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What is UX/UI designing?


The UX/UI design area is in charge of designing the experience that users have when interacting with a product or service. This includes the interface, which is the way the product is presented, and also the way it is used. In general, it is responsible for making it easy to use, attractive and efficient.

In order to do so, a research process takes place. Then, all the possibilities are analyzed according to the objectives set for the project and the target audience, a stage we call ideation process.

Next, these possible solutions are turned into screens as low-fidelity wireframes that enable us to evaluate usability. Once this stage is completed, we move on to visual and content aspects. Throughout the whole UX/UI design process we analyze whether the pieces created meet the objectives and requirements, and we continually iterate.

In this article:

UX and UI design: What’s the difference?

UX/UI design is an approach to creating digital products, such as websites, apps, games, e-books, etc., that focuses on improving the user experience and the usability of the interface. 

This area involves the merging of two fields that necessarily work hand in hand: the "User Experience" (UX) and the "User Interface" (UI).

UX is centered on usability and easy navigation. It focuses on the target audience of the product and how they will interact with it, in order to define the most intuitive flows and actions and ensure the satisfaction of users. Also, UX covers the ways in which the information and available options are presented.

The UI refers to the creation of the interface, which can be developed with languages such as HTML, CSS or Javascript. It has to do specifically with the visual design of the product, the one that makes the users first impression and helps them determine whether they like or dislike what they see. 

What are the UX/UI designer roles and responsibilities?

UX/UI designer is in charge of incubating ideas, exploring possibilities and making decisions to provide usability solutions, taking into account the objectives of the product and the target audience.

UX/UI design seeks to create digital products that are easy to use and offer a satisfying experience. Some of the specific tasks they perform include:

  • Users research: to understand their needs, motivations and behaviors.

  • Interaction design: to define how the user will interact with the product or service.

  • Visual design: to create the appearance and style of the product or service.

  • Prototyping: to create low-fidelity or high-fidelity models of the product or service so that users can interact with them and give us feedback.

  • Usability evaluation: to test whether the product is easy to use and efficient.

  • Content design: to create and organize the product content in an effective and attractive way.

To perform these tasks, there are different methodologies that can be used to organize the UX/UI team: Double Diamond, Design Thinking, Agile, etc. 

At XOOR we prefer Agile, because we understand product development as an iterative process in which the programming area works side by side with the design area and not as isolated departments. They are in constant dialogue to optimize processes and screens, following one of the essential values of our company: teamwork.**

How to be a good UX/UI designer?

The key to becoming a UX UI designer is to have a solid understanding of the main theories and concepts of design, as well as a deep knowledge of the tools and techniques used in the creation of interfaces. It is not a must to hold a university degree, but it is necessary to have technical abilities and "soft" skills such as creativity and curiosity.

It is important to have an analytical eye, to be able to investigate the needs and desires of users, and also to be capable of capitalizing on this information when creating digital products.

It is valuable to have communication skills and know how to work efficiently in a team, to get feedback from colleagues and software developers.

People who design digital products are passionate about improving the user experience of products. Many UX designers are graphic designers or industrial designers. They may have taken courses, or have learned autonomously and with the experience of working on different projects.

How do UX/UI design areas work?

The UX/UI design area is responsible for the tasks related to the creation of digital products. This includes three instances:

  1. The research of the potential audience to understand their needs, desires and "pains".

  2. The creation of wireframes and prototypes that are tested to check how easy it is for people to perform actions through the interface.

  3. The deployment of the final design, with the collaboration of the software development teams.

Within a UX/UI design area, there may be sub-areas specializing in different aspects, such as interaction design, visual design, content design, and audience research design. Each focuses on a specific issue and may require particular skills and knowledge.

Except for technology giants, most companies and startups do not have such a diversified area. Design teams are usually made up of professionals with expertise in different fields and they contribute to each project.

What is the best software for UX/UI design?

To work in this field, it is necessary to know some tools and UX/UI programs that will allow you to create interface design pieces. The most used software include:

  • Figma

  • Sketch

  • InVision

  • Adobe XD

Can you be a ux designer without coding? Yes. But it is important to have basic programming skills, as it is often necessary to collaborate with software development teams to implement designs. It can be useful to be familiar with some languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Can UX/UI designers work remotely? Yes, because they only need a computer and these programs to do the job.

How to become a UX/UI designer?

If you wonder how to get into UX/UI design, currently in Argentina there is no specific degree course in UX/UI design, but it is possible to study Graphic Design or Visual Communication at national public universities and many other private institutions. As an option to acquire specific knowledge on this subject, there are specializations and postgraduate courses

Although some are paid, there are also UX/UI design free courses, online or in-person, giving students in just a few months, the basic knowledge to acquire the main concepts and practical skills in tools and techniques such as interaction design, user experience design or digital product design

Basically, the options will depend on the possibilities of each person. What is important is to reach the technical knowledge to be able to start working and get experience. In a serious UX/UI design program, you can study subjects such as:

  • Interaction design: focused on designing the way users interact with a digital product.

  • User research design: aimed at understanding the needs and desires of users through research techniques.

  • Wireframes and prototypes design: based on the creation of schematics and initial versions of interfaces for their evaluation and improvement.

  • Content design: oriented to the creation of texts, images and other content elements used in interfaces.

  • Usability evaluation design: directed to the measurement and evaluation of the usability and satisfaction of the user with a digital product.

Where to learn UX/UI design around the world? Some of the most prestigious institutions where you can get into this field are: Art Center College of Design (EEUU), Parsons School of Design (EEUU), Pacific Design Academy (Canada), 

Central St.Martins College of Art and Design (London), University of Art and Design (Finland), Umea Institute of Design (Sweden). 

UX/UI vs web design

UX/UI design is not the same as web design. Although both terms refer to areas that work in digital product design require similar skills and knowledge, they have different focuses.

While a UX/UI designer concentrates on the user experience and the ease of navigation and use of a digital product, a web designer is oriented towards appearance and functionality.

Then, what is web design? It is a very concrete area within the UX/UI design field,and works in dialogue with the development team of a company.

So what does a web designer do? A web designer focuses on creating visually appealing websites and web apps, and making them work properly on different devices and browsers. This includes tasks such as designing the look of a site and its structure, implementing functionality and features on the web, and optimizing page speed and performance.

What does it take to be a web designer?

It is important to have a solid understanding of the main theories and concepts of web design, as well as a deep knowledge of the tools and techniques used in the development of websites and web applications. 

Besides, it is necessary to have skills in programming languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript; as well as in web design and development tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch or Figma; as these are crucial for design implementation.

It is required to have ease in relating with other people, to achieve fluid communication with the team and work collaboratively. In addition, it is key to be updated on the latest trends and developments in the field of web design as it is constantly evolving, as well as being open to learning and trying out new tools and techniques.

If you have any questions about how XOOR's UX/UI design area works, or you want to be part of this team, you can send us an email to hola@xoor.io and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also follow us on Linkedin!