A comprehensive guide on what is User Interface and User Experience

What is User Interface?

User Interfaces serve as a medium for humans to interact with the machine. Machines have a diverse range of definitions, but what I think machines are, is that they make human lives easy. The same holds for user interfaces as well.

In turn, user interfaces have many definitions and applications. Even your device falls under the scope of the user interface, be it a simple calculator or a complex aircraft dashboard. Now, you might be asking, ‘How is that possible?’ Let me remind you once again of the definition of the user interface.

‘In the industrial design field of human-computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine from the human end, while the machine simultaneously feeds back information that aids the operator’s decision-making process.’

Wikipedia

There are many kinds of user interfaces. 29, if we differentiate and categorize every kind of them. The type of user interface we are most concerned about is Graphical User Interface or GUI.

We see this Graphical User Interface (GUI) almost everywhere around us. It is more like we have surrounded our daily lives with interfaces. When we get up in the morning to when we get into our bed to sleep, we are surrounded by interfaces. Let alone setting an alarm or catching up on the to-do list for the day.

Isn’t that alarming? ⏰

Time Mma GIF by UFC - Find & Share on GIPHY

What is User Experience?

User experience as the word suggests is the experience a user has while using any product. The ease of interaction and efficiency helps users understand the product better.

UX is an ever-widening aspect of any product. Its operation begins long before the thinking process. UX is about creating, branding, and managing the product without much complexity. Simplifying the approach in order to achieve quality consumers is the prime goal of User Experience.

In terms of Graphical User Interface (GUI), commonly known as User Interface (UI), the user interacting with the components is what makes its user experience. UX always work behind the scenes, making communication with the interface smooth, understanding, cognisant, acquainted with the design and a grasp of how the system works.

To make it simple, think of an alarm clock. When you want to make it stop ringing, you simply slide over a button. The understanding, process, reaction and interaction to make the ringing stop is what amounts to the app’s user experience (UX).

Doesn’t that alarm sound too much?

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Similarities and Differences between UI and UX

While both UI and UX design aim at creating user-friendly interfaces, both of them have different concerns of delighting a user while using an interface. Both disciplines work hand in hand to fulfil user experience needs.

Similarities in UX and UI Designing:

The approach in UX and UI Designing is slightly different. However, some might argue that there is no relation between them. There are a few similarities, and they hold much value.

  • Both UI and UX’s goal is to satisfy users’ needs.
  • UX and UI work hand in hand. Even the most alluring UI design would cause a bad user experience without UX.
  • Both UI and UX design are created to understand the purpose of the product.
  • Both UI and UX design benefit from understanding design thinking processes on how to proceed with the information.
  • Both UI and UX designers need to have the same shared set of skills. i.e, the design must be communicative and sensitive towards the users.

Differences in UX and UI designing:

There are a lot of differences between UI and UX design. While UX designing processes activate even before the start of the visual design, UI designing deals with its creative way of presentation.

  • UX design is mainly from the analytical point of view, while UI design focuses on its creative perspective.
  • UX design focuses on how a user would interact with the interface while UI Design focuses on how good the interface would look.
  • UX design works on the principle of data, what the pain points of users are, and what part they are stuck to, while UI design works on the principles of patterns and best practices.
  • UX design is concerned about the whole architecture of the product or interfaces while UI design is concerned about the responsiveness of the design.

UX design is the guide on which UI design is styled

There are many more differences between UI and UX designing; this is by no means an exhaustive list of the relationship between UI and UX designing. When teamed up together, UI and UX designers create the most innovative and interactive and unique solution for a product that works best for the users.

With all that said, what type of design are you starting your career in?