Surely you have heard about UI, UX, and CX. As synonymous as these terms sound, they are quite distinct from each other, with essential roles to play in digital commerce and marketing. Their significance in the present times has been propelled by the growing demand for web and mobile app development. Why? It’s because user interface, user experience, and customer experience are vital for web and mobile app design and development.

However, the most seasoned professionals outside of these specific domains are often caught using the terms interchangeably. While it’s true UI, UX, and CX work in unison to create a wholesome brand experience online, they are not the same. The interdependency between these terms is the reason behind the confusion, which we will address and resolve through this blog. So, let’s begin, shall we?!

What is a User Interface?

UI or user interface is the interaction and engagement point between the brand and its customers, which takes place through an optimized interface. Everything from the layout or topography of the website or mobile app to the buttons and entry fields is part of the user interface design. The UI designer will consider the structural aspects of the website like the white space, color contrast that complements the usability and readability of the platform, and illustration design ensuring that the UI is compatible across multiple platforms.

For instance, in an ecommerce platform, you browse through the virtual product racks; then select add the product to the cart, and then move on to the checkout finishing by completing the payment. Throughout the process you are interacting with the platform, interfacing with it; that’s the significance of a user interface.

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The role of a web or mobile UI designer is to design an interface that ensures smooth communication with the customers. A user-friendly UI ensures that the interaction between the customers and the brand remains as seamless as possible, enhancing their experience on the platform, which brings us to the importance of user experience.

What is User Experience?

The term user experience was coined in the 1990s by Don Norman, the co-founder of Nielson Norman Group. UX or user experience can be defined as the interaction between the end-user and the brand encompassing all aspects of the latter, including its products and services. User experience might have found new meaning in this age of digitization, but the concept is hardly novel.

In the present context, the user experience design of a website/app ensures that the product or service is optimized appropriately for customers’ complete satisfaction. It is responsible for the overall experience that an end-user has in terms of usability. Several factors are considered when designing the UX;

• It starts with research for understanding the user requirements via surveys, use case assessment, and development of user personas to get a grip on the customer perspective. This is followed by drafting the user journey map to nail a great user experience.
  
• The research is followed by drafting the step-by-step user flow through the UI and sketching the wireframe which is basically the blueprint of the interface, defining all the key components.
  
• The next stage is that of implementing what has transpired in the former stages, which involves frontend and backend development of the app/website. This is the prototype stage.
  
• In the final stage of the UX design, the usability and efficacy of the platform in delivering customer satisfaction are tested.

UX design is the culmination of all these stages, which includes UI design and implementation. User experience ensures a seamless brand exploration journey for the customers, starting from visiting the platform, browsing, choosing the product, and checking out to order confirmation, delivery, and customer support services. It is a continuous process that keeps evolving to ensure a stellar user experience.

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A UX web designer is tasked with the role to aid the users/customers fulfill their goals, solving any problem that crops up in the way of the same. This makes the user experience the fundamental marketing concept for brands seeking growth in their respective domains.

What is Customer Experience?

Customer experience or CX is quite similar to UX, which leads to the most confusion between the two. But there is a central difference between both. While the user experience focuses on the satisfaction of the customer with a service or product, the customer experience focuses on the comprehensive experience of the end-user.

CX can be impacted by multiple experiences at different points of time with the same brand. It combines all brand experiences across all channels of customer engagement. Customer experience has a more holistic approach which transcends the online experience into physical store customer engagements as well. The best way to ensure a stellar customer experience is for brands to align the diverse points of engagement.

How Does UI, UX, and CX Impact Brand Marketing & Exposure?

UI, UX, and CX might have varied insinuations; nevertheless, all three are closely related from a brand marketing perspective. They converge to augment the brand reputation through compact consumer interaction and engagement.

Brands market through multiple channels creating diverse experiences within the same. So, there can be several user experiences, generated through interaction with the interface throughout the brand journey. 

To put it in simple words, a poor UI leads to a poor user experience, which negatively impacts the overall customer experience (CX) of the brand. So, to create an engaging experience we help brands align their UI, UX, and CX, through smart design and marketing strategies. Our web and app development services uphold the best practices involving UI, UX, and CX to drive brand marketing and business growth. We make sure that the development of the user interface and user experience act as catalysts for a great customer experience, guaranteeing more customer conversions.

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Conclusion

UI, UX, and CX are the irrefutable tri-facta of the Digital Age brand marketing. All your efforts in designing, developing, and coding a website/app and then marketing the same along with the brand, ultimately distill into executing a seamless connection between the customers and the brand, both online and offline. Unless you understand the difference and interdependence of user interface, user experience, and customer experience, you cannot devise a compact marketing plan for the growth and visibility of your brands across all verticals.