User Experience
User Interface (UI)
Also known as: UI & User Interface
Plain English
What a product looks like and how you interact with it.
Definition
serviceUser Interface DesignCreate clearer interfaces, stronger visual hierarchy, and more consistent product UI without adding unnecessary complexity.Open service (UI) refers to the visual and interactive elements of a product, such as buttons, glossaryLayoutLayout is the arrangement of elements on a page or screen, determining how content is organised and presented. It influences readability, usability, and overall experience.Open glossary term, and typography. It focuses on how a product looks and how users interact with it.
In practice
Used to design screens, components, and visual glossarySystemA system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.Open glossary term that support glossaryUsabilityUsability is how easy and efficient it is for users to complete tasks within a product. It focuses on clarity, simplicity, and reducing effort so users can achieve their goals without confusion or friction.Open glossary term and brand glossaryConsistencyConsistency is the use of uniform patterns, behaviours, and visual elements across a product to create familiarity and predictability. It helps users learn once and apply that knowledge throughout the experience.Open glossary term.
In context
It is where subjective opinion is loudest, which is why grounding reviews in principles (glossaryHierarchyHierarchy is the organisation of elements to show importance and guide user attention.Open glossary term, contrast, glossaryConsistencyConsistency is the use of uniform patterns, behaviours, and visual elements across a product to create familiarity and predictability. It helps users learn once and apply that knowledge throughout the experience.Open glossary term) saves more time than any amount of debate about taste.
The reality
A polished UI can’t fix a broken experience - it only hides it temporarily.
Compared with
User Interface vs Interaction Design
UI covers the visual and structural elements (what things look like and where they sit). glossaryInteraction DesignInteraction design is the practice of designing how users interact with a product, focusing on behaviour, flow, and responsiveness. It ensures interactions are intuitive, efficient, and meaningful.Open glossary term covers how they behave over time: what responds, when, and with what glossaryFeedbackFeedback is the system response that informs users about the result of their actions. It helps users understand what has happened and what to do next.Open glossary term.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is UI?
UI refers to the visual design and interactive elements of a product.
Why is UI important?
It shapes how users interact with and perceive a product.
What does a UI designer do?
They design the visual glossaryLayoutLayout is the arrangement of elements on a page or screen, determining how content is organised and presented. It influences readability, usability, and overall experience.Open glossary term and interactive elements of a product.
What is the difference between UI and UX?
UI is about visuals and glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term, UX is about the overall experience.
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