Differences between UX, UI, and Graphic Design

Although these terms are often used together, they represent different areas of design that have their own specificities.

What is UX design?

UX design, or User Experience design, focuses on the overall user experience that a person has while using a product or service. The main goal of a UX designer is to ensure that using the product is simple, intuitive, and enjoyable. They research user needs, create wireframes, prototypes, test, and optimize user interactions with the digital product.

An example of UX design can be a food ordering application, where the UX designer checks how easy it is for the user to select a restaurant, choose dishes, pay, and track delivery.

What is UI design?

UI design or User Interface design deals with the look and aesthetics of a product's interface, such as websites, mobile applications, or software programs. While UX design shapes how the product functions, UI design defines how the product looks and how users visually interact with it. The UI designer chooses colors, typography, icons, buttons, and the overall visual style.

Think of a UI designer as an interior decorator who decides what colors the walls will be, the style of furniture, and the decorations in the room – except they do this on the screen of an application or website.

What is graphic design?

Graphic design is a broader field of visual communication that is used to convey messages or ideas through images, colors, typography, and other visual elements. Graphic designers create various materials such as logos, brochures, posters, packaging, and elements of corporate visual identity. Unlike UI design, graphic design is not necessarily tied to user interaction with a digital product.

If you have seen a concert poster, the packaging of your favorite chocolate, or the logo of your favorite brand, those are precisely examples of graphic design.

Key differences between UX, UI, and graphic design:

Focus:

• UX design: User experience, functionality, ease of use.

• UI design: Visual interface, aesthetics, interaction with the product.

• Graphic design: Visual communication, branding, printed and digital materials.

Methodology:

• UX design uses research, testing, and user analysis.

• UI design uses tools for visually shaping digital interfaces.

• Graphic design applies tools for graphic processing and creating visual content.

For complete beginners, the simplest way to think of UX is as an architect who plans a space to be functional, UI as an interior designer who arranges a space to look nice and appealing, and graphic designer as an artist who creates images and materials that attract attention and convey a clear message.

So, although UX, UI, and graphic design have common points, each area has its unique goals and specialized approaches. Understanding the differences between these fields will help you determine which design direction best suits your needs or business objectives.