More and more, UX designers are discovering that many employers believe that they have not only UX expertise but also UI design skills. There are many reasons for this demand, however one certainty is for sure: having a working knowledge of both specialisations gives website designers a definite employable edge.
What is UI design?
The “UI” in UI design refers to “user interface.” This interface is the graphical layout of a particular application and consists of the:
- Buttons which users click on,
- The text they read,
- Images, sliders, text entry fields, as well as
- Rest of the items which the user interacts with which includes screen layout, transitions, interface animations as well as every single micro-interaction.
In a nutshell, a UI designer is responsible for designing any visual element, interaction, or animation. Think of UI design in terms of the following formula: User Interface Design = Visual Design + Interaction Design:
- ‘Visual design’ refers to the look and feel of the site; in other words, its personality.
- ‘Interaction design’ is about how people interact with your site. When someone clicks a button on your website, when the button changes in an obvious way – so they know they’ve been successful – this is the handiwork of the UI designer.
They decide on what the application is going to look like to the users. These designers have to make choices such as:
- Colour schemes,
- Button shapes, in addition to
- The width of lines in addition to the fonts used for text.
UI designers are responsible for creating the look and feel of an application’s user interface.
User Interface designers are graphic designers because they’re concerned with aesthetics. It’s up to them to ensure that the application’s interface is attractive, visually-stimulating in addition to being themed appropriately to match the purpose and/or personality of the app. The UI designers need to make sure that every single visual element feels united, both from an aesthetic point of view and in purpose.
