UI design
User Interface design, or UI design, put simply, is making sure that the visuals on anything digital are aesthetically pleasing to the user. This includes everything from having a good contrast between a button and the background to the small movement a button might make when you hover over it.
UI Design Agency
UI design encompasses consistency, intuitive design, accessibility and simplicity to create digital journeys that look good and are easy to use.
UI design thinks about context, considering how users will engage with the interface, what mistakes they might make, and how the journey can be made as smooth as possible to best suit the needs of the users and the business.
Whereas UX focuses on the journey, performance and overall experience of the product, UI focuses on the visual output, style guides and responsive design. The user experience dictates the user interface, so with UI we’re essentially trying to create a design which provides clarity of content to make that experience as clear as possible for the user.
A great user experience should feel effortless – if executed properly, it shouldn’t be noticed.
What is UI design?
User Interface design (UI design) refers to the design aesthetics of a digital product or service – how it looks, instead of how it works.
Good UI design appeals and resonates with the audience and helps communicate the intent of the digital experience. The experience must be prioritised – the aesthetics should be there to enhance that, not hinder it.
UI should be about removing barriers to entry and making it easier for users to perform tasks. Ethical design is part of this, for example, avoiding bad UX patterns or forcing users to sign up or give unnecessary details.
The balance is – how do we make it look as good as possible without deterring from the interface’s primary objective?
It’s not just about the big actions, either. UI design considers how to use small animations and micro interactions to provide feedback and prompts to validate user decisions.
Looking to improve your website’s UI?
Why is user interface design important?
A well designed interface captures the attention of the target audience and makes it easier for users to interact with the product, thereby elevating the user experience.
UI considers accessibility, too. As UI frames all content from typography, imagery, colours, sizes, layouts, navigation, CTAs, form fields, etc, it all has to be accessible. The two run in parallel; you shouldn’t have one (good interface design) without the other (accessibility).
UI design isn’t just for websites, either. Best practice UI design principles should be implemented across all of the devices we encounter day to day:
- Websites
- Web apps or native apps
- Experiential design (real world environments)
- Smart devices, such as TVs, Apple watches, car devices/plug and play type things. Even fridges have UI influence these days!
- Virtual reality
- Gaming devices (Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, etc)
Think about all of the devices you come across on a day to day basis where you experience UI – self-service checkouts at a shop, cashpoints, train ticket collection machines – these are all examples of UI.
Want to speak to an expert about improving your UI?
Why should brands focus on UI design?
As the UI is an extension of the UX, it directly impacts performance, which is the main goal for most businesses. Whatever the success criteria for the product or service is, the UI dictates how that looks and influences its ability to perform. If you look trustworthy, consistent and relevant, people will convert.
From a brand perspective, consider that UI is often a user’s first impression of a new brand, so it can have a huge impact on their overall brand perception – whether that’s positive or negative.
If you’d like to speak with us about a UI design project, please get in touch.
Services:
David Vernon
Services:
Andy Atkinson
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We believe every brand is a sleeping giant just waiting to be awoken. To rise up and show the world what it's made of. It's our job to chip away at the stone and realise its potential.
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How your brand moves says things words can’t. Every movement either raises hairs or raises eyebrows. Delights or deters. It's important to make every movement count.