What’s the Deal With UX/UI Design?
User experience and user interface are both vital components when it comes to design. They have their differences, but work together to produce greatness.
UI, or user interface, is “anything a user may interact with to use a digital product or service” (UserTesting). This can include anything from touchscreens to sounds. It’s all about being intuitive and creating aesthetically-pleasing interfaces. On the other hand, UX, or user experience, is “the process of developing and improving the quality of interaction between a user and all facets of a company” (CareerFoundry). It prioritizes finding and solving problems within users. Despite their differences, UX and UI still have similarities and work together. In the product development process, UX design typically comes before UI by mapping out the user journey. After, the visual and interactive factors are created by the UI designer. It’s important to acknowledge this aspect because it helps one understand the similarities as well as the differences.
After scratching the surface of UI and UX, I wanted to look deeper into UX and how it works. In general, “the UX process can be split into three main areas: research, experience and interaction design, and visual design” (Invision). Research is the work and effort that’s put into identifying individuals who would use the product. It also includes business needs as well as systems and process that would be incorporated into the product. Similar to this, experience and interaction design is the process that integrates the research that was conducted. This, like the term states, provides experience and product design. Finally, after all of this has been completed, visual design combines the work and visually produces the product. At this stage, appearance and comfortability are prioritized. User experience takes many aspects into consideration before creating the final product.
Prior to research, I was not too familiar with UI or UX. I just knew what the abbreviation stood for without much meaning behind them. However, I was able to gradually educate myself on the topic and realize how important it is in present-day media. These times, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, have caused many businesses to either close or become reliant on their online presence and figure out how to cater towards their consumers in that way. Although it has always been a vital element, UX and UI have become an even bigger importance now. Being a Graphic Design major, it’s also critical for me to get familiar with this.
In terms of occupation, UX design could be a possibility because of its correlation with my major. There are some new things that I would need to learn, but it could be a possible interest for my profession. Since I’m a senior in my last semester, these are the types of realities I should be aware of and thinking about. I’m still unsure about what I would like to do after graduating. But, looking at choices like user experience design or user interface design gave me new knowledge that helped me understand the design world more.