What is UI design?
According to the Interaction Design Foundation, User Interface (UI) Design is the process of making interfaces in software or computerized devices with a focus on looks or style. Designers aim to create designs users will find easy to use and pleasurable. UI design typically refers to graphical user interfaces but also includes others, such as voice-controlled ones.
User interface designers design these graphical user interfaces (GUIs) so that users can get to their goals effortlessly and efficiently. UI design generally refers to the aesthetics of the design. The visual elements work together seamlessly and should be visually pleasing to the user. The goal is a good user experience. If the user interface is successful, the interface not only looks beautiful but is easy to navigate through.
So then, what is UX design?
According to the Interaction Design Foundation, User Experience (UX) Design is the process of creating products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users. This involves the design of the entire process of acquiring and integrating the product, including aspects of branding, design, usability, and function.
UX encompasses many more aspects of the process such as branding, marketing, design, usability, and functionality. UI Design is a part of the User Experience. Think of User Experience (UX) as the bucket which holds many marbles. UI Design (UI) is one of the marbles in that bucket. The other marbles in this bucket could be visual design, marketing, branding, user research, usability, accessibility and efficiency. User Experience Design is sometimes called “User-Centered Design”.
Cherry Hills offers both UI/UX design. Whether we create a website from scratch or we redesign an existing website or application, it begins with the UI/UX design. I have been designing both visual designs and user interfaces for over 19 years. My process always begins with pen and paper. I sketch out my ideas first. Then I move to the computer to execute whether I am designing graphics, or designing an interface. There are many prototyping tools available such as Balsamiq Mockups, Sketch, Axure, Omnigraffle, MockPlus, and Adobe XD, just to name a few. My favorite is Balsamiq Mockups because it is really quick and easy to use. Once wireframes have been created, I move on to creating visual designs based on the wireframes.
This process, like all our processes, is collaborative. We work closely with our clients to make sure all their requirements have been met. Along the way, we can usually find better solutions or make something even more efficient than our clients’ expectations. We work hard to exceed their expectations which is why we have many clients that have stayed with us for over 17 years. Our end goal is to not only make our clients happy, but to create the most efficient and cost-worthy solution for their needs.
If you are interested in our UI/UX services or any of our other services (such as web application and development, design, aws, or training and consulting), please contact us and let us know how we can be of service to you and your next project.