Despite being different areas, UI design and UX design areprobably two of the most misunderstood terms in web and application design. Thefact that they’re often grouped together as a single term, UI/UX design, doesn’thelp either. In fact, it might even serve to confuse people more and leads tothem thinking of the two terms as one. In this post, we’ll be separating thetwo and taking a closer look at each to highlight their key differences and to helpyou better understand how they work together.
UI stands for “user interface,” i.e. the graphical interfacewe users see when using software and apps, or even browsing a website. Thisincludes all the buttons, text, images, screen layouts, animations, andpractically any other interactive visual element. Naturally, all of this needsto be designed by someone.
As their title may imply, UI designers are responsible fordesigning user interfaces, so they essentially get to control how the finalsoftware, app, or website looks to its users. This involves things like pickingcolor schemes, button shapes and sizes, and even what font is used. UIdesigners are fundamentally graphic designers and it’s their job to make surethat the overall user interface looks good to the target audience.
UX, on the other hand, stands for “user experience.” Userexperience refers to the way a user interacts with something. This includes howeasy the application or website is to navigate, along with how easy it is forusers to use and accomplish what they set out to do by using it. Naturally, UIdesign plays a huge part in a user’s overall experience – but we’ll get to thatin a minute.
Rather than being solely responsible for aesthetics, userexperience designers are responsible for designing and optimizing aninterface’s structure and functionality. This basically entails organizing thedifferent visual elements designed by the UI designers in a way that both looksgood and ensures that they work together seamlessly. A UX designer’s job reliesheavily on their awareness of current market trends, as well as a solidunderstanding of how the target audience interacts with different applications.
It should be clear by now that both UI and UX design arevital to a well-developed application, which is why design agencies tend toemploy both UI and UX designers, or designers proficient in both fields. UI andUX designers are in constant communication throughout the entire design processand rely on each other’s work to tweak, optimize, and deliver the finalinterface the users get to experience.
In July 2019, renowned Singapore UX/UI designer Alexa Von Charles joined Untitled Project as our new Digital Art Director. With a background in psychology, Alexa’s unique, psychoanalytical approach allows her to better understand the cognitive chemistry between the business, target audience, and the product; resulting in beautifully crafted, yet highly functional, user interfaces. Alexa has worked with an impressive portfolio of clients throughout her years as a UI/UX designer in Singapore and we’re confident that she’ll help us connect with our audiences in ways never thought of before. Spearheading our new product for a major tech partner, Alexa will definitely play a vital role in our growth and expansion into the exciting world of user experience. 2020 is set to be a landmark year for Untitled Project as we continue building and strengthening our digital team to give our work a new dimension. Get in touch with us today to find out how you can benefit from our Singapore UI and UX design services.
