What is UI and how does it differ from UX?

UI is a term that is used almost interchangeably with the pair of letters UX. So it’s difficult to talk about UI without mentioning UX. Although they are often used together, they are certainly not synonymous.

What is the difference between UX and UI?

The inseparable partner of UI is UX (user experience). The goal of creating UX is to establish what elements (for example, on a website or application) are, where they are located and why. In other words, how to make the visitor’s experience on the website pleasant, navigation simple and goal-orientated. Also, how to reduce the number of clicks, etc.

UI (user interface) or user interface simply means what the elements set by UX look like. So, the UI designer’s job is to give an appearance to everything the user interacts with, including buttons, text sizes, colors, and more, for example, what the button will look like when you hover or click on it.

Why is UI important?

A good UI ensures that it is clear for the user to navigate, important information is highlighted, elements have a perceptible hierarchy, and visually the end result is reasonably familiar to the user. In addition, UI supports the brand, conveys its visual identity and creates credibility.

For example, in the illustration below, the example on the right shows clearly that the three links have different purposes. There is a clear hierarchy. As users, we are used to seeing login screens and already know intuitively which button we are looking for.