There are lots of terms and ideas you need to familiarize yourself with when it comes to web design. The truth is that it can be very overwhelming at first, which is why we suggest focusing on a few important terms first.
When it comes to creating a good website, two key concepts might come to mind immediately – UX and UI. For the uninitiated, UX and UI might sound like too similar terms that aren’t any different from one another. However, understanding the key differences between these two can be the key to helping you create the best website for your business or passion.
What Is UX?
UX or user experience refers to a specialization of web design where the focus is on user behavior and feeling when exploring the website. This concept is under the scope of many ideas in web design but the idea is to understand things from the perspective of the user.
Look at it this way – when designing your website, how would you want your visitor to act or feel? Are you trying to get them to do a specific action or are you trying to get them to feel something specific? UX is a complex subject of web design but it’s one that can determine the performance of your website too.
Of course, the idea is to have a website UX that’s smooth and easy. You don’t want your visitors to feel confused about the overall layout of your website. You’d want them to be able to get to whatever it is they came for when visiting your website – be it looking for answers to their questions or ordering one of your products.
What Is UI?
UI on the other hand stands for the user interface. It is a specialization of web design that focuses on how your website is able to direct what people should and shouldn’t do on the platform. This includes adding button displays, gesture controls for apps, etc.
To put it simply, UI refers to how your website will look in the eyes of a visitor. The goal of UI is to have something that’s easy to navigate and understand. People don’t like having to browse through hundreds of menus to get to what they’re looking for inside a website or an online platform.
What Is The Difference?
For a web designer, UI mostly focuses on the aesthetic aspect of a website. On the other hand, UX focuses more on the “feel” or the ”experience” of a website. One cannot be without the other. That is why many web designers try to balance having an eye-catching UI with a UX that’s incomparable.
UI and UX are easy to confuse with one another but they are both completely different ideas. Mastering UI and UX are keys to a great website. However, bear in mind that there are lots of other things that you need to take care of if you want your website to be good at generating conversions and sales.