The Basics

User experience and user interface are two different things. To put it simply, user experience is the experience we have while using a product. It is how the product functions.

On the other hand, user interface is the visual design of the product; It is how the product looks.

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Confused? Here’s An Example!

Take a visually appealing mobile app that is very hard to use. This app has a good user interface (UI) but bad user experience (UX). It looks good, but functions badly.

Is it a good app? Probably not. No matter how great it looks, if it’s difficult to use, we are likely to close and delete the app after a few minutes. Been there, done that!

On the flipside, a bad-looking app which is super easy to use is one that has bad UI but good UX. It looks bad, but functions well. Is it a good app? Probably. Will its bad UI affect it negatively? Of course - UI is really important.

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Summing Up

UX/UI are both important, with UX being the trickier of the 2 because of its greater impact. As a matter of fact, bad UX is one of the main reasons most products fail.

When you start working on your first product, don’t settle for one that only looks good - push for a product that looks good and functions well.

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Bonus Tip

Don’t fall into the trap of assuming your product is easy to use only because you and your team think it is. Get your product into the hands of potential users and start testing its usability as soon as possible.