User interface and User design are so closely related that most of than not people confuse the two. The point of agreement is that both UI/UX design play an integral role in deciding the success and failure of a mobile application. UI design, usually known as the visual design. It is directly related to the technology and visuals being used. UX design is linked to the user experience; users’ thoughts and feelings as they come in contact with the technology. They both compliment each other in the technology world.
If you’re still confused about the two and can’t establish the difference between them then you’re not alone, even people working in the field sometimes can’t. People often have disagreements over what part is the UI and what part is the UX. You can hire individual developers and companies for UI/UX design services.
A True Story of User Interface and Experience:
Every one of us is a user of these mobile apps and has our own experiences with these apps. I would like to share my experience with a very popular app that we all use daily. Instagram for one is a very popular app but I have experienced the slow update process of Instagram quite a few times. The app shows that the feed is updated but it isn’t in actuality. It lags when it comes to feed updates fast and doesn’t even inform the user why it couldn’t refresh the feed. I would appreciate it if the app would inform me as to why it couldn’t refresh the feed but unfortunately, it doesn’t. This where the UI and UX design services of an app have a role to play. If the app has an effective UI and UX design, it will not lag and would have guaranteed a better user experience.
What is UI/UX Design and What Does UI Mean:
UI and UX are used together and interchangeably as well but that doesn’t warrant that they both are the same thing. They are somehow inextricably linked and having an understanding Of both will help you improve the quality of the mobile. UI and UX designers are experts that can help you configure the loopholes in your app and make improvements to those.
UI known as User Interface is every part of the technology that the user comes in contact with. From home pages of the app to buttons, screens, sound icons, input systems, dropdown menus, navigation systems, etc. Everything that the user touches, hears, and interacts with while using an app falls under the UI. UI is the point that grants human software interaction, be it on a mobile, a web page, or a device. This has to be intuitive to give the best user experience and that’s where UX (User experience) comes in that we will touch upon in a bit.
UI is refer to as a visual design that links it more to the arts than the sciences but it is a mix of both. The software has to perform seamlessly and efficiently in the background of an app. It must act on the provided user information guarantying users an easy and effortless experience. This will lead to the formation of customer feedback and it goes beyond the simple functionality of the app. It is the overall design, look, and interactive functionality of the app that shapes the user feedback.
The UX of a Design:
UX known as the User Experience shapes up the emotions, thoughts, and attitudes the user has while interacting with the app. While UI is the point of interaction between the user and technology, UX grants the interaction. While UI is half art and half technology as discussed above, UX is half design and half psychology. The psychology part of it should is pretty obvious considering it mirrors the user’s emotions, thoughts, and feelings while being on an app. This is the difference between UI and UX and how both of them work.
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Some Core Components of UX Design are as Follows:
- Information Architecture
- Interactive Design
- Usability
- Wireframing
- Visual Design
Information Architecture:
Information Architecture referred to as the IA, is all about devising the business strategies by designing the applications and website’s information structure accordingly. The major task of the IA is to provide the users with easy navigation and easily follow applications. It’s the combination of the best permutations and combinations that provides the best user experience and easy navigation.
Interactive Design:
Interactive design is a design that is easy to understand and interact with while the user accesses the application. This interaction includes various elements such as aesthetics, color, font, icons, images, motion, sound, space, graphics, etc.
Usability:
Usability can be termed user-friendliness as well. It figures out if the users get the information they are looking for while on the page and the website even if they are visiting for the first time and if the application/website is easy to navigate. Usability is also the comprehension of errors and how to handle them in a way that keeps the user free of any hassle.
Wireframing:
Wireframing is about creating a sample of the application. It use to test the features, look, and usability of the application before it launch in the marketplace. It is a cheap way to test functionality and evaluate before the launch that if the application meets all requirements.
Why is UI/UX Development Essential for Business Growth?
UI/UX design services and development largely relate to customer satisfaction and experience making it an integral factor to the failure and success of the mobile application and your business. From a business perspective, user satisfaction and feedback are essential to business success and survival in the marketplace. It is a competitive marketplace and user experience and satisfaction pave the way for the establishment of the brand value. If the customer is visiting your mobile application then the UI and UX should be able to keep them hooked.
