Image Credits: GOMYCODE
How Graphic Design Fuels UX Design: The Beautiful Union ⚡
Sibi Ravi
Published on April 17, 2024
Hi there, design friends! A UX/UI designer with about 6 years worth of fighting experience under my belt, today I want to talk about the wonderful relationship that exists between Graphic Design and UX Design. While these two might be perceived as completely different disciplines, the reality is that they are connected and complementary. These two should work hand in hand in pursuing better user experiences. Let us talk about how the use of graphic design supports the process of UX design:
1. Visual Storytelling & Branding (The Power of First Impressions):
Graphic designers are skilled narrative builders – they use colour, typography, imagery, etc to create a brand identity that you’ll recognise and the users will connect with, setting the tone for the user experience. This will be the first thing the user sees, and it will help them form an impression of your app.
2. User Interface (UI) Design (Making it Pretty and Functional):
User interfaces wouldn’t have style without graphic designers. These professionals create layouts, pick colour palettes, and design icons and buttons, all to give programs a sleek appearance but also to make them more intuitive to use.
3. User Experience (UX) Harmony (Aesthetics with Usability):
Of the non-aesthetic approaches to design, the principles of graphic design – hierarchy, balance, contrast – are important contributors to information architecture. Graphic designers help the user by controlling the layout of content.
4. Building User Trust (Emotional Connection):
Graphics evoke emotion. Selecting the right images can create trust, security and even delight for a customer, something that goes a long way to building brand loyalty.
5. Communicating With The User (The Key Word Is ‘Clarity’):
Good communication is something every user journey aims for. Good UX design communicates large amounts of information in a very short space of time. It is an innate skill of graphic designers to come up with engaging ways to communicate information very clearly and concisely. This is seen in the creation of clear icons, infographics and data visualisations that users can appreciate at a glance. Graphic design is the vernacular of UX design. Without it, the interfaces would be interfaces without souls – bland, boring, confusing and ultimately ineffective. Next time you enjoy a beautifully designed app or website, remember the graphic designer backstage, enhancing your user experience!