UI Design.

What is UI design?

UI design (user interface design) is the design of the visual and interactive elements people use on a website, app or software product: layout, typography, colour, buttons, forms, icons and the way each element responds when tapped or clicked. UX design decides how something should work; UI design decides how it looks and feels at the level of each screen and component.

Why it matters

Interface quality shapes how credible a business seems within seconds of arrival. Clear hierarchy tells visitors where to look and what to do; cluttered or inconsistent interfaces create doubt and slow people down. In software and client portals, good UI reduces errors and support requests. Good UI also makes your offer easier to understand, which can help conversion as much as a copy change.

What good looks like

• Clear hierarchy Size, weight and spacing make the most important thing on each screen obvious.
• Consistent components The same element looks and behaves the same way everywhere, usually through a design system.
• Feedback and states Buttons, forms and links show hover, focus, loading, error and success states clearly.
• Accessible by default Sufficient colour contrast, visible focus and readable type, in line with WCAG 2.2, the current W3C accessibility standard.
• Visual restraint Visual effects used only where they help someone understand or act.

What to do about it

Pick your most important page and show it to someone unfamiliar with your business for five seconds. Ask what the business does and what they would click. If they hesitate, the hierarchy needs work. Run your main colour combinations through a free contrast checker against WCAG 2.2 level AA. Ask your designer for the full set of states for buttons and forms, including error messages.