Graphic Design Vs. UX Design - Know the Difference

“Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated.” - Paul Rand

When launching a business, you need to have a good brand image. It can either make or break your marketing campaigns with the simplicity yet complexity to draw users. The first thing that your users notice is your brand logo or your web page. For that, you need to make sure every aspect is appealing. Design is not limited to a product, service as it influences what the specific goal aims for. Features like aesthetic, functional, economic, socio-political considerations, etc. account for factors influencing design.

So now, let’s talk about the two branches of design in detail-

1. Graphic design

2. UX design

Graphic Designing - Vector Art & More!

When we think of graphic design, we often think of greeting cards, business cards, and everything that just forms 1% of this creative world.

So what exactly is graphic designing?

Expression of art for few, a business model for many. This is one tool that creates your brand identity by making artwork to attract customers.

Design communicates to the viewers and solves problems with the help of visual stimulation. There are plenty of methods in which graphic design can be implemented and usually, each category requires special techniques & skill sets.

Tools used to develop graphic art include Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Filestage, Pixelmator, Sketch, and more.

Graphic Design is divided into these categories:

1. Visual identity graphic design: This focuses on the brand identity where it helps the organization communicate their value, tone, emotions, and other intangible qualities to the consumer or potential customer.

2. Marketing Graphic Design: This aims on helping the company sell its product or service. Visual content is easier to make marketing campaigns engaging. The category includes magazine and newspaper ads, posters, banners and billboards, infographics, brochures, email marketing templates, PowerPoint presentations, menus, social media ads, and more.

3. Packaging Design: The design of your package plays a huge role in you making the purchase. The visual appeal with bright, aesthetic, and eye-catching elements is what this category is all about. Of course, like any category, it taps into the psychology of human minds to make the product stand out.

4. Environmental graphic design: Did you know that graphic design helps in adding the aesthetic appeal for spaces? It involves branding the office, public transportations, signage, retail store interiors, event conference spaces, and more.

Other categories include motion graphics, illustrations, & publication graphic design.

Graphic design deals with a straight implementation of the idea. But these days, a detailed study regarding a product is required before the design creation.

UX Design - A World Of Possibilities!

“No product is an island. A product is more than a product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences. Think through all of the stages of a product or service – from initial intentions through final reflections, from the first usage to help, service, and maintenance. Make them all work together seamlessly.”

— Don Norman

User experience design is the process in which the design team is responsible to create products for the perfect user experience. As a UX designer, the person has to provide a meaningful & relevant experience to the user. The entire process involves acquiring, integrating the product, branding aspects, design, functionality & usability. This involves thorough research so that the end product lives to the user’s expectations.

So while the initial stages of product creation, a design is developed with the intention of covering everything. It deals with the product’s consumption, acquiring, owning, and troubleshooting it. The journey of a UX designer does not end after the creation of the product, and it aims for continuous improvement. And while working in creating a perfect user experience other aspects like pleasure, efficiency and fun are also studied in detail.

UX designer answers the why, what & how of the product usage.

• The Why motivates the users to accept the product when it reaches the market. With the help of UX, users tend to associate ownership and use of the product.
• The What deals with the functionality of the product. It helps in determining all the tasks the product can perform.
• The How deals with designing the working model of the product. These targets incorporate functionality in an aesthetical manner and in an accessible way.

Graphic Design & UX Design- Differences & more.

Both careers have a similar degree which often causes confusion among people. UX designers with Graphic designers might have some similarities. But here is a list of how they are miles apart:

• A UX designer develops & creates a system with the goal of improving the user experience. UX aims more on the functional aspects of the product. Whereas Graphic designers deal with visual aspects for the target audience.
• UX design aims on creating a wonderful experience, by extensive research to develop the product. Graphic designers are not involved with the development of the product.
• UX designers generally require a good understanding of computer systems, whereas graphic designers require more creativity & visualization.
• Graphic designers create designs with the intention to promote the product, while UX designers develop the product with the intention to sell.
• Graphic designers build pixel-perfect visually pleasing designs, while UX designers try to formulate the perfect user experience. UX includes elements of interaction design, graphic design, information architecture, and more.
• One important distinguishing feature is that graphic design ends after the launch of the product, it is a linear process. But in UX design the job continues even after the product launch.
• UX has a tie-up between design and user testing, which is not the case for graphic design.
• Where graphic designers earn around $44,476, UX designers earn around $74,083.

In Conclusion

There is a common misconception that graphic designers can’t go into UX design. Both fields are interesting, but depending on your interest you can pursue either. If you want to learn UX design after a graphic design career you just need to upskill a bit. These fields are waiting to be explored, and I hope after reading this you take a step into the amazing world of design.