UI vs UX: Similarities, Differences, and When to Hire a Hybrid UI/UX Designer
Throughout my career working as a UI/UX designer, it has been a challenge to explain my profession to non-tech people. My reasoning for this is two-fold. For one, it can be difficult to explain because there is a common misconception that software is only made by engineers, and so, the role of a designer is relegated to digital marketing and aesthetics.
The second reason is that the concept of UI/UX design is an ongoing conundrum. It’s not widely understood that this term is two roles intertwined, both with very different and equally important functions for building a successful product. This is generally because UX and UI design fall into the category of jobs that everyone has heard of—because they’ve entered the common lexicon—but that many people don’t fully understand. Another example of this is a Blockchain developer. You have probably heard of them, but could you explain what they do day-to-day?
Table Of Contents
What’s more significant is that because there is a gap in understanding the roles of each discipline, UI/UX design does not always get the attention it deserves in software projects. The temptation to “dive in and start coding” has led many teams astray. This oversight often results in a product that may have a great user interface design, but a poor user experience design, or vice versa. One without the other just isn’t going to be a functional, intuitive, and enjoyable product for the user.
So, what is the difference between UI and UX? Why are these differences significant? Should I be hiring a hybrid UI/UX designer, or should these be treated as separate roles? These are some of the questions I will unpack in an effort to bridge the gap and explain why the role of a UI/UX designer is so important for the success of a digital product.
The Difference Between UI and UX Design
While the terms are often used interchangeably, User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design are distinct disciplines. UX functions to enhance user satisfaction by improving a product’s usability and accessibility. It strives to create an experience without any friction between the user-product relationship.
Comparatively, User Interface design focuses predominantly on the visual representation of the product and its interactions. This design works to create a seamless visual experience for the user.
To use a real-world example, imagine all the different types of doors that exist on buildings, specifically their handles. Also, keep in mind all the times you’ve accidentally pushed a pull door, or vice-versa. Let’s consider this with respect to UI and UX:
- Good UI: Being able to intuitively tell whether you need to push or pull a door by looking at it
- Bad UI: It’s ambiguous whether a door should be pushed or pulled. Even worse: it’s ambiguous which side of the door you’re meant to interact with (think grocery store freezers).
- Good UX: Succeeding in opening the door upon first interaction
- Bad UX: Failing to open the door upon the first interaction, and experiencing an awkward moment as a result
