The Difference Between UI and UXby Shawn Borsky on 15th August 2011 with 15 CommentsIn today’s creative and technical environment, the terms “UI” (User Interface) and “UX” (User Experience) are being used more than ever. Overall, these terms are referring to specialties and ideas that have been around for years prior to the introduction of the abbreviated terminology.

But the problem with these new abbreviations is more than just nomenclature. Unfortunately, the terms are quickly becoming dangerous buzzwords: using these terms imprecisely and in often completely inappropriate situations is a constant problem for a growing number of professionals, including: designers, job seekers, and product development specialists. Understanding the proper separation, relationship and usage of the terms is essential to both disciplines.

UI != UXThe most common misconception that you will hear in the workplace, in client meetings and

often in job listings or job requirements is the inadvertent combination or interchange of the

terms. In many cases, the incorrect expectation is that an interface designer by default

understands or focuses on user experience because their work is in direct contact with the user.

The simple fact is that user interface is not user experience. The confusion may simply be

because both abbreviations start with the letter “U”. More likely, it stems from the overlap of the

skill-sets involved in both disciplines. They are certainly related areas, and in fact many

designers are knowledgeable and competent in both.

“UI refers to the aggregation of approaches and elements

that allow the user to interact with a system.”

However, despite the overlap, both fields are substantially different in nature and – more

importantly – in their overall objectives and scope. User interface is focused on the actual

elements that interact with the user – basically, the physical and technical methods of input and

output. UI refers to the aggregation of approaches and elements that allow the user to interact

with a system. This does not address details such as how the user reacts to the system,

remembers the system and re-uses it.

Such problems bring us to the user experience. Don’t be fooled! User experience is much more

than just the end result of user interface. Instead, I have always found it best to consider user

experience as the reactor or nucleus of a brand. A brand being, in essence, the sum of the

experiences that a person has with a company or organization. User experience is the goal. Not

just the goal of an interface, but of a product or interaction with an organization. When good

user experience is achieved, every desirable or positive effect that one could possibly think of

flows from it. UX is focused on success of the whole. In reality, the product is not the sum of its

parts; the experience is.

“Consider user experience as the reactor or nucleus of a

brand.”

At the end of the day, that is all we get to leave the user with: a memory. As we all know, human

memory is astounding but it’s imperfect. Every detail contributes to the ingredients of a good

user experience, but when it all comes down to it, the user will remember products in somewhat

skewed way. UX contains a much bigger picture than UI does but it still relies on the smallest

details to drive it. This understanding is the most powerful asset anyone can have in product

development.

UI is a ToolUser interface is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal in the quest for great user

experience. Why? Simply, the interface is the most tactile, visceral and visible method with

which our users interact with us. UI is the front line. This is possibly the best explanation for why

the two terms are so often used interchangeably or combined into one.

Incorrect Usage is Dangerous

Communication is complex and can be confusing. The development of precise and specialized

terminology facilities easier communication. But what happens when we are effectively not

speaking the same language?

“Unthinkable amounts of time and money are spent to dance

around the incorrect focus and usage of these terms.”

What if I said, “Use a screw” meaning a corkscrew metal fastener to an engineer assembling a

product, but he thought it referred to an angle bracket or chemical adhesive? The product might

have some serious problems. Granted, interfaces and experiences aren’t going to literally blow

up in our face. However, the effect is no less powerful. Unthinkable amounts of time and money

are spent to dance around the incorrect focus and usage of these terms. Eventually, wasting

time and money will put a company out of business or cause products to fail. Improper

application of the concepts can be disastrous.

Finding the Right DesignerSome of the most common usage failure for the UI and UX terms is where it matters most: job

listings and requirements. It is already difficult to locate excellent candidates for specialized jobs

such as interface design and user experience design. But it’s certainly more difficult to hire the

right person for the job when the skill set and design focus are miscommunicated. It’s expensive

to hire a specialist, and it’s even more costly to hire one that cannot solve the problem you need

solved. More often than not, the job requirements and responsibilities are skewed toward the UI

designer job description but come loaded with the responsibility and expectation of a UX

designer.

Responsibility For the Problem

Whether a UI or UX designer, there is still the element of design. Design is a solution to a

problem. When roles are clearly defined and universally understood, it’s much easier to attack a

problem, propose a solution and execute on it. In the case of UI and UX, the problem normally

applies to situations where the responsibility for the interface and the experience is assigned to

one designer who simply does not have overall control of both aspects.

It’s tough to own up to a problem when the ability to solve it is not in your hands. A UI designer

may have the ability to create interactive designs, icons, colors, text, and affect a number of

other elements that solve problems dealing with direct interactions to the user. Those elements

are fantastic tools to affect user experience but they are only part of the equation. The user

experience is influenced by a multitude of things such as marketing copy, speed, functional

performance, color scheme, personality, customer support, set expectations, financial approach,

visualization… well, you get the idea.

“It is not that one designer cannot handle both areas. It is

about the tools and ability to problem solve.”

It isn’t fair or practical to tell the UI designer that they are responsible for all these things and

more. It isn’t that user experience cannot be designed. If the situation were reversed for a UX

designer it would be equally difficult. In order for a designer to rightly take ownership of the UX

problem, they must be enabled to recommend and effect changes, implementations and

decisions that control the experience. The flawed understanding is about designer focus and

scope. It is not that one designer cannot handle both areas. It is about the tools and ability to

problem solve. Effectively, a builder without any tools is just as powerless to build as a person

with no skill or knowledge.

ConclusionThe first step to successfully attacking any problem is to understand what must be done.

Understanding the difference between UI and UX is an intellectual asset with staggering

ramifications.

From hiring the right person for the job to simply understanding what is required to approach the

problem, proper knowledge of the UI and UX terminology is a simple way to facilitate better

communication, better problem solving, better design and better user experience.