During the age of digitalization, UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) design have become a necessary skill to craft websites, apps, and software that truly interact with users. If you're just beginning to learn design or you're a developer who wants to know more about design principles, this guide walks you through the fundamentals of UI/UX design in 8 straightforward sections—no jargon, no nonsense.
We'll work through it step by step so that you can build good foundations and start designing with confidence.
What is UI/UX Design?
UI and UX are often used interchangeably, but they are mutually exclusive but different design components of a product.
UI (User Interface) is the visual structure of a product—what humans see and engage with. That's buttons, icons, color palettes, fonts, and padding.
UX or User Experience is the overall experience a user gets when he uses a product. It's the feel of the product: Is it simple to use? Is the flow intuitive? Does it efficiently get the job done by the user?
A good example to grasp:
If you order something through an app, buttons, menu, and colors you're clicking on are the UI. How smoothly you order, monitor it, and get it without getting confused—that's UX.
Simply put, UI is what you see, and UX is how it feels and functions.
The Key Differences Between UI and UX
Although UI and UX go hand in hand, they address different aspects of the product development process. UI is all about creating the product surface—the look and feel. It's about how welcoming, consistent, and interactive the interface is.UX, on the other hand, is all about the experience. It starts with learning about people, learning about their issues, and creating solutions that add value. UX designers are all about structure, logic, flow, and usability in general. stunningly designed UI is useless if it frustrates or bewilders the user (bad UX).
Alternatively, a stunningly designed user flow can be a flop if the UI is old-fashioned or illogical. A wonderful product demands great UI and well-thought-out UX.
