Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on
Explore UI design principles and tips to create great UI with the following article.
What is UI?
UI stands for user interface. It is the point of contact between humans and computers. Any technology you interact with as a user is part of the user interface. For example, screens, sounds, overall style, and responsiveness are all elements of UI. A user interface involves the following four components:
Navigational elements. Navigational elements help users navigate an interface. Examples of navigational elements in UI include slide bars, search fields, and back arrows.
Input controls. On-page elements that enable users to input information are input controls. Buttons, checkboxes, and text fields are all examples of input controls.
Informational components. Informational components are used to communicate information to the user. A progress bar beneath a video or tutorial is an example of an informational component.
Containers. Containers organize content into easily digestible sections. Rather than listing every subheading underneath a tab, a container element like an accordion menu may be used to hide or show content.
UI vs. UX
In your research into UI design, you may come across the related term user experience (UX) design. While UI and UX share some similarities, there are some important distinctions, as we've outlined below:
| UI design | UX design |
|---|---|
| Focuses on interaction design, the visual elements of a website or application, and ensuring a navigation path is visually attractive and effortless to use. | Focuses on satisfying user intent and providing a clear navigation path to access information on a site or app. |
Read more: UI vs. UX Design: What’s the Difference? and What Does a UX Designer Do?
What is UI design?
User interface (UI) design is likely the first thing you encounter when you use an application or visit a website. User interface design is responsible for a product's appearance, interactivity, usability, behavior, and overall feel. UI design can determine whether a user has a positive experience with a product, so it’s essential for companies and creators to familiarize themselves with UI design best practices.
3 types of UI design
Many different types of UI design exist. The table below compiles a few of the most popular and well-known.
| 3 Main types of UI design | Definition |
|---|---|
Graphical user interface (GUI) | A graphical user interface allows users to interact with a device through graphical icons. Typically, interactions are facilitated through a mouse, trackpad, or some other point-and-click tool. Your laptop’s desktop or home screen is an example of a GUI. |
Voice user interface (VUI) | Words and syntax play the most crucial role in voice user interfaces. VUI uses speech recognition to understand voice commands. Notable examples of VUI include iPhone’s Siri, Google Home’s “hey google” feature, and Amazon’s Alexa. |
Menu-driven interface | Menu-driven interfaces provide users with command options via a list or a menu. These commands can present themselves in full-screen or as a pop-up or drop-down. Common examples of menu-driven interfaces include ATMs and digital parking meters. |
Additional types of UI design include touchscreen user interface and form-based user interface. Touchscreen user interfaces are GUIs that use touchscreen technology rather than a mouse or stylus. Form-based user interfaces use text boxes, checkboxes, and other informational components. They enable users to fill out electronic forms.
Tips for excellent UI design
Invisibility is a staple of great UI design. Great UI goes unnoticed, in that users are able to navigate a site or app and find what they're looking for, without encountering challenges or getting confused by the elements of the page. Simplicity, familiarity, and consistency are a few of the most important principles for a UI designer to keep in mind. Consider the following UI design tips from industry experts like Apple and Google.
Format content to fit the screen of the intended device. Users should not need to zoom or scroll horizontally to view the entirety of a page’s content.
Ensure there is adequate contrast between the background and page elements like text to increase legibility.
Alignment doesn’t just apply to text. Buttons and images must also be aligned to demonstrate relevance and relativity to users.
High image resolution is essential for all image assets.
Make sure your UI design is responsive. Whether users view the UI on a large screen, small screen, in portrait mode, or landscape mode, they should be able to read and maneuver it with ease.
Check out Apple’s Dos and Don’ts of UI Design for more tips. You can also learn more about UI design and development through Meta’s Front-End Developer Professional Certificate.
Key principles of UI design
An easy way to recall the fundamental principles of UI design is to learn the four c’s:
Control. The users should be in control of the interface.
Consistency. Use common elements to make your UI predictable and easy to navigate, even for novice users.
Comfortability. Interacting with a product should be an effortless, comfortable experience.
Cognitive load. It’s critical to be mindful of bombarding users with content. Be as clear and concise as possible.
UI accessibility
Accessibility is another crucial aspect of UI design. To accomplish the four c’s, each must be true for every user. Those with low vision or other disabilities should be able to navigate a UI without difficulty. For example, many people use screen readers and other accessibility tools to browse the web or use applications. Make sure adaptability features are presented to the user right away. Settings corresponding to these features should also be easy to find. For a comprehensive approach, consider collecting feedback from a wide range of users regarding your UI. This practice can help you examine a UI’s accessibility from several perspectives.
UI design tools
It is essential to have the right tools and technology to support your UI design efforts. In the table below, we've outlined five UI design tools and listed the cost, features, and star rating on G2, a website where users review and discover new software programs.
| UX design tools | Cost | Features | G2 score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Figma | Starts for free | Advanced drawing tools, auto layout, styles, plugins and widgets, sketch import, interactive prototypes | 4.7/5 |
| InDesign | $20.99/month | Auto-styling, supports new graphics formats, task automation, duplicate pages and spreads | 4.6/5 |
| Sketch | $9/month | Built-in spell check, color support, symbols, styles, color variables, browser prototype testing, plugins, multi-scale exports | 4.5/5 |
| Adobe XD | $9.99/month | Third-party integrations, fast prototyping, collaboration capabilities, unlimited prototypes and design specs | 4.3/5 |
| Balsamiq | $9/month after free trial | UI components and icons, drag and drop, export files to .PNG or .PDF, keyboard shortcuts, reusable symbols | 4.2/5 |
Did you know?
Beginners can master Figma and Adobe XD through online courses like Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma and Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD, available on Coursera. Figma users working on a design team can also utilize FigJam, Figma’s online collaboration tool.
Read more: What Is a Wireframe? + How to Create One
Careers in UI design
If you want to begin a career in UI design, it's a good idea to research the professional landscape for this field. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in the web development and digital design industry are projected to grow 23 percent between 2021 and 2031, which is must faster than average [1].
Below, we've provided duties and responsibilities and salary averages for three UI design job titles you may come across in your research. Salary averages are based on Glassdoor's January 2023 estimates of annual total pay (base pay and additional compensation of commissions, bonuses, and profit sharing).
UI designer
What they make: $99,863 [2]
What they do: Enhance users' satisfaction by optimizing the usability, accessibility, and functionality of websites and applications.
Information architect
What they make: $125,817 [3]
What they do: Optimize the structure of a site's content by creating site maps, user flows, wireframes, and navigation schemes.
Interaction designer
What they make: $110,511 [4]
What they do: Optimize interaction elements such as menus, quizzes, or calculators; typically work in larger UI/UX teams.
Read more: What is a User Interface (UI) Designer?
Build your UI design skills with Coursera
Expand your digital design knowledge with the Google UX Design Professional Certificate and continue learning about UI design with the University of Minnesota’s Introduction to UI Design course.
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