UI Design: Definition and tips for designing your site

What is UI Design?

Definition of UI (User Interface)

Before explaining how to design an interface with impeccable UI design, you must first understand this concept. The User Interface (UI) corresponds to graphic interfaces designed to offer a crafted user experience to visitors. It's the meeting point between them and a product/service.

UI design includes all elements that visitors can see and interact with. This can range from simple text command lines to more complex graphics and animations. It encompasses the entire graphic environment of a web or mobile interface: typography, colors, content hierarchy, CTA shapes, etc.

The goal is to build a visual identity to highlight the message and emotion you want to convey. Especially since a well-crafted visual will allow you to stand out from the competition. And the more pleasant your interface, the more likely you are to convert or have visitors return.

Everything must be designed so that message and design harmonize and are transmitted to visitors in the best way. This is one of UI's pillars.

What's the Value of UI Design?

There are many reasons why it's important to develop your UI design. This is why this discipline must be integrated from the beginning of your interface design. You can thus more easily resolve problems your visitors might encounter.

UI design must be linked to solid brand guidelines and quality content. The visual will serve your company's image and the content will convey an appropriate atmosphere.

The goal is for your visitors to feel that you share the same values, that you can provide the help they need, and that they can count on your expertise. That's why every color used, every typography chosen, every placement selected is important. You can thus:

• Build your brand image: by giving confidence to your users, you improve your conversion rate

• Improve user interactions: by working on your interface design, you'll reduce your bounce rate

How to Succeed with Your User Interface?

To achieve a pleasant and ergonomic interface, consistency is essential throughout your project! It would be a bit strange to go from a minimalist and sober page to a colorful and animated page, wouldn't it? We also don't want typography that changes with every paragraph (that's exaggerated but you get the idea).

So think simplicity, choose harmonious colors, and limit yourself to a reduced number. Beautiful, simple, and effective are your mantra's three words.

That's why it's imperative to work on your brand guidelines to list all rules related to your image, as well as editorial guidelines to ensure consistency in your messages. This will also allow all stakeholders to be on the same wavelength and have a concrete project objective.

To help you visualize successful UI, let's take two examples. Airbnb's website has visuals aligned with the message it wants to convey. Information is quickly accessible and you immediately understand the company's purpose.

WeTransfer's interface is also interesting: simple and effective, you can easily send your files, all beautifully decorated with artists' works.

What is a UI Designer?

Designing your project's user interface can involve a UI designer. They're responsible for creating the link between users and your offer.

Of course, you can decide to do without one. But they'll have the necessary knowledge about the latest trends in digital design to guide you optimally and make proposals adapted to your project and needs.

Their goal is to help you develop an attractive and functional interface for your users. Users should be able to have a pleasant time navigating it and easily find the information they're looking for.

And since UI and UX are complementary, the UI designer doesn't hesitate to consider UX analyses to achieve a final result that meets your expectations. If you're project managers, you must therefore master both concepts.

‍How to Design Good UI Design?

Know Your Users

UI design focuses on visual aspects and interface ergonomics. The objective is to trigger emotion in visitors. That's why before diving headfirst into interface design, you must analyze your visitors.

To help you, you'll need to create personas, which will allow you to gather demographic, social, psychological, and behavioral information about your target. You'll thus have enough elements to design an interface that meets their needs and inspires confidence.

Have a Coherent Project

As we mentioned earlier, to have a coherent project that can last throughout the process, you must equip yourself with two documents: brand guidelines and editorial guidelines.

They'll help you not get lost during interface development. Don't forget that while your interface must obviously be pretty, it must also be ergonomic and users must be able to navigate easily and find content that interests and can help them.

Think About Your Design

Use Zoning

Zoning corresponds to a rough schema of your future interface. We then use blocks to define placement of different content and functionalities. But to do this, you must first have a good idea of what your site architecture will be.

You can then indicate your project's key elements, the sizes you want, and positioning. This will help you build a harmonious whole.

Create Wireframes

Wireframes are mockups that define your content placement, with titles, visuals, etc. No code is necessary to create a wireframe.

Its objective is to help you hierarchize information and think about your user interface structure. This general vision is essential to avoid making mistakes in your graphic element layout.

Build a Mockup

A mockup is an interface representation switched to functional and navigable HTML version. We can then add links and even clickable CTAs to perform simulations and detect potential errors. This type of simulation will be very useful for better projection.

💡 You can create mockups via Balsamiq Mockups tool.

