UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) are terms that are often used in relation to web design. But what do these terms mean? And what is the relationship between UI and UX? Well, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design professionals. From Wigan to Southport, we work with companies across Manchester and the surrounding region to deliver high quality web design solutions that really get results. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about the UI, and the UX, as part of web design.
What is UI?
UI is short for user interface, and it essentially refers to everything that is designed with the intention of being used or interacted with by the website user, or your potential customer. This can include:
- the navigation menu and options
- the search bar
- the call to action button
- the zoom option for product photos
- any interactive design features
The user interface is potentially one of the most important parts of your website, because this is usually a necessary tool for your users to get what they want from their time spent on your website. So if this is created incorrectly, you could be preventing sales and sign ups.
What is UX?
UX stands for the user experience, and this pertains to how your website meets your user requirements and expectations, and what kind of experience your users have when using your website. This could include, among other factors:
- The loading time of your website
- The structure of your navigation bar
- The effectiveness of your search tool
- The quality of your website content
To ensure a positive user experience, you will need to have a good understanding of the user requirements and expectations for your website.
What is the relationship between UI and UX in web design?
So, what is the relationship between UI and UX? Well, essentially, you can not have one without the other. A good user interface will generally always result in a positive user experience, as this will be designed to meet the needs of the user, quickly and easily. In fact, your user interface is likely to be designed with the user experience in mind. For example:
- Categorizing pages in the navigation menu is part of developing the interface options, but these will be based on what your users expect, and want to see in each category, and the category choices that will make searching easier and simpler
- The design of the call to action button will include positioning this where your users expect, and making sure it is self explanatory and visually obvious, to encourage a positive user experience.
For more information or for professional web design support, contact the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.