TLDR: What Are UI and UX?
UI stands for user interface. It focuses on the visual and interactive parts of a website, app or digital product, such as buttons, colours, menus, forms, typography, icons and page layouts.
UX stands for user experience. It focuses on the full journey a user takes when trying to complete a goal, such as finding information, requesting a quote, booking a service, buying a product or using a dashboard.
In simple terms:
- UI is how a digital product looks and responds
- UX is how clear, useful and easy it feels to use
A strong website or digital product needs both. A product can look modern but still confuse users. It can also function correctly while feeling outdated, difficult or untrustworthy.
At Nertia, we think about UI and UX together when creating websites, web apps, mobile apps, dashboards, customer journeys and digital tools for businesses.
What Is UI Design?
UI design, or user-interface design, is the process of designing the visible parts of a digital product.
This includes:
- Colours
- Fonts
- Buttons
- Forms
- Menus
- Icons
- Cards
- Page sections
- Navigation
- Hover states
- Loading states
- Error messages
- Mobile layouts
The aim of UI design is to make a product feel clear, consistent, professional and easy to interact with.
For example, on a business website, UI design controls how the homepage looks, where the call-to-action buttons appear, how forms are styled, how the navigation menu works and how the brand is visually presented.
Good UI design helps users understand what they can click, where they are on the page and what action they should take next.
What Is UX Design?
UX design, or user-experience design, is the process of improving the full experience someone has when using a digital product.
UX focuses on questions such as:
- What is the user trying to do?
- Can they find the right information quickly?
- Are there too many steps?
- Is the content clear?
- Does the journey feel trustworthy?
- Can users complete the task without confusion?
- What happens if something goes wrong?
UX design often includes:
- User research
- Competitor research
- Customer journey mapping
- User flows
- Wireframes
- Information architecture
- Prototypes
- Usability testing
- Accessibility planning
- Conversion improvement
For example, if someone visits a service page and wants to request a quote, UX design considers how easily they can understand the service, find the button, complete the form and receive confirmation.
UI vs UX: What Is the Difference?
UI and UX are connected, but they solve different problems.
| Area | UI Design | UX Design |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Visual interface | Complete user journey |
| Main question | How should it look and respond? | How should it work and feel? |
| Typical output | High-fidelity screens and components | User flows, wireframes and journey maps |
| Main concern | Visual clarity and consistency | Ease, usefulness and task completion |
| Example | Button style, colour and spacing | Whether the button appears at the right step |
A checkout page is a useful example.
The UI includes the payment button, form fields, typography, icons, colours and order summary layout.
The UX includes whether guest checkout is available, whether delivery costs are shown early, whether errors are explained clearly and whether users trust the payment process.
A checkout can look polished but still lose sales if the experience feels unclear or difficult.
Why UI and UX Matter for Businesses
UI and UX directly affect how people understand, trust and use your website or digital product.
Strong UI/UX can help a business:
- Increase enquiries
- Improve conversions
- Reduce form abandonment
- Build trust
- Improve mobile usability
- Reduce customer confusion
- Lower support demand
- Improve accessibility
- Increase product adoption
- Make the website feel more professional
Poor UI/UX can create friction. Users may leave because the page is hard to read, the button is difficult to find, the form feels too long, the mobile layout is frustrating or the next step is unclear.
This is why UI/UX should not be treated as decoration. It is part of how your website communicates, sells, supports and builds confidence.
If your website is not performing well, you can use Nertia’s free SEO, AEO and GEO Website Scan Tool to check performance, SEO, accessibility, technical setup and AI-search readiness.
What Does a UI/UX Designer Do?
A UI/UX designer plans how people interact with a website, app, SaaS platform or digital product.
Their responsibilities may include:
- Understanding the business and target audience
- Reviewing existing website or product problems
- Researching competitors
- Mapping user journeys
- Creating wireframes
- Designing the visual interface
- Creating responsive mobile layouts
- Building interactive prototypes
- Planning accessibility
- Preparing developer handover files
- Reviewing the final product after development
In larger organisations, UI and UX may be separate roles. In smaller teams, one designer may handle both areas.
