Most developers in the front-end field constantly face the age-old question: Form over function or function over form, which one do I prioritise? This article will cover how we switch between different lenses and balance branding through a variety of indicators, surrounding visuals, text, and connections.
You may have heard about UI (User Interface) or UX (User Experience) design before, but what, where and why are they used, and how do they differ? UX is the overall experience a user has with the product, while UI is the interface the user will interact with and see. Simple right? Let’s dig a little deeper.
Why is UI/UX so important?
Having a slick Ul/UX design for an app is always a priority for app owners. Regardless of your needs, it’s important to build the app with a design that works. A good UI/UX can be the difference between users adopting and utilising the app, or leaving the app to the wayside. The number of users we are getting on TOKN website/application can measure the success of the great UI/UX developer.
What are the differences between UI/UX?
User Experience Design is the process of developing and improving the quality of interactions between a user and all facets of a company. It is the responsibility of the UX Designer to be hands on with the process of research, testing, development, content, and prototyping to test for quality UX results that meet the client’s needs. User Experience Design is in theory a non-digital (cognitive science) practice but is used and defined predominantly by digital industries.
User Interface Design is responsible for the transference of a brand’s strengths and visual assets to a product’s interface so as to best enhance the user’s experience. It is a process of visually guiding the user through a product’s interface via interactive elements and across all devices/platforms. User Interface Design is a digital field, which sees the need for cooperation and work with developers or code.
Finding the balance
The success of a website or mobile application depends significantly upon the right combination of UI and UX. Here are 3 important tips for UI/UX Designers/Developers.
Know your Audience. Who will be using your app? Before you start the design process, you need to know who you are designing for. Being a UI/UX designer you need to understand who your target audience is and what is significant to them. Identifying your audience before starting the design process will help you come up with better designs and give you a good preliminary point to work from.
Understand the Perception. Know their mindset and behaviours. Understand what the client wants, and what they require. Most users expect their needs to be visible on the interface they want. Don’t stop at knowing what the user wants, dig deeper and find out what they really need. After all, desires are just outcomes of needs. If you can address a user’s inherent need, you’ll address their desires while also fulfilling more fundamental requirements. The insights you’ll uncover from evaluating data and speaking with users will enlighten every decision you make, from how people use your interface to what types of content you should highlight within that interface.
Many interactions with a site or app have significance: clicking a button can mean spending money, closing the website, or liking a post. Make sure that your users know what will happen after they click that button, before they do it.
As for actions with irreversible results, like permanently deleting something, it makes sense to ask people if they’re sure.
Ask for Feedback. Test and improve the design. It’s important to take feedback on board to be able to test if the design theories have been successful or not. For users, its not necessarily just about aesthetics of the product, but whether the design fits its intended purpose. Ask someone who is not familiar with the app to test it out and provide a fresh perspective. If you can observe them using the product and see where they might have questions or difficulties, that can be even more beneficial in constructing a great UI/UX design.
There is no “one-design-fits-all” answer to what is considered to be good UI/UX design, it’s always based on the context and the end-users that you are designing for. The more you can cater towards the targeted user group or groups, the more accepted the design will be. In essence, the data never lies – trust the data to yield better results! This may sound like common sense but this is often missed, which, in the end, can separate good design from great design.
Want to know more? Get in touch with us to find out how your apps can be more intuitive!