"Design is intelligence made visible" Alina Wheeler
How the user interacts with the applications we develop is one of most important aspects to explore. Considering things like the flow of actions and the color of text can seem like tedious tasks but these are decisions that make up the difference between a site users visit frequently and one they will avoid like the plague. In this week's blog, we will explore the importance of making an application look aesthetically pleasing and feel simple to use. Let's take a closer look at some important problems that career designers solve and why their work matters in the tech industry.
User Interface Designer (UI) - Fundamental Design Approach
Oftentimes user interface design (UI) and user experience design (UX) are lumped together. The tech industry is not unique in over simplifying design processes. Design is a seemingly simple concept that often extends beyond what the producer and audience initially intended. Pun Ahead: That is the beauty of it. UI and UX designers share the same goal of ensuring users have a positive experience using the application, product, or service. UX design can be thought of as a superset of UI design. Designing the user interface is a major part of designing the user experience concerned with what the user will use to interact with the application. UI design is the process of designing the visual elements the user may encounter such as:
- Typography - the readability of text and the emotions they convey.
- Color Schemes - the implementation of consistent color combinations that align with color theory.
- Layout Responsiveness - to ensure the content is balanced and spaced well for users across devices.
Example of commonly used Gestalt design principle
User Experience Designer (UX) - Usability over Aesthetics
A user experience designer's solutions are based on what the user may feel interacting with a company's services and products. The UX Design is the process of shaping all interactions in a way that increases quality, efficiency, and ease of use for all visitors. The process focused on how the mind of the user represents, processes, and transforms information. Designers work closely with UX researchers to transform behavioral data about what users are thinking, feeling, and doing into user-centric solutions. Some specifics of what problems a UX design will solve just to name a few are:
- Wireframes and Prototypes - the functionality of a design geared toward optimal user experience by focusing on the user needs and story.
- Information Architect - arranging the components in an understandable way.
- Scenarios - capturing the user's goal for interacting with a web application and creating functionality that meets those needs.
Example of a wireframe sketch
Conclusion
I'm super fascinated by the idea of merging my background in visuals and fashion design into my career in tech. I hope this blog shines a light on the designers in technology. Thank you all for creating more accessible products and applications that don't drive us all insane. Happy coding!
Helpful Resources:
UX Do Nots & Whys - https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/ux-design/10-classic-ux-design-fails/
Well Done UX Designs - https://medium.com/@bestfolios/8-well-done-ux-case-studies-every-designers-should-read-f15cfd8687e1
UI Comprehensive Guide - https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2018/02/comprehensive-guide-ui-design/
Designers in Tech - https://medium.com/swlh/designers-in-tech-who-does-what-fdfe3e95a6cf
Why UX and UI Should Be Separate - https://uxdesign.cc/why-ux-and-ui-should-remain-separate-7d6e3addb46f
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