UI Design

A user interface is the user interface of a Website or APP. It therefore represents the point of contact between man and machine. The user expects simple and efficient control in order to receive targeted information that supports him in possible decision-making processes. User interface design is therefore dependent on precise knowledge about the target groups in order to create or design the platform accordingly. UI design works according to the "form follows function" principle. Intuitive and functional design is in the foreground. Of course, it must still be visually appealing. UI thus has the task of designing user interfaces aesthetically and functionally.

The interface should be intuitive for visitors to a website or app, quick to grasp and efficient to use. In other words, the user should achieve the desired result with little effort.

The goal of interface design is to optimise both user experience and conversion rate, i.e. actions on the website or app.

UI design possibilities

A big part of working on a user interface is observing the behaviour of the users. The resulting findings can then be used accordingly to optimise the interface and make it even more user-friendly.

UI design thus takes place in both the backend and the frontend. The goal is to create an interface that is rewarding and easy to understand for the target group. Elements such as dropdowns, menus, checkboxes, sidebars, icons as well as input fields are often used.

We present current UI design trends in our news article on Design Trends 2020.

UI design models

There are different models of user interface. The two best known examples are the Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the Web User Interface (WUI).

GUI (graphical user interface) is the software that simplifies the use of a computer. It relies on graphical representations. It works with clearly identifiable symbols and is thus quicker for users to grasp and easy to enforce. A development related to this model is also, for example, the computer mouse, which is indispensable for many people nowadays.

The WUI, on the other hand, is responsible for displaying web content generated by the Internet with the help of a web browser or making it visible to the user. This enables a user to search for certain things via search engines, so that various web contents are displayed to him or her in response to his or her query.

Difference UX Design and UI Design

As a UI designer, you should also be well versed in UX Design, as both practices build on each other and can only achieve a really good result for the user when they work together.

One could imagine that UX are the organs of a body. UI forms the skin that surrounds the organs. If both work well in harmony, the body works properly or the website works. A good user interface is what makes a good user experience possible in the first place and thus also directs the user.

UI design is therefore responsible for the point of contact between product and user and ensures a smooth process for the user.

UX design focuses on how a user behaves on a platform.

Very simplified, this means that UI design is the external representation of a product and only makes up a part of the product. UX design, on the other hand, focuses on the user's emotions that the presentation of a product leaves behind and has the entire user experience in mind.

Conclusion

UI design is always user-oriented and tries to simplify the usability of a website, for example. It is, so to speak, the interface between user and technology. It tries to translate the technology as well as possible for the user so that he or she can grasp the content and functions quickly and easily even without the corresponding know-how. At the same time, it is important to keep the user experience in mind so that the best result can be created for the user.