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Writer's pictureThu Phạm

UI designer vs UX Designer vs Product Designer - don't ever misunderstand between them.


Don't ever miss between a UI designer, a UX designer, and a Product Designer.

How to distinguish between UI, UX, and Product Designers without getting overwhelmed?


In the wide world of design, it's important to know the differences. Even though UI, UX, and Product Designers may look the same, they work to very different beats. Even though each is important to make a product, their methods, tools, and end goals are very different.


UI Designers fill in the picture. They pay attention to how things look and make sure that interfaces are both interesting and on-brand. Think of them as artists who work on each pixel to make sure your product stands out from the rest.


UX Designers lay down the groundwork. Their main focus is on being easy to use and making users happy. By doing research, making prototypes, and testing, they make sure that users can find their way around easily and enjoy every step of their journey.


On the other hand, product designers build the link between what users want and what the business wants to achieve. By combining design and strategy, they make sure the product not only looks and feels great but also does well in the market.


The way these roles work together is like a complicated dance. Whether you want to work together, hire someone, or just enjoy the art, knowing these differences is the first step.


Criteria

UI Designer

UX Designer

Product Designer

Primary focus

Visual design & Interactions

User’s experience & Functionality

Entire product & user journey

Core principle

Beauty and functionality

Usability & accessibility

Feasibility, viability, desirability

Research focus

Aesthetics feedback

User needs, pain points

Market needs, competitor analysis

Design process

Designing an appealing and visually pleasing interface

Designing a seamless user experience

Designing a complete product that satisfies business goals and user needs.

Examples of work

Creating a visually pleasing and intuitive interface design for a mobile app

Conducting user research to understand user needs and pain points, creating user personas, designing user flows and wireframes, conducting usability testing

Creating a complete product that fulfills business objectives and user needs, such as a website or a mobile app.

User empathy

Typically has less involvement in user empathy compared to UX designers

Focuses heavily on understanding user needs, behaviors and pain points, and using this understanding to inform design decisions.

Balances understanding user needs with business objectives, and ensures the product meets both

Design thinking

Applies design thinking principles to create visually appealing interfaces

Applies design thinking principles to create user-centered designs

Applies design thinking principles to create user-centered designs that align with business objectives

Problem solving

Focuses on solving visual design problems and making the interface visually appealing

Focuses on solving user problems and making the user experience seamless and enjoyable

Focuses on solving both user problems and business problems, and ensuring the product meets the needs of both stakeholders

Stakeholder Interaction

Mostly with creative team

Often with end-users

High interaction with business and tech leaders

Champion for

Design consistency

User needs

Business growth and user satisfaction

Challenges

Maintaining brand consistency

Addressing diverse user needs

Aligning user needs with business goals

Continuous challenges

Staying updated with design trends

Balancing user needs with business requirements

Juggling between user needs, business, and technology

Frequent frustration

Restricted creative freedom due to brand guidelines

Limitations due to tech constraints

Balancing stakeholder expectations, timeline constraints

Primary concern

Does it look good & intuitive?

Is it user-friendly and effective?

Does it meet business and user objectives?

Metrics

Pixels, visual alignments

Time on task, error rates

Conversion rates, user retention​

Outcome Measurement

Visual consistency, branding alignment, responsiveness

User satisfaction, ease of use, reduced user errors, successful task, completions.

Overall product success, user adoption, market fit, business goals achievement

Inspiration Sources

Dribbble, Behance

User stories, case studies

Market success stories, user feedback

Continuous Learning

Design trends, animations

New research methodologies

Industry trends, growth strategies

Career path

May have a background in graphic design or visual arts

May have a background in psychology, human-computer interaction, or information architecture

May have a background in design, business, or engineering

Soft Skills

Creativity, attention to detail

Empathy, active listening

Leadership, decision-making, negotiation

End Goal

Make things look good

Make things user-friendly

Drives product vision and success

A diagram that shows the scale of the three in usability:



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