User interface design is a craft that involves building an essential part of the user experience. Users are very quick to judge designs based on usability and likeability.

User Interface Design

User interfaces are the access points where users interact with designs. It is essentially what they remember about their experience. This is not just about aesthetics, but rather a combination of creativity blended with functionality.  We always claim that a good User Interface is one that allows users to concentrate on the content and not on the design itself. Design elements should support content and features and seamlessly float the user from one focal point to the next — directing the eye.

User interface design is a craft that involves building an essential part of the user experience and users are very quick to judge designs based on usability and likeability. Thus, a thorough understanding of the context while designing is crucial. User Interface designers must understand the user journey. Through the interplay of crafted design (colors, shapes and typography) and usability best practices a user will be directed along the yellow brick road, into path completion. 

UI Design vs. UX Design

UI Design is part of UX Design, but it is not UX Design.

One way to think about it, is to compare the experience to a vehicle. 

While you may have a beautiful shiny new car, you wouldn’t want to drive it unless it had a strong engine, breaks, steering wheel, doors and a good navigation system. The vehicle color, illustrative dials and door handles are the pleasing elements to the naked eye, but are not worth much without its “core” — the strong engine and other functional elements. Similarly, an application that looks beautiful but has poor navigation, slow response time or erroneous features, is not one any user will want to “drive” or operate

User Experience means the total experience. User Interface, is an important supportive element. 

Total Redesign vs. Phasing in Changes

One of the biggest questions our clients ask is whether or not to do a total redesign or change in phases. UX Alley is a huge supporter of small changes that cause large impact.

While total redesigns are sometimes needed due to infrastructure changes, they are time consuming, lengthy and expensive. When clients want immediate change, we recommend releasing small changes and working in a phased approach. This may mean having to live with some inconsistencies of look and feel, but it is also a great opportunity to start releasing new materials on featured pages. If the changes have a positive outcome, your users will not mind the inconsistencies; Rather, they’ll appreciate the effort.