Related roles can include UX researcher, product designer, interaction designer, content designer and design-system designer.
Common UI/UX Terms Explained
What Is a User Flow?
A user flow shows the steps someone takes to complete a task.
For example, a quote-request flow might be:
- Visit the service page
- Click Request a Quote
- Choose a service
- Enter project details
- Add contact information
- Submit the form
- Receive confirmation
User flows help teams remove unnecessary steps and make the journey clearer.
What Is a Wireframe?
A wireframe is a simple layout that shows the structure of a page or screen before the final design is created.
Wireframes usually focus on:
- Content order
- Page sections
- Navigation
- Buttons
- Forms
- Calls to action
They avoid detailed colours, final typography and polished visuals. This makes it easier to approve the structure before spending time on the final UI.
What Is a Prototype?
A prototype is an interactive version of a proposed design.
It may let users click between screens, open menus, complete a simulated checkout, test onboarding or experience a dashboard flow.
A prototype is not always a working product. It is usually a testable model that helps identify problems before development begins.
What Is a Design System?
A design system is a shared set of rules, components and visual standards.
It can include:
- Colours
- Typography
- Buttons
- Form fields
- Cards
- Icons
- Spacing rules
- Error states
- Accessibility guidance
- Reusable components
Design systems help businesses keep websites, apps and platforms consistent as they grow.
Popular UI and UX Platforms
UI/UX designers use different tools for research, planning, design, prototyping and handover.
Common platforms include:
Figma
Figma is one of the most popular platforms for UI design, prototyping, collaboration and developer handover. It is commonly used for websites, apps, SaaS dashboards, design systems and interactive prototypes.
Best for: collaborative product design, design systems, remote teams and developer handover.
Sketch
Sketch is a Mac-based design platform used for interface design, prototyping and design systems.
Best for: Apple-based design teams and established Sketch workflows.
Framer
Framer combines visual website design with publishing. It is often used for landing pages, startup websites, portfolio sites and interactive marketing pages.
Best for: teams that want to design and publish a website from one platform.
Penpot
Penpot is an open-source design and prototyping platform. It can be useful for teams that value open standards, design-to-code collaboration or self-hosting options.
Best for: open-source teams, cross-platform teams and organisations wanting more control.
Axure RP
Axure RP is used for detailed prototypes with logic, variables, conditions and complex product behaviour.
Best for: enterprise software, dashboards, conditional journeys and complex prototypes.
Miro
Miro is an online whiteboard used for workshops, user journeys, brainstorming, customer personas and early planning.
Best for: research, strategy, collaboration and journey mapping.
Webflow and WordPress
Some designers and agencies also use Webflow or WordPress to build and publish websites. These platforms are more focused on website production than interface design alone.
At Nertia, our Website Design and Development process connects planning, UI/UX design, responsive development, SEO structure and conversion-focused page layouts.
Which UI/UX Platform Is Best?
There is no single best UI/UX platform for every business.
A simple guide:
| Requirement | Recommended platform |
|---|---|
| Collaborative website and app design | Figma |
| Mac-native interface design | Sketch |
| Design and publish a marketing website | Framer |
| Open-source or self-hosted workflow | Penpot |
| Complex functional prototype | Axure RP |
| Workshops and user journey mapping | Miro |
| Website production | WordPress, Webflow or Framer |
Many teams use more than one platform. For example, Miro for planning, Figma for UI design, Axure for complex prototypes and WordPress for the final website.
Does UI/UX Need Coding?
UI/UX design does not always require coding.
Many UI/UX designers create wireframes, interfaces and prototypes using visual tools. They are not always responsible for building the final website or product.
However, understanding HTML, CSS, JavaScript, responsive design and accessibility can make a designer more effective.
Coding knowledge helps designers understand:
- What is technically possible
- How responsive layouts behave
- How components are built
- How performance can be affected
- How designs are handed to developers
- How accessibility works in real products
Some designers only design. Some also build websites. Some work closely with developers. The right approach depends on the project.
