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UI/UX
DESIGN
User experience (UX) design is the process #design teams use to create products
that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users.
From the other hand User interface (UI) design is the process designers use to
build interfaces in software or computerized devices, focusing on looks or style.
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2021 has been a roller coaster ride. So many things happened that year and happened
fast. With the rise of virtual and remote working culture, UX/UI trends have seen a
drastic change throughout the year. And 2022 is no different. As a UX/UI
practitioner, it is essential to stay informed about these forever-changing trends.
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Search “UI designer” in Google and you may find yourself even more confused than
before. It doesn’t help that UI and UX are often lumped together, making it
difficult to see where one ends and the other begins. Whilst the two are
inextricably linked, it’s important to know that User Interface Design is a field
in its own right. Sure, there’s some overlap, but ultimately, UI design comes with
its own set of tasks, and therefore calls upon an entirely different skillset.
Perhaps you’re considering a career in UI and want to know what awaits you. Maybe
you’re already in the industry and just need some clarity on the matter. In this
article, we’ll set the record straight once and for all. Here’s what we’ll cover.
UI Design in a Nutshell
User Interface Design is a crucial subset of UX.
They both share the same end goal—to provide a positive experience for the user—but
UI Design comprises an entirely separate leg of the journey.
Put simply, UI is what you use to interact with a product, while UX is concerned
with how this overall interaction feels.
Soft skills
Communication is key in UI design. As you hand off your designs to the developers,
you need to effectively communicate the intended function of each element you’ve
designed. Communicating with your client and stakeholders is a big part of any UI
design role.
You often need to explain—and even justify—your design decisions in as much detail
as possible.
Hard skills
Even entry-level UI design positions expect proficiency in at least one of the
industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Sketch, Adobe XD, and
prototyping tools like InVision. Once you’ve learned your way around one, getting
to grips with the others is a lot easier. For the full list of popular UI design
tools, check out our take on the 7 essential tools every budding UI designer should
know about.
Collaboration
Collaboration is an unavoidable aspect of UI design. At the start of the process
especially, you can expect to work closely with both the client and the UX
designer. UI is all about humans, after all, so you’ll need to spend some time
getting to know the brand and its target user. User research and personas tend to
fall under UX, but it’s the UI designer’s job to take this information and run with
it.
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Design and prototyping
Of course, a role in UI will require you to get very hands-on with design. This
includes designing screens and creating visual touch points, as well as the
interactivity behind them. UI designers are also responsible for ensuring
consistency, so creating a style guide, or visual language, to be used across the
board.
So what might a UI designer expect to see on their to-do list? Let’s drill down to
some specifics.
Designing each individual screen with which the user will interact, including
the layout: what should go where? How much space should be left between each
element? What visual patterns and hierarchies make for an intuitive user
experience? Considering how the app will display on various screen sizes—think
responsive design. Designing UI elements such as buttons, icons, sliders and
scrollbars. Using their comprehensive understanding of color theory to create an
awesome, unique color palette that injects some personality into the website or
app. Choosing the correct fonts and typesetting.
Designing the interactivity of each UI element: what does a button do when the
user clicks on it, for example.
Prototyping
As a UI designer, it’s also important to repeatedly test your designs – and this is
where prototyping comes in. Prototypes enable you to showcase your visual designs
in action, helping you to quickly identify flaws and smooth over any rough edges.
Prototyping and testing is a crucial part of the UI design workflow, as it will
allow you to ensure that the final product ticks all the boxes.
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