The concept of UX or User Experience has been around the digital business world for quite a while. Despite its regular usage in professional circles, people still confuse UX with UI or User Interface. The reason behind this confusion stems from their close association as UI development services often work as a part of UX based projects. In order to develop a better understanding about UI and UX design, we would explore the relevant details for answers.
UX Definition
In simple terms, UX refers to how the users feel when they interact with an application or a system, according to SmashingMagazine. The design of a UX should be intuitive and user friendly. It should fulfill the needs of the user by providing easy access to the intended functionality of the product. A common example to explain an effective UX is that of a book. You do not need a manual to understand how to use a book. You simply pick it up and open it to start reading. An ideal UX design operates along the same lines.
Purpose of UX
UX acts as a guide for the user. For instance, it is a failure of a website if a visitor faces difficulties in navigating to important links such as sign-up, viewing shopping cart etc. That is why visibility and ease of access to such links is highly important. It has been observed that pages with a single page checkout (i.e. the purchase can be completed from a single page) have a higher conversion ratio of visitors to buyers. Moreover, it is also important that the webpage loads properly irrespective of the device. Therefore, a good website UX design will make layout allowances for compatibility across most devices. However, UX without interface is incomplete as it serves as the medium of communication between the user and the UX of a website or an app.
UI Definition
UI can be defined as the controls, buttons, scrolls and other visual elements that allow the user to operate and interact with the app or website. A good UI will follow a color scheme which is in line with the brand image of the product. It is well optimized and responsive which means that whenever an action is taken by the user, the results are displayed quickly while utilizing the least amount of resources. UI development services, such as https://intersog.co.il/ui-ux-design-services/, dedicate a large chunk of their time in testing the UI in order to make sure that they meet these requirements.
Link Between UI and UX
There is debate regarding the link between UX and UI. Some feel that they are vastly different but a large majority feels that the two are inseparable. A fusion of a well laid out UX complemented by an efficient UI is integral for the success of the product. Most successful websites follow this principle and are able to draw large amounts of traffic.