**Tomas Laurinavicius** Table of contents - [UX vs. UI defined](/content/blog/ux-vs-ui-design#ux-vs-ui-defined/index.html) - [Key differences between UX and UI](/content/blog/ux-vs-ui-design#key-differences-between-ux-and-ui/index.html) - [How UX and UI complement each other](/content/blog/ux-vs-ui-design#how-ux-and-ui-complement-each-other/index.html) - [UX vs. UI designer skills](/content/blog/ux-vs-ui-design#ux-vs-ui-designer-skills/index.html) - [How to learn more about design](/content/blog/ux-vs-ui-design#how-to-learn-more-about-design/index.html) - [Bring UX and UI designers together with Webflow](/content/blog/ux-vs-ui-design#bring-ux-and-ui-designers-together-with-webflow/index.html) --- UI and UX are two distinct disciplines with remarkably similar goals. If you’re in the tech industry, you’re probably familiar with user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). People tend to use these terms interchangeably, but they’re two distinct disciplines. UX focuses on the overall user journey, covering everything from first impressions to how easy a product is to use. UI, on the other hand, deals with the visual and dynamic parts of the product that website visitors directly interact with. Understanding the differences between UX and UI design helps designers create attractive _and_ user-friendly digital platforms. ## UX vs. UI defined UI focuses on how a site looks and functions, while UX is about a user’s experience and satisfaction. Both are necessary for creating a cohesive, intuitive flow through an app, product, or website. ### What’s user experience design? This discipline encompasses a user’s overall experience with a company’s products or services. [Good UX design](/content/blog/what-is-ux-design/index.html) makes performing tasks like changing a setting or creating an account more intuitive. _Source:_ [_Jayme Wong_](https://wongthings.webflow.io/yelp) Take this UX flowchart from [Jayme Wong’s portfolio](https://wongthings.webflow.io/yelp), for example. In it, she outlines an improved UX for Yelp’s app. She illustrates where every page and navigation option is, how people interact with it, and what each interaction leads to. Flowcharts like this one help [UX designers](/content/blog/ux-designer/index.html) understand their audience’s journey through the website. With this information, designers optimize their sites so users can complete their intended tasks. ### What’s user interface design? UI design involves creating the look and layout of each page. This process encompasses how each visual element appears and behaves, including buttons, input fields, and navigation — any interface people interact with. UI designers focus on a product’s aesthetics with an eye toward usability. They pay as much attention to color palettes and graphics as widgets and interactive elements. To create a user interface, UI designers start with wireframes and then add styling and interactions to create a finished product. Each visual element has spacing, formatting, and animations associated with it, and they all come together to form one step in the user journey. ## Key differences between UX and UI UI and UX can make or break a product, impacting its appearance and functionality. Although they’re both necessary, the disciplines differ in the following ways. ### Features and their functions UX designers focus on where features go in a product and how users navigate to them. In contrast, UI designers focus on how those features function, such as how they look and which interactions they need. ### The journey and its destinations When a team creates a new project, they usually start with the UX and end with the UI. For example, teams looking to encourage users to upgrade their subscriptions will research when and why users typically upgrade. ### Research goals UX designers rely on research to understand how users interact with their products and how those interactions could improve. They [interview customers](/content/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-user-research/index.html), [send surveys](/content/blog/survey-platforms/index.html), and [conduct user testing](/content/blog/website-user-testing/index.html) to uncover these critical insights. ### Responsive design Most successful products and services are available on multiple devices through a dedicated app or [responsive web design](/content/blog/responsive-web-design/index.html). ## How UX and UI complement each other UX and UI are equally important. No matter how beautiful the UI is, without a strong UX, users will find the product unwieldy. Consider Jayme Wong’s UX flowchart above. UI designers would use this layout to identify which pages they need to build, and developers would use it to program the necessary framework that enables each interaction. ## UX vs. UI designer skills [UX and UI use different tools](/content/blog/ui-ux-design-tools/index.html), concepts, and processes. Here are some proficiencies designers pick up as they perform these roles. ### UX skills - **User research —** UX designers must know how to write surveys, ask insight-provoking questions, and identify patterns. - **Data analysis —** UX teams organize and analyze research results to make [data-driven design decisions](/content/blog/data-driven-decision-making/index.html). - **Flowcharts —** Designers use tools like LucidChart and Figma to create detailed flows demonstrating the UX layout. - **Low-fidelity wireframing —** These rudimentary drawings outline the most essential web pages. ### UI skills Designers exercise their creativity when building a user interface. To create stylish websites, they need the following skills: - **Visual design —** A UI designer primarily uses visual elements to create an aesthetic page layout that’s functional and consistent with the rest of the site. - **High-fidelity wireframing —** Creating these wireframes allows teams to test a page’s elements, fields, and images. - **Accessibility —** UI designers know how to choose the right color contrasts, fonts, and imagery to [ensure designs are accessible](/content/blog/accessibility-design-guidelines/index.html). - **Prototyping —** Designers must assemble their concepts into a [working prototype](/content/blog/prototyping-tools/index.html). ## How to learn more about design UI and UX are equally essential in creating sites that resonate with a target audience. That’s why many designers learn everything they can about both. To begin your education — or advance it to further your career — check out the following options. ### Bootcamps Bootcamps are short-term intensive learning programs that help you develop your portfolio and land a job in the industry. Some, like [Springboard's](https://www.springboard.com/courses/ui-ux-design-career-track/), even offer a guarantee: They’ll refund your tuition fee if you don’t get a UX or UI job within six months of completing the course. ### Traditional degrees Many traditional degrees can help designers get into UI and UX fields. [UX Mastery](https://uxmastery.com/resources/ux-degrees/) maintains a database of applicable degrees from universities worldwide. Here are a few majors to consider: - Science degrees - Human-Computer Interaction - Human-Centered Design & Engineering - Interaction Design & Information Architecture - Art degrees - Interactive Media - Design and Technology - Web and Multimedia Design ### Online courses While less intensive than bootcamps and university programs, online courses are still very informative, and some award certificates that look great on your resume. [Noble Desktop](https://www.nobledesktop.com/classes/ux-ui-design-program) provides a well-respected curriculum, and [MasterClass](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/ux-design-guide) works with industry experts like Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein to teach its UI/UX courses. ## Bring UX and UI designers together with Webflow Despite their differences, teams require both UI and UX to build beautiful websites that people love using. Explore [Webflow University](https://university.webflow.com/courses) to learn more about the fundamentals of UI and UX design, as well as how to build and optimize your web experiences using Webflow’s powerful features. --- Last Updated October 24, 2025 Category [Design](/content/blog/category/design/index.html)