At some point, we’ve overheard discussions about the “poor UX” of a site or the “unpleasant UI”. While listening in on conversations about website design, the letters UX and UI have most likely been thrown around.
But what do these letters stand for? Do the people who use these acronyms belong to a secret organization that requires them to speak in a coded language we will never be privy to?
Don’t panic! There is no secret organization, but these acronyms are considered technical jargon that is sometimes hard to understand.
Psst. Read on for full disclosure of these terms.
UX or User Experience
noun
The overall experience of a person using a product such as a website, especially in terms of how easy or pleasing it is to use.
Referring to who, what, when, where, why and how someone is using a site. Where would a user click? What information is a user looking for? And who even is a user? User experience designers try to answer all these questions and more to optimize a consumer’s experience with a site.
[Tweet “UX is less about design and more about science.”]
UX is less about design and more about science. UX is based on market research. It requires analysis and testing of user behavior. Then designers can apply research and behavior to construct a site that provides an outstanding experience that fulfills both business and consumer needs.
UI or User Interface
noun
The visual part of a website through which a user interacts.
User interface is a key element to developing a user’s trust in a brand. Good UI conveys the message that a brand is going to deliver a quality product or service. A site with a bad UI might turn users away while a site with a good UI will draw them in.
UI is all about design and creating a visually appealing site that guides your users through the buyer’s journey. Or, in the case of higher education, the enrollment funnel.
User Experience and User Interface
Think of UX and UI together as your favorite cake.
[Tweet “Think of UX and UI together as your favorite cake.”]
User experience is the cake itself – the foundation of your web efforts. Like all great cakes, UX should be simple. The consumers and students who are visiting your website want to be able to easily access the information they are searching for.
User interface is the frosting – the decoration that delights your users. It is all about presentation, and great presentation communicates with consumers and prospective students. Your site should be visually appealing and clearly portray your brand.
Celebrations and birthdays are not the same without cake. Just like a website is not the same without UX and UI design. It is important to have a site with an incredible UX and an appealing UI.
Designer and expert, Helga Moreno says, “Something that looks great but is difficult to use is exemplary of great UI and poor UX. While something very usable that looks terrible is exemplary of great UX and poor UI.” But you shouldn’t have one without the other.
Today people go to the web for everything. Your website is most likely going to be your first impression on your potential consumers and students. And mom did always say that first impressions are everything – make sure your website makes a good one.
