You may have heard the term UI or UX thrown around when it comes to web design. Well, what the heck is UI/UX anyway? Well, we’re back with Education with Emily and I’ll be walking you through these crazy terms.
First things first: what do these letters stand for? Well, UI stands for User Interface, and UX stands for User eXperience. Sometimes we hear them lumped together; and sometimes separately. Truth is, they are two different terms and don’t have the same meaning although people use them interchangeably most days to mean the same thing.
UI (User Interface) can be broadly defined as the items in which the user interacts with within the design. Sometimes this can be presented in the form of a mockup or a set of elements that will be used to guide the user on the page. In my opinion, UI refers more to the design or graphic elements of a design. This can also look like a collection of fonts, colors, icons, photos. Similar to a branding guide but more focused on the elements that users will interact with.
UX (User eXperince) is when we take the user interface and create a path of sorts through our website using those elements. Some UX Designers will use prototyping tools to create different iterations of interactive mockups that can then be evaluated to see which one is more effective at achieving the company’s goal. Similarly to walking into a coffee shop and having little bistro chairs and coffee aroma in the air (ugh, yes, give me coffee), UX designers want all of the elements on the site to build a rapport with the user, giving them an immersive experience on the website that is clear, concise, and ultimately generates a sale.
UI and UX design comes into play in the websites we create here. We do our best to stay up to date on interface trends and can advise you best when it comes to getting your users to complete an action on your site. We want to help our clients by presenting their content clearly and giving users a clear path forward in purchasing goods/services as an end result. Contact us to find out how we can help you help your customers have a positive experience with your website!