The Four Golden Rules of UI Design
1. Keep the Interface Consistent
Buttons, forms, colours, icons, spacing and navigation should behave consistently.
Consistency helps users learn how the product works and reduces confusion.
2. Make Actions Clear
Users should understand what they can click and what will happen next.
Clear labels such as “Request a Quote”, “Book a Demo” or “Download the Guide” are often stronger than vague labels like “Submit” or “Click Here”.
3. Give Users Feedback
Interfaces should respond when users take action.
This may include loading indicators, confirmation messages, error messages, progress bars or success states.
Without feedback, users may think the website is broken or click the same button repeatedly.
4. Reduce Unnecessary Complexity
Good UI makes complicated tasks feel manageable.
This can involve shorter forms, clearer navigation, grouped content, plain language, progressive steps and fewer distractions.
UI/UX, Accessibility and SEO
UI/UX can support SEO by improving the way users and search engines understand a page.
Search performance still depends on areas such as helpful content, technical SEO, metadata, internal linking, site authority and crawlability. However, UI/UX can improve:
- Mobile usability
- Page structure
- Readability
- Navigation
- Accessibility
- Loading behaviour
- Engagement
- Conversion after the search visit
Google’s Core Web Vitals focus on real user experience signals such as loading performance, interactivity and visual stability. Accessibility guidance such as WCAG also encourages websites to be easier to perceive, operate and understand.
This matters because search visibility alone is not enough. A page may rank, but if the experience is confusing, slow or difficult to use, visitors may still leave without taking action.
UI/UX and AI Chatbots
An AI chatbot is also a user interface.
A chatbot’s UX should consider:
- Launcher placement
- Opening message
- Suggested questions
- Response clarity
- Mobile usability
- Escalation options
- Error handling
- Brand tone
- Accessibility
- Calls to action
For example, a chatbot that appears too aggressively may frustrate visitors. A chatbot that gives unclear answers may reduce trust. A chatbot that feels visually disconnected from the website may feel like an afterthought.
Nertia’s AI Chatbot Maker allows businesses to create, customise and publish AI chatbots for their website. The best chatbot experiences feel like part of the wider website journey, not a separate widget.
You can also read our guide to AI chatbot design and UI for a deeper look at chatbot interfaces.
Is AI Replacing UI/UX Designers?
AI is changing UI/UX design, but it is not replacing the full design process.
AI tools can help generate:
- Layout ideas
- Wireframes
- Draft content
- Images
- Colour suggestions
- Component variations
- Prototype concepts
- Front-end code
This can speed up early production and reduce repetitive tasks.
However, AI does not automatically understand a business’s customers, goals, brand, internal constraints, technical limits or commercial priorities.
A generated interface may look professional while solving the wrong problem.
The strongest approach is usually to combine AI speed with human judgement. AI can help explore ideas faster, but experienced designers are still needed to guide strategy, test usability, improve accessibility and make decisions based on real users.
For more detail, read Nertia’s guide: Is AI Replacing UI/UX Designers?
How to Choose a UI/UX Designer or Agency
When choosing a UI/UX designer or agency, look beyond the final visuals.
A strong design partner should be able to explain:
- How they understand your users
- How they plan user journeys
- Whether wireframes are included
- How mobile design is handled
- How accessibility is considered
- What design tools they use
- Whether prototypes are included
- How designs are handed to developers
- How success will be measured
Ask to see the thinking behind their work, not only screenshots.
Good questions include:
- What does your design process involve?
- How do you understand the target audience?
- Will you create user flows and wireframes?
- Are desktop and mobile designs included?
- Will you create an interactive prototype?
- How do you handle accessibility?
- How are designs handed to developers?
- Can you review the finished website or product after development?
Be cautious if a designer starts with visual styling before understanding the user journey, business goals or technical requirements.
How Much Does UI/UX Design Cost?
