UI designers and developers are the terms that are used interchangeably, though they have significant differences. UI developers and designers work in cooperation with each other that develops the end-product that meets customer expectations. Development and designing are two crucial aspects of software development. Taking into consideration the aspects of user-friendly interface employ the methods and techniques that UI designers understand. Ease of use, easy navigation, understanding, interaction, functionality, and similar components make applications stand.
This article describes the key differences between UI developers and designers in a detailed manner.
UI Developers
The user interface developer is responsible for the management of functional aspects of software development. It takes into account the technical processes and functions. For instance, programming and coding of use-cases throughout all the stages of software development is the responsibility of a UI front-end developer. Based on the functional and non-functional requirements of clients, a UI developer tends to build the software application. The development also incorporates the view of the audience and their flexibility of using the application. Due to strong technical expertise, UI developer salaries are generally higher than the designers’.
A front-end developer also needs additional information related to the UX flow. The configuration of UI is changed in the development workflow based on the UX. There exist a significant difference between UI and UX. UI focuses on the user interface whereas, UX incorporates the perspective of user experience. The needs of clients are the ultimate focus based on which the software is developed. Once the general functions start working, changes are made accordingly to streamline the workflow. The primary draft is operational that is finalized once it is integrated with the design aspects of the applications. During the addition of new functionalities, bugs or errors occur that need to be fixed. UI developer training includes sufficient revisions that are made until the desired outcomes are obtained.
Characteristics of UI Developer
A UI developer is responsible for:
- Determining the detailed requirements of the clients with respect to the functions of the application.
- Make human and computer interaction seamless for the end-user.
- Build software projects based on the requirements given by clients.
- Utilizing the UI developer skills to make enough research before building the software.
- Develop a system with the most flexible programming language for advanced designs.
- Employ updated versions of the third-party tools or applications that help in the development.
- Identify the technology stack that is suitable for that particular type of application.
- Successful execution and testing of the software modules.
- Evaluation of the software application after it passes through all the stages of development.
UI Designers
User interface designers have some important duties that contribute to the enhanced usage of the software product. They employ the functions, processes, modules, and technical components of the application to design the visual representations of each feature exclusively. It is the responsibility of the UI designer to craft the visual aspects of the application by conceptualizing its dynamics, functions, purpose, and processes. The ultimate purpose of a UI designer is to design the software product in such a way that it conveys its functionality to users very easily. The workflow of the product tends to be made highly efficient and any complex visuals are eliminated that make it hard for the user to understand.
UI designers keep programming and designing side-by-side to understand the actual concept of the software product. The designs are implemented and a layout is finalized according to the nature of the application. The color scheme and graphics define the program. The workflow of the software product should be seamless. It is the responsibility of the UI designs to design the interface in such a way that a layman can easily understand its icons, shapes, and components. The UI designers also test the implemented designs to make sure that system is not malfunctioning and all the issues are fixed efficiently. The changes are made in designs until the processes can easily be operated. For this, the perspective of the end-user is taken into account.
Characteristics of UI Designers
The following are some responsibilities of UI designers.
- Designing the wireframes of the software product modules.
- Make drafts and graphics using high-end graphics and editing software.
- Ensure responsiveness of the application on all devices such as mobile, desktop, and tablets.
- Employ advanced technologies to give rich interfaces and designs to the application.
- Use high-end color schemes and fonts that align well with the software’s purpose.
- Creation of storyboards, animations, and visualizations.
- Ensure the high usability of the software.
- Design graphics that incorporate every aspect and component such that it eliminates the need for manual checks.
- Provide enhanced customer experience to the end-user through an easy-to-use interface.
- Make it easy for the users to navigate, perform certain actions, and easily execute the processes.
Conclusion
To sum up, UI designers and developers have different responsibilities. Though, they collaborate with each other to build the desired end-product. It requires multiples revisions and testing of every module separately. UI developers focus more on the technical aspects and development of the software. On the other hand, the UI designer optimizes the user interface and user experience. The graphics and designs of the software are implemented in such a way that an end-user could successfully complete the task.
After a draft is ready, the process goes through revisions. The system is not finalized until it gives a seamless overview with respect to functionality and the user experience. A system is successful when an end-user could operate each process very easily. It is only possible when UI designers and UI developers get united with the aim of exceptional execution of the software product.
