UX designer VS Graphic designer What is the difference

User experience design (UX) and graphic design, both are design-centric job titles that may sound similar, but they actually perform distinctly different tasks using skillsets within the product development process. Graphic designers focus majorly on visual elements, on the other hand, UX designers focus on the complete interaction between the product and user.

A comprehensive guide to designing roles

When we browse some job boards, we are likely to see different roles that include the word “designer”. To confuse matters further, many hiring professionals use some of these terms interchangeably. However, each type has a specific role to play in the product/service development process. Let us have a look at four common design roles that one should be familiar with:

• Graphic designer: Use colour, images, shapes, and fonts to create visual content be it for print or digital media. These designs often serve as non-interactive, static layouts - product, logos, advertisements, signage, displays, packaging, brochures which are used to communicate with the target audience.
• Visual designer: A visual designer often focuses on designing a product or brand identity that spans an array of platforms and customer touchpoints.
• UI designer: As mentioned above, graphic designers curate static visual content, user interface (UI) designers create interactive visual content. This includes the graphical elements of apps like websites, electronic devices that users interact with.
• UX designer: UX designers primarily focus on the interaction between a user and the product, which includes how that experience made the users feel. Furthermore, this kind of design goes beyond the visual in order to include product prototyping and information architecture.

What is the difference between UX designers and graphic designers?

One of the most significant differences between graphic design and UX design is the scope. Graphic designers focus on various aspects of visual design, whereas UI/UX designers tend to focus on the entire interaction between a product and the user. Graphic design is often just one part of the whole user experience.

Some of the other differences are:

The focus of the design

A graphic designer will use visual elements to communicate a brand message. Hence, their focus will always be on staying true to the brand identity. UX designers advocate for the user, making sure that the products meet the needs in a way that checks all the boxes - accessible, intuitive, and enjoyable.

Let us talk about their tasks and responsibilities.

With such different focuses, graphic and UX designers often spend time and effort on various elements of the product/brand development process.

What do the day-to-day tasks for a graphic designer look like:

• Collaborating and communicating with clients and art directors.
• They create images, logos, and illustrations.
• Choosing images, colours, and fonts for layouts.
• Using digital illustration tools and editing software.

What do the day-to-day tasks for a UX designer look like:

• First identify the needs, behaviours, goals, and pain points via intense research.
• They create user personas and user journey maps.
• They help design wireframes, prototypes, and site maps.
• Validating designs with the help of user testing and iterating with brand new features or fixes.
• Collaborating with product designers and developers.