Work on Your Design

Once the structure is validated, you can start working on graphics. You'll be able to integrate colors, animations, choose your typography and visuals.

Typography

Finding typography that corresponds to your company's image isn't easy. It must represent your brand and facilitate message transmission. Size is also important and must be able to adapt to any device.

Colors

We're all more sensitive to certain colors than others (according to our age, past, environment, etc.). That's why it's essential to study your target to define colors that can speak to them. Use a color wheel to help.

Animations

Animations should help you transmit your messages, help visitors in their navigation, and wow them! By being concise, effective, and creative, you'll manage to capture your audience's attention. Be careful not to overuse them!

Images

Finally, images must be carefully chosen: selecting the right image takes time. You shouldn't settle for a clichéd visual showing people shaking hands. You must know how to attract the eye while staying simple.

Prototype Your Project

A prototype allows validating a web or mobile interface by making interactions functional to test them and detect errors. Users aren't there to buy the offer, but to help you optimize your interface.

Unlike zoning or wireframes, which you can't interact with, a prototype is interactive. It will allow you to show your project's functionality and what it looks like to your users or potential investors, for example.

Our Tips for Creating Your User Interface

5 Design Styles for Your User Interface

Atomic Design

The objective of this technique is to create modules that adapt to any device. By reducing a website or mobile application to its basic elements, you can then assemble them to build an interface.

Material Design

Launched by Google, material design is a guide for building graphic interfaces. The approach recalls Flat design, with the difference that graphic elements have relief and allow micro-interactions between interface and user.

Neuomorphism Design

Neuomorphism design aims to design a realistic interface. Indeed, it uses techniques to give real relief effects, making elements stand out more. Shadow effects are therefore very important to achieve convincing results.

Flat Design

Flat design is characterized by its minimalist aspect. It's generally found on touchscreens, like mobile applications. Content and functionalities are highlighted through its simplicity, colors, and modern side.

Line Design

Line design, or line drawing, has one principle: one line at a time. We then find refined lines, bold lines that contrast with the background, and without any shadow. These minimalist drawings allow transmitting messages simply.

5 Tools for Designing User Interfaces

Sketch

Sketch is a well-known designer tool. This software was designed for interface creation and to offer UX and UI designers necessary tools for their projects: numerous plugins, asset export, and the ability to connect to other software like Slack. However, it's only available on Mac.

Adobe XD

With Photoshop overshadowed by Sketch software, Adobe reacted with Adobe XD. The software is completed with new functionalities almost monthly and the free version is interesting enough to consider (prototype sharing, design, and font selection). You can also connect to other software.

Gravit Designer

Gravit Designer might not be as well-known as Sketch or Adobe XD, but it's interesting for its free nature and the fact it can be downloaded for different platforms like Chrome, Mac, or Windows. It has many functionalities like creating vector illustrations, interfaces, and retouching.

Figma

You can use Figma via your web browser with any operating system, unlike Sketch, exclusively usable on Mac. Your entire team can therefore access the software and projects simply and in real-time. No more managing and sending multiple files—just share your different elements.

InVision

Finally, you can also use InVision. You can import your creations, even if you designed them from Photoshop or Sketch. In terms of added value, InVision allows you to bring all project stakeholders together in the same place and thus facilitates project advancement through its collaborative capabilities.

UX and UI Design: Two Complementary Domains

What is UX Design?

UX design corresponds to user experience—the journey a visitor will take on your interface. Its objective is to trace a defined route that will help users find what they're looking for.

For this, you must work on navigation, accessibility, ergonomics, interactions, visuals, etc. Everything that can create a pleasant moment for your visitors and provide positive emotions so they can return.

You'll understand that if UI handles visual and graphic parts, UX deals with analysis and user journey optimization by seeking to make it as simple and effective as possible.

The UX designer will then analyze statistics and anticipate user journeys to propose an interface aligned with visitor expectations.

Complementary Concepts

UX and UI design are two different and complementary concepts that must respond to your target's needs. To have an optimal interface, you must focus on working these two aspects: the interface visual and user journey.

It's through the combination of both that you can offer a high-performing interface.

By focusing solely on UI, you'll probably have difficulties with navigation, for example, because you'll have excluded UX aspects from your process. Conversely, focusing on UX ensures good user experience, but without minimum aesthetics, you'll struggle to capture visitor attention.

UI will allow you to create a visually pleasant interface, while UX will help users meet their needs, all while ensuring they have a good time.