UX Designer vs Web Designer

There is one key difference between a UX designer vs a web designer.

The UX designer is concerned with the user experience that is available on a website. They specifically focus on the elements that users engage with while navigating a site. Their goal is to create an effective design that leads each person through the available sales funnel on a site to create a conversion.

A web designer takes the user experience into account, but they are more responsible for the actual items that are incorporated into the website. A web designer would create content to post, design the navigational tree, and incorporate graphics into the site.

Think of it like this: the web designer creates the content, whereas the UX designer figures out the best way to present that content.

Here Are Some Additional UX Designer vs Web Designer Key Differences

Creating a Better Website
A UX designer helps to create a better website experience by talking with the targeted demographics who will be using the site. They test the site with those people to determine if it can meet their needs. Much of their time is spent on designing surveys, conducting interviews, and then refining the ideas that come from that process.

A web designer helps to create a better website experience by using their technical knowledge. Although they might not write the actual content, they do need to be well-versed in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript at the very least. Knowing Flash, WordPress, and similar options is usually required as well. Web designers may also test their site, but to ensure it is working properly.

Platform Options
UX designers work on all platforms, software, and applications. Their skill set translates into anything product or service that a customer would use, even if the conventions or constraints of the platform is different than that of a web page. Web designers, on the other hand, are constrained to what they can upload to the internet, focusing on what a web page can produce only.

Multiple Specialties
A UX designer is already a specialist when compared to a web designer, who would be described as a “generalist.” UX designers can further specialize in their services as well. They could focus solely on landing page design. They can be called in to improve the look of a footer. Some UX designers can even looking at the structure of an advertising and marketing effort to extend the reach of a brand to improve it.

It’s in the Perspective
A UX designer is going to be concerned with the conceptual components of a website or other production. They look at the philosophical reasons why a user would want to engage with their product. In some ways, they even need to take physiological reactions into account when improving design elements.

A web designer is going to be more concerned with the “inspirational” aspects of the process. Instead of creatively thinking, a web designer must be creatively productive. That allows them to create a web page that interfaces with the rest of the brand’s alignment so a consistent message can be produced.

Responsibilities
A UX designer works on the wireframes, prototypes, and user scenarios that can bring success. A web designer looks at the color scheme, the graphic design, and the file preparation that is necessary to bring success.

The UX designer would work on creating a site map that meets the expectations they predict through their research. The web designer then creates a page architecture which fits into the site map.

A UX Designer and a Web Designer Are Clearly Different

Many web designers may refer to themselves as a web designer. Some UX designers may refer to themselves as a web designer. The UX designer is responsible for the interaction design of the website, while the web designer is responsible for the visual design of the website.

When both roles are working together harmoniously, they come together to create the right user interface that a brand may need. That allows the visitors to the website to find what they need, progress through the sales funnel, and become a conversion.

Some people may fulfill both roles for their company. Independent and freelance designers may take on both roles as they work to build their own brand. It is important to recognize that each is a unique skill set, but both are required to create a unique website that makes an emotional connection to the visitor.