UI/UX design cost depends on:
- Number of pages or screens
- Research requirements
- Product complexity
- Number of user types
- Responsive layouts
- Prototype detail
- Design-system requirements
- Testing requirements
- Developer handover
- Ongoing support
A small website redesign will usually cost less than a full SaaS platform, booking system, dashboard or mobile app.
Common pricing models include fixed project fees, day rates, design sprints, retainers and embedded product-design support.
The most important thing is clarity. Businesses should understand what is included, what is not included and what the final deliverables will be.
How to Measure UI/UX Success
Useful UI/UX metrics depend on the goal of the website or product.
You may measure:
- Enquiry rate
- Conversion rate
- Form completion
- Checkout completion
- Task completion
- Time to complete a task
- Support requests
- User satisfaction
- Product adoption
- Feature usage
- Retention
- Form abandonment
- Mobile engagement
Visual preference alone is not enough. A design should be judged by whether it helps users complete meaningful actions with less confusion.
UI/UX Project Checklist for Businesses
Before starting a UI/UX project, prepare:
- Business goals
- Target audience
- Main user tasks
- Current website or product issues
- Analytics data
- Customer feedback
- Competitor examples
- Required features
- Brand assets
- Technical platform
- Internal decision makers
- Budget range
- Timeline
Clear inputs help the design process move faster and make the final outcome more focused.
Create a Clearer Digital Experience
UI and UX shape how people understand, trust and use your website, app or digital product.
UI controls the visible interface. UX controls the wider journey. Together, they help businesses create digital experiences that feel professional, easy to use and built around real customer needs.
Strong UI/UX design can help your business improve conversions, reduce confusion, support SEO, improve accessibility and create a better experience across desktop and mobile.
Nertia provides UI/UX, website design and development services for businesses creating or improving websites, SaaS platforms, dashboards and digital customer journeys.
Our process can include:
- Discovery
- User journeys
- Wireframes
- Responsive interface design
- Interactive prototypes
- Design systems
- Developer-ready handover
- Website development
- SEO, AEO and GEO structure
Explore Nertia’s Website Design and Development service or run a free SEO, AEO and GEO Website Scan to see how your current website performs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is UI and UX in simple terms?
UI is the visual interface people interact with. UX is the overall experience they have while using it. UI focuses on how a website or app looks. UX focuses on how easy, useful and clear it feels.
What is the difference between UI and UX?
UI focuses on buttons, colours, layouts, typography and visual components. UX focuses on user journeys, structure, task completion, usability and the overall experience.
Does every business website need UI/UX design?
Yes, every business website benefits from UI/UX thinking. Even a simple website needs clear navigation, readable content, strong calls to action, mobile usability and a journey that helps users take the next step.
Which UI/UX tool is best?
Figma is commonly used for collaborative UI/UX design, but the best tool depends on the project. Miro is useful for planning, Framer can publish websites, Axure is useful for complex prototypes, and WordPress or Webflow may be used for production websites.
Can UI/UX improve conversions?
Yes, UI/UX can improve conversions by making key actions clearer, reducing friction, improving mobile usability, simplifying forms and helping users understand what to do next.
Does UI/UX help SEO?
UI/UX can indirectly support SEO by improving page structure, mobile usability, readability, accessibility, internal linking and page experience. It also helps turn search visitors into enquiries or customers.
Do UI/UX designers need to code?
Not always. Many UI/UX designers use visual design tools, but understanding code helps them design realistic, responsive and developer-friendly interfaces.
Is AI replacing UI/UX designers?
AI can support UI/UX tasks such as layout ideas, draft copy and wireframes, but it does not replace user research, business judgement, accessibility planning, usability testing or strategic design decisions.
How do I know if my website has poor UX?
Signs of poor UX include low conversions, high form abandonment, confusing navigation, slow pages, unclear calls to action, mobile issues, repeated customer questions and users leaving before taking action.
Can Nertia help with UI/UX design?
Yes. Nertia helps businesses plan, design and develop clearer digital experiences, including websites, SaaS platforms, dashboards, customer journeys and AI chatbot interfaces.