Intelligent Design: UI vs. UX

Users always come first. Period.

If users find a site difficult to use, they leave. If they can’t figure out how to use the site or what they’re supposed to do, they’ll find a new site. To make sure that neither of these things happen, our web designers spend a lot of time thinking about user experience and user interface, two interrelated–and essential–elements of every website.

User Interface

A website’s user interface is the space where users interact with the website. The magnifying glass on many websites signifying a search function is an example of user interface–it signals to users that by clicking on it, they can search the site. Things like hovers that show that certain text is linked are another example: the hover shows users that they can follow the link by clicking on the word. Elements like these–the ways that a website shows users how to approach it and what they can do–make up a site’s user interface.

When our designers create the user interface for a site we’re designing and building, they focus on things like highlighting the calls to action in ways that make it obvious what users should be doing. If the site requires that a user fill out a request form to receive additional information, it should be very easy to get to the page where the request form is located. Once users get to that form, it should be easy to fill out and not visually overwhelming.

A well-designed user interface creates a great user experience.

User Experience

Designer and founder of The Hipper Element blog Joel Marsh wisely–and concisely–states, “The goal of a UX designer is to make users effective.”

A great user experience means that visitors can quickly and intuitively use a website to find information they need, purchase a product, make a donation, etc. When a user enters a well-designed site with a great user experience, they should immediately know what they’re looking at, what the benefit for them is, and what they should do next.

To create a great user experience, designers need to thoroughly understand users–their level of understanding, what they want out of the website, and the path they’ll take to get there. Designers get it right when they unite the organization’s goals for a website–the message that it wants to communicate and what it wants users to do–with users’ goals. If organizational goals are prioritized over user experience, users won’t stay on the site.

Speak to the user with unique, clearly-communicated value propositions that solve their pains. Take time to walk through the process. Know your users and do your research so that the website communicates your message effectively, and you’ll see results like higher conversions, sales, and user onboarding.

For further reading on user experience, check out these articles:

7 Unbreakable Laws of User Interface Design

99 Designs

10 Useful Techniques to Improve Your User Interface Design

Smashing Magazine

The 3 What’s of User Perspective

The Hipper Element

20 Landing Pages Torn Apart

Unbounce

What Is User Experience Design? Overview, Tools And Resources

Smashing Magazine