In user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, there is a lot of overlap. The user interface (UI) is an essential component of the whole UX process: the UX designer sketches out the user experience, which the UI designer subsequently fills in with visual and interactive features.
So, logically, it would make sense to train to be a UI/UX or product designer in the same sequence, right?! While the design process does often begin with UX, it is also far more difficult to learn without first having some footing in UI.
We are surrounded by UI design if we zoom out and consider its applicability in the current world. It’s the first thing we notice. It’s how we know not to turn left at an intersection, which button indicates power on/off, how to find our gate at an airport terminal, etc.
The list goes on and on. First impressions are built on UI design: colors, graphics, typefaces, and so on are combined to elicit a specific notion or feeling or to drive a specific behaviour. Once you have gathered enough visual evidence of a pattern, you may formulate a hypothesis based on predicted behaviour. The color red, for example, is commonly used to alert someone to a mistake, warning, or danger (like a STOP sign).
To comprehend human behaviour and how to drive desired actions, it is necessary to first understand what contributes to this behaviour. Typically, these are the things that are initially perceived by sight, hearing, smell, and/or touch. Learning UI before UX is vital because it allows you to practice observation, pattern identification, and actions based on patterns. Working backwards from UI comprehension will allow you to create a better overall UX design.
The Advantages of Studying UX and UI Design
There are several advantages to mastering both UX and UI design, including increased income potential and job opportunities, improved user quality of life, and contributing to solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues.
Here are some of the distinct and special advantages of mastering UX and UI design;
The Advantages of Learning UX Design
Learning UX design especially will help you since it will allow you to:
- Improve your understanding of your users and the challenges you hope to tackle.
- Make designs that are not just gorgeous but also useful.
- Create applications, websites, and products faster.
- Validate concepts through creating, testing, and iterating.
- Increase business growth and sales for your company/clients.
The Advantages of Learning UI Design
You will benefit from mastering UI design in particular since it will allow you to:
- Improve your understanding of color theory, typography, and images.
- Express yourself artistically while adhering to pre-existing design trends.
- Master the art of providing and receiving design feedback.
- As design evolves, take on new and exciting issues.
- Stand out from the crowd with beautiful—yet invisible—designs.
Why You Should Learn UI First
UX Design Is Not Possible Without UI Design
While studying both UX and UI design has many advantages, UX design cannot exist without UI design. We’ve learned that learning UI before UX is the best method to get the most out of the learning process and advantages described above.
User Interface Design Is Fundamental
UI design allows you to concentrate on a specific page or element without worrying about the entire UX. Once you’ve learned the fundamentals of UI design concepts, applying those ideas to the whole experience becomes much easier. After all, developing a strong UX includes UI guidelines.
UI Design Allows You to Visually Display Your Work
If you postpone studying UI design in order to learn more about the complexities of UX design, you’ll have all the language and knowledge of why things should be done a specific way, but nothing visual to show for it. That technique will not help your portfolio, which is a very visual medium. When transitioning to UX design, your objective is to become a generalist, at least initially, so recruiters can see you’re at least adept in UI design.
Starting with UI design can help you acquire experience as you go from little projects to larger projects. It is not a sharp line that you cross, but rather a long process of viewing the full picture of UX.
Apt!