The difference in one table
| Question | UX design | UI design |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | The whole journey, on and off the site | Each screen and element |
| Main tools | Research, sitemaps, flows and wireframes | Type, color, spacing, icons and components |
| Success looks like | People finish the task easily | Each screen is clear and pleasant |
| Example | Booking takes three steps instead of six | The booking button is visible and easy to tap |
Nielsen Norman Group defines user experience broadly. It covers every part of a person's interaction with a company, its services and its products. That is why UX includes things like how fast someone calls back after a form.
A local business example
A patient books a cleaning. UX decides that the booking page asks for insurance first, offers the next three open times and sends a reminder text. UI decides how those time slots look, how big the buttons are and what color confirms the booking.
Good UI on a bad flow still frustrates people. A clear flow with poor UI still confuses them. You need both.
Do you need separate designers?
Large product teams often hire both. A small business site rarely needs to. One designer who understands research and layout can handle both well, as long as they test with real people.
Good example. A designer watches three customers try to request a quote, sees them stall on a dropdown, removes it and only then polishes the visuals.
Bad example. A designer spends a week on button gradients while the quote form still asks eleven questions.
Questions to ask a designer
Ask how they will test the site with real visitors and how they decide what goes on each page. Answers about only colors and fonts signal a UI-only approach.
Our web design work covers both layers, with Antony leading the design and the code.