The field of digital design requires collaboration between different team members. This expertise can be very diverse. Also, every project tends to be unique, in a way. As small business owners, we have to invest a lot in our companies. Time, money, effort and expertise are all necessary in order to stay afloat. Owners tend to cover multiple areas. Then need to strive towards professional development accounting, sales, marketing, etc. One of those areas is your web services. Most notably, your website. This tends to get very technical. Not many people can cover all that we have mentioned. That is why many agencies offer such services. To construct a captivating visual and functional design is no small feat. It is something that requires strong communication between different fields of expertise. Most notably, the UX and the UI designers. In this article, we will cover the basics of their collaboration.
1. The basics of UI and UX
These two terms are often mistaken for one another. The truth is, understanding the difference is crucial in business and web development. Not understanding it can seriously cripple further business processes. UX stands for user experience. UI refers to the user interface. Both of these terms relate to designing a whole. UI and UX are distinct. Most importantly, these two terms are complementary. Meaning, one cannot work without the other. Most inexperienced developers tend to write it off as a single concept. This can also lead to sub-par performance. The differences between the two can seem very murky to the inexperienced. But their differences play a crucial role in the development process of a website. This design greatly influences the standing of search engines and users alike.
2. User experience design
What exactly is UX? And how does it differ from user interface design? This is a design method. UX takes the “Human first” approach to design. Its job is to make the experience as smooth as possible. The primary purpose is to make the product pleasant to use. UX applies to many other areas aside from websites and other digital products. It is applied to everything being sold today. UX looks at a product from the perspective of the consumer. There are some basic questions UX needs to answer. How easy is it for the end consumer to use the product? How does the experience make the user feel? Most importantly, how can we improve upon it? Naturally, the answers vary from product to product. UX is not a one-size-fits-all solution. For a website, it can mean a myriad of things. Use of banners, dropdown menus, simplicity of use, etc.
3. User interface design
Designing a user interface focuses on appearance. Brand recognition is a big thing. It is the UI’s job to represent it in the best light possible. UI works closely with the client. The client needs to have a general idea of what the brand needs to look like. UI designers can take on different roles. They can simply create the visual design. Sometimes, they can lead and direct the entire frontend development effort. Unlike UX, UI is tied to the specific website. It directly relates the end-user interaction to the product. UI focuses on aesthetics rather than experience. It deals with colour schemes, layouts, menus, items, and the overall page appearance. Still, the user is the ultimate goal of UI. It still translates the company’s goals into account. These goals encompass branding, identity, and the reputation of the client. It needs to look good to captivate attention.
4. Playing together
The question is, how do these two work together to form a website? Do you really need both? Ideally, you do. Again, these are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they are complementary. If you neglect one, the overall website performance will drop substantially. Without proper UI design, your website will appear unappealing. And without UX, your website will just feel wrong. No one will enjoy using it. you can see how one relies on the other. Together, these work to create a whole. The end result is to attract as many eyes as possible. In this saturated market, you will need to invest in both UI and UX. Ideally, users need to experience and explore the entire package. They will do that only if it looks and feels good to use. Make it as easy as possible for them to navigate the website from start to finish.
5. UX best practices
There are some general best practices when it comes to UX. It takes planning and consideration for every project. But these are general guidelines that always apply. First, always map out the content that needs to be presented. What content do you currently have? And what content do you need to acquire? It guides the structure of your website. The wrong thing to do is to start with a design idea and try to fit the content into it. Know your client’s goals. Why did they come to your website? They want answers to certain questions. Make it easy for them to get what they want and need. UX is there to create positive outcomes. Visitors need to have an easy time making decisions and navigating through your website. This is where reputable Sydney SEO experts come into play. It is not easy to implement these elements into a website.
6. UI best practices
Much like UX, you will need to map out the steps for the conversion process. This comes before designing your website. Customers need to naturally gravitate to your enticing content. You can help with logical and clear navigational options. Have a brand style guide. This is important in terms of consistency. People like familiarness. Visitors need to easily recognize your content based on its style. This means all of your web pages need to have the same motif. A consistent look is professional-looking and will inspire confidence in customers. Plan for very short attention spans. These are very short in the online world. Just a couple of seconds. If you are not offering what they need fast, someone else is. The viewers’ attention will be forever lost. The fewer elements there are to go through, the better. Minimalism in design is the new thing to do. Try it out.
7. How to hire a web designer
First things first, you need to have a clear idea of what you want. A web design agency can not answer all the questions for you. They are the tools, and you are the one with the idea. They are there to make it happen. It is not a question if they are good or bad at their craft. It is a matter of if they are the right fit for your needs. Look at their portfolio. Web designers tend to have their own unique artistic styles. Compare it with your ideas and brand goals. Are these compatible? How do they handle typography? Are their page layouts to your liking? Are their websites readable? What software are they using and is it compatible whit what you are using? Inquire about their design process. Also, do not forget about their time frame. The two of you need to come to an agreement.
8. The process
A lot of code goes into making a website. It is very technical and complicated for someone looking on the outside. Luckily, we do not have to know all there is. But it is always a good idea to know the basics of web design. There are two main categories. Front-end and back-end. The first one is the client-side. It is the code used to display and interact with the website. It brings the vision to life. Typically, the front-end consists of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. HTML is the skeleton, CSS is the skin and flesh, and JS is the brains. The back-end is the server-side of the equation. It is what happens beneath the hood. The developer manages these behind-the-scenes resources. This is where Python, SQL, PHP, Java, etc. come into play. Lastly, a full-stack developer is someone that is well-versed in both the front and back-end of the equation.
UI and UX are in a way very similar and different at the same time. The most important thing to understand is that they are complementary to one another. Not all web designers are equally versed in both. Companies need to approach these two principles with cohesion in mind. It is what brings the most to any marketing strategy. Your website defines your company. Especially in times like these, it is the first point of contact with your customers. And first impressions do matter. Make sure it reflects what you want it to. It will define your brand in the future. Relate your desires to our web developers. If they have a clear understanding of what you want, they will be able to make it happen. Utilize the powerful tools of UI and UX design and make your website work for you.
