10 March 2026
UX and UI: What They Are and What the Difference Is, with Practical Examples
Have you ever wondered what a UX/UI designer actually does, and what the difference between these two fields is? In this article, we explain it clearly once and for all.
Let’s debunk a common myth: UX and UI are not interchangeable terms. The fact that people often talk about “UX and UI designers” might make it seem as though these terms are synonyms.
In reality, UX and UI are two completely different disciplines, but they are complementary and for this reason they are often handled by the same professional figure: the UX/UI designer.
In this article, we aim to clarify the specific importance of these two branches of design, the differences between them, and how they interact with each other.
The difference between UX and UI, in simple terms
As we have already said, UX and UI are not the same thing. These two fields, with their different responsibilities, work together to make a product functional, visually appealing, and easy for users to navigate.
More specifically, UX — which stands for User Experience — focuses on the experience users have while using a product. UX facilitates interaction with an app or website by designing the way users interact with it.
UI, or User Interface, on the other hand, focuses on the visible aspects of the digital platform: the elements that users actually see and interact with. However, this does not simply mean making products “look nice”. It also means ensuring that the product has a visual language that is consistent, recognizable, and functional.
In the next sections, we will explore the scope of each discipline in more detail, including practical examples of what they involve.
What UX is: design before design
We often tend to associate design with wireframes and Figma screens. UX, however, comes into play long before the visual layer: it forms the foundation of the strategic process through which an application is conceived.
The role of UX is to ensure ease of use, allowing for a smooth experience without friction or confusion. In practice, it defines how the application works and how it will be experienced by users.
Concretely, its role is to:
- Guide users in completing their goals
- Make the experience within the platform intuitive
- Prevent friction and frustration
- Ensure accessibility (including for users with special needs)
But how is this achieved? Some concrete examples of good UX includes:
Intuitive navigation | UX ensures that users can easily find what they are looking for on a website, for example by organizing the navbar into a few clear and understandable categories to guide navigation. |
Short and skippable tutorials | These help guide users in interacting with the app without overwhelming them with information, especially if they don’t wish to receive it. |
Saveable filters | In scenarios with large sets of data, UX helps make them easy to use, for example by introducing pagination and filters that can be easily reused. |
Autocompleting forms | How frustrating is it to fill out a form, especially if you have already entered that information before? Good UX prevents users from having to re-enter information that is already known or can be inferred. |
How to improve User Experience
But how can we know if a user actually wants a form to be auto-filled or which items they prefer to see in a navigation bar? A skilled UX designer analyzes users and context to design the experience in the best possible way.
Some user research activities that help achieve this include:
- Qualitative and quantitative interviews and surveys
- Defining personas
- Usability testing
- Customer journey analysis
- Creating wireframes and prototypes
These strategic operations are not performed just once—they are iterated across various stages of product development, even after the product has been launched. UX is a process, not a graphic output.
What UI is: balancing aesthetics and functionality
UI designs the visual appearance of the interface. While UX determines how the interface should work, UI decides how it looks and how it should be perceived.
Its role is not purely aesthetic; what is communicated visually also has a functional purpose. Specifically, the UI designer’s tasks include:
- Making the product visually appealing
- Creating a brand identity and reinforcing the brand message
- Building a visual hierarchy among elements
- Translating the strategy defined by UX into tangible elements that users interact with
The role of a UI designer is challenging, as it requires balancing multiple needs within a single visual design. To guide their decisions, they can use:
- Moodboards
- Design systems
- Interviews and surveys on brand perception
Additionally, just like UX, the work does not end once the screens are delivered to the client. Periodic revisions are needed to incorporate new trends or respond to user feedback.
How the User Interface Influences the Product
Which elements are determined by UI? Some of the key ones include:
Page layout | It’s the first thing users notice and immediately sets a visual hierarchy for the elements on the page. |
They serve an aesthetic purpose but also influence user perception and affect functionality. | |
Typography | The choice of font, weight, and size strongly impacts how information is conveyed. |
Spacing | Often underestimated, spacing affects the overall perception of the screen and its usability. |
Icons | Iconography should be easily understandable (no obscure symbols) while remaining visually harmonious. |
Although the scope of UI might sometimes seem small or less impactful, all the design decisions taken during UI development collectively shape the overall impression of the digital product.
In practice, UI is what users remember about the application, influencing their perception of quality and trust.
UX and UI: Interactions and Common Mistakes
How do User Experience and User Interface interact? Let’s be honest: not always perfectly, as we mentioned in this article. A product can be visually stunning but perform poorly, or it can be highly functional but unattractive.
There’s a reason why UX and UI are often combined into a single role: optimal results are achieved only when functionality and aesthetics work together:
- UX designs the user journey
- UI brings it to life through visible and credible elements
Let’s take an example. Consider a simple confirmation modal for deleting an item, like the one shown in the figure. How do UX and UI come into play?
UX Responsibilities | UI Responsibilities |
Use clear copy to explain what is happening. | Accompany the copy with appropriate icons and colors to convey the message. |
Determine which button is most important. | Visually highlight the most important button through position and color. |
As you can see, even the simplest elements require careful thinking to understand the user and guide their choice. That’s why UX and UI work together to achieve the best result.
Don’t Make Mistakes with UX and UI
What are the most common mistakes regarding UX and UI? The first one is thinking that one alone is enough to create a good product. A product that is only visually appealing, or only logically functional without attention to aesthetics, is incomplete.
The second is reducing these disciplines to only part of their scope—for example, thinking UI is just colors and UX is only wireframes. There are many aspects to consider, all of which deserve attention.
The last mistake is involving UX too late or prioritizing UI over UX. A good UI is based on a well-designed UX. It is essential to start with a clear understanding of the user experience you want to achieve before designing all the visual elements.
Do you have a digital product that could be improved from a design perspective, or are you planning to build an app from scratch? Contact us for a consultation—we’d be happy to share our experience and help you.
