By Nate Berger

I’ve seen the same explanations you’ve seen illustrating the difference between user interface (UI) and user experience (UX), yet there is still mass confusion about these terms. What is UI? What is UX? Are they the same thing? It’s time to settle this once and for all.

In thinking thru the best way to explain this what immediately comes to mind is one of the most fundamental media outlets there is…. the radio.

First, the user interface, or UI. An example of a user interface is this fine piece of craftsmanship you see at the top of this article. The user interface is the screen that you interact with in order to search for and play music, talk radio, etc. The user interface is comprised of the blue buttons on the screen as well as the knobs and buttons that surround the screen.

Second, the user experience, or UX. The user experience in this scenario is my experience interacting with said user interface (the stereo). My experience is, well… conflicted. Since we are talking about a medium with both visual and audio cues, my experience is shaped not only by my interaction with the stereo interface, but also by listening to the content that I just searched for. It’s likely I’ll have a good experience listening to whatever song or station I just landed on, but the experience I’m having looking at these “gorgeous” blue buttons is, well, NOT GREAT. I’m in the UX field so perhaps I’m a bit biased, but, this is a stereo for a vehicle that was made in 2012. That’s correct, I said 2012. But when I look at this interface, it sure feels like 1999!

In most cases, a great interface will pave the way for a great user experience. And on the other side of the coin a less-than-great interface will often lead to a less-than-great experience. UI and UX are tightly integrated and quite important to one another, but they are not the same thing. Simply put, without the interface, there is no experience.

The art of integrating these two concepts successfully is what KnockMedia prides itself on. Learn more by visiting km.knockdev.com.