UI/UX design. Why is it important in an IT projects? (interview)

We are inviting you to an interview with our expert, in which we are going to discuss the issues related to UX and UI design. We are summarizing the year 2018 and presenting news that await us in 2019.

– What is the work of a UX and UI Designer? Maybe, you can elaborate on this one.

Katarzyna Gorniak: Normally, a UX Designer is someone who is quite different from a UI Designer. UX requires logical thinking – on the borderline of the psychology, logic and curiosity of the researcher. To be such a designer, you do not need to have very high graphic skills. This job is all about finding the right solutions – the best for the user. If someone opens the first application for the first time and exactly (intuitively) knows, where he can find specific functionalities, it means that the UX Designer has done the job well.

In addition, it should be remembered that the visual effect itself – mockups – frames filled with texts and sketches, are only the tip of an iceberg. You have to research, check, test and draw everything before the product obtains its final form. Thanks to such a complex process, satisfactory results can be achieved.

– And a UI Designer? What is their role?

In this case, it’s the opposite. A UI Designer must possess high graphic skills and a sense of aesthetics. One transforms sad, gray sketches into those that can attract an eye. It is utterly important to have more of an artistic approach. Color matching, sticking to one identification, distance and, of course, – pixel perfect.

We can also talk about combining these two roles. Therefore, if I were to describe the role of an UI / UX Designer, then certainly it’s necessary to pay attention to the need for complete skills in both of these ranges. Such a person must stand out with logical thinking and a strict artistic approach. This is not an easy task, which is why both positions are quite often separated.

– What is the most important thing when creating an interface that is user-friendly?

Intuition can help but harm as well. You have to research, check, ask and observe. There is no “golden middle” for every project. Only the relevant analyzes can give an answer to the question whether a given interface is friendly or not. Of course, the designer’s experience also counts. The more successful projects one realized, the greater chance that another time an effective interface will be created.

– Do UI and UX Designers have their own hard rules that they should always follow?

Basically, no. Of course, apart from tests. Technologies and trends are changing. Once, everyone used bread crumbs. Actually this solution is obsolete. Similar examples can be multiplied.

– Are UI and UX Designer equally important in the realization stage of the project?

Both roles are important, but UX is particularly more. If the created functionality is really useful, but does not look good nice, it is acceptable from the user’s perspective. In turn, in a reverse situation a bigger problem arises. The application can lose much value then. In addition, remember that a UX Desinger must always be up to date – keep track of what is happening around.

– How does a cooperation between UI/UX Designers and developers look like?

Agile environment definitely favors positive work. Everyone has their tasks in the project and knows what to focus on. There are no communication problems. Some people are afraid to work with developers, because they consider them to be a specific group – incomprehensible to non-technical people. I am absolutely against this thesis. In our projects, cooperation issues – including communication – are managed at a high level.

– Is a UI / UX Designer in the project team necessary? Or, maybe, it is an additional benefit that makes the created product even better?

From my perspective, the team without a UI / UX Designer is like a product without a sale. It is part of a whole and it is impossible to ignore its crucial role without losses to the project. Even 10 years ago, their presence in the team was an additional plus, but now it is a must.

– The year 2018 is slowly coming to an end. How did it look from a designer’s point of view?

I will focus more on issues related to UX, as some significant changes have occurred in this sphere. First of all, you should notice that the role of a UX Designer has increased. This can be clearly seen even in the number of job advertisements. More and more companies want to have a person with such competences. Certainly, the awareness of testing on users is also growing. Sometimes there are even brain wave tests, facial expressions and other biopsychology tools.

In addition, the awareness of the target group has increased. A lot of emphasis is put on the needs of specific users, e.g. older people or worse sighted people. We are also dealing with a lineal approach. The idea is to simplify systems and applications to the maximum so that the purchasing process becomes as simple and understandable as possible for the user. And at the end the other issue, in 2018, applications that have replaced responsive websites become more popular.

– What can we expect from 2019? Is there a chance for some breakthroughs to appear?

Who knows, maybe. Maybe not immediately, but more on the principle of prediction and development of specific functionalities that already work. I suspect that there will be even more emphasis on personalization, so more systems will be tailored to the user. Something on the Spotify principle. I believe that the trend will continue to reduce anxiety or user frustration. I mean the exact explanation of why, for example, a specific error has occurred.

Among the most interesting things, you can expect further attempts to match the system to the user’s mood. In 2018, such activities as, for example, a change in the color scheme of the system depending on the mood appeared. I think that we will also see an increase in the importance of other senses than just sight. Sounds and movement may be popular. I do not exclude other new products. Time will show what a new year can bring.