, needs, behaviors, etc. that are involved with a product interaction, develop user personas based on their target audience, analyze how a user interacts with a product, build wire-frames and prototypes to hone in on what the final product will look like, perform user testing to validate the design and identify any problems and collaborate with stakeholders, developers and UI designers.
These terms are different, yet go hand in hand in producing an amazing product- be it a website or a household item. As marketers, it’s important to understand these terms and the work that goes into it. Making sure a product (or even our company website) looks great and is accessible to our target audience is also a part of what we do, even though we are not designers.
Happy Advertising!
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