Is it better to hire a graphic designer over a UX designer when building a new website? How about old websites-should you fuss more about graphic design elements or UX ones?
If you're not a design professional, it's easy to confuse graphic design with UX design. Even if you're not entirely clear about their differences, though, it's still vital to understand that without effective web development and design, it's challenging to succeed in today's digital landscape. That said, if you want to know what makes the two different, here's an overview of graphic design vs. UX design.
A simple way to define graphic design is that it's a type of visual art conveying a specific message. Graphic design doesn't only cover digital media but also printed material such as business cards, brochures, and magazine covers.
Since the domain of graphic designers is visual content, they often work with clients to brainstorm ideas. These include color schemes, how the product will appear in print format, etc. To create mock-ups of these, they use software like Adobe Photoshop.
Aside from collaborating with clients, their day-to-day tasks may involve creating logos and illustrations, choosing fonts for layouts, and acting as a brand steward. This means for a particular digital product, they ensure that branding is consistent and doesn't deviate from the client's brand bible.
UX is short for user experience. As we've said before, a user-friendly website helps encourage more business. Effective UX design considers what the site's target audience needs or wants so they don't "bounce" from the website.
Unlike graphic design, UX design is digital-only. The goal is to make the interactions between humans and computers seamless. This is where one of the rules of web design comes in. Beyond looking aesthetically pleasing, the design should enhance a digital product's usability and functionality. So, while graphic design concentrates on static elements, UI (user interface) or UX covers animations, clickable buttons, and so on.
Now that you know their differences, let's touch a bit on their similarities. Both disciplines use the principles of colors, typography, spacing, layout, and hierarchy.
The main difference is graphic design is brand-centric, while UX is user-focused. For website building or website redesign, both roles are necessary.
UX often comes first in the process. The UX designer must be confident that the product works before going live. Meanwhile, since graphic designers are concerned with the visual elements, they play a key role in marketing said product.
EnvisionIT Solutions can assist you with all your design needs. Whether you need a new website or redesign services, our team will make sure your site is mobile-friendly, easy to use, and attractive to your target audience.
If you still have some questions about graphic design vs. UX design, we encourage you to contact us. We would love to discuss your goals for your website or any graphic design projects you may have in the pipeline.
