Understanding UX and UI in human-computer interaction

Some considerations in Interaction Design

The misunderstanding about differences between user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) repeats frequently in tech-based organisations. Both attributes operate in symbiosis, however, each one has specifical contribution along the human-computer interaction. Here I discuss about these dynamics.

What in the real-world motivates someone to use a technology?

The first condition to observe is that people interact with digital artifacts (website, system, app etc.) according two perspectives: as the individual and as the user of product. The individual is a subjective side of interaction, while the user is the pragmatic operation on the product interface. Thus, there are two facets of who interacts with technology, in specific contexts of use (cf. diagram below).

Dynamics between UX and UI, articulated by interactions with the user in specific context of use. The membrane represents the duality of who interacts with product: same person is an individual and also user, and this influence his/her experience. (Source: Author)

The user experience involves the variables above, as a result of interactions on interface and its respective comprehension by individual-user. This binary helps us to realize how understandable is the interface for the final user of a digital product. Interface mediates the relation between users and technologies and the user experience is influenced by their previous life experiences.

Consequently, interface functionalities might even seem obvious for designers, but it is not the same for final users. Designers and developers have different mental models from final users.

There are different kind of knowledge during interaction of user with a product, working as variables to consider in user interface design process.

Individuals (β) know deeply their motivations that brings them to use a product — what I called knowledge-of-problem, k(p). In other side, product designers and developers (α) know and regulate the objectivity surrounding the tasks to better use of the product — knowledge-of-task, k(t). Thus, we have the following expression:

k(p) = β > α
k(t) = α > β

The comprehension about the final users motivations is a path to increase the knowledge of a problem in the user experience and eliminate bias.

That explains why product team sometimes says the user “will learn how it works with practice along the time of use”. Nope. Our tries to simulate how final user thinks does not erase the fact we are limited to be α-users. It’s important, therefore, conceive products aiming for increase k(t) in β-users, and it is possible only learning from their experiences through product evaluation. In this way, designers and developers learning about users and increase their own k(p).

In summary, designers and developers need to perceive the motivations of individuals that turn them into a user of product, bringing user-centred approaches to represent easy and friendly user interfaces. This challenge is, in true, the main competence desired for user experience professionals, be designers, developers, engineers, researchers and others experts.

Author

André Grilo, M.Sc.
Head of Design, Informatics Superintendency
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

(images retrieved from Pexels)