While it’s true that graphic design and user experience (UX) design are two distinct disciplines, there’s enough overlap between them that graphic designers almost always have to consider UX design (and vice versa). In fact, effective graphic design by its very nature will have a positive impact on a user’s overall experience — no matter if it’s navigating a website or using a product.
If you’re thinking about going into graphic design or any other form of visual communication, it’s essential to understand the inherent connection between graphic design and user experience. In doing so, you can leverage key design components to improve the user experience, elicit emotion, and build true connections between brands and their audiences.
Understanding the Connection Between Graphic Design and UX Design
Before diving any further into the connection between graphic design and UX design, it’s helpful to begin with a solid definition of graphic design and UX design. From there, we can look more closely at how graphic design influences the user experience.
Defining Graphic Design and UX Design
In simplest terms, graphic designers are responsible for planning and creating the visual elements that go into a product, whether that product is a website, print materials, a logo, or anything in between. In their work, designers are brand-centric and use such components as typography, color, and imagery to create eye-catching visual content.
UX designers, on the other hand, are more concentrated on the interactions between the end-user and the product itself. Less focused on branding, UX designers care more about how a product is perceived and utilized by a target audience, applying user research and information architecture to optimize results.
How Graphic Design Influences UX
Ultimately, although graphic design is technically its own discipline, it is closely related to UX because the overall design of a product (such as a website) can automatically impact a person’s ability to use it. A website with user-centered design, for example, can be visually appealing and easy to navigate when the right UX design best practices are followed.
Meanwhile, a website that looks well-done at first glance may end up being cumbersome for users to navigate, thus detracting from the overall experience (and probably increasing bounce rates in the process).
Key Graphic Design Principles That Enhance UX
Now that we’ve established the connection between graphic design and UX, what are some design concepts that have the biggest impact on the user experience?
Visual Hierarchy and Information Architecture
Graphic designers and UX designers regularly use principles of visual hierarchy and information architecture to present design components and information in a way that’s easy for the end-user to follow. With visual hierarchy, elements are arranged to guide the user’s focus and attention from one area to the next. For instance, larger text may be used to draw the eye to certain information on a website first and foremost.
Using information architecture, on the other hand, designers can structure and organize data so that users can easily navigate and find exactly what they need.
Design Consistency and Brand Identity
Oftentimes, design consistency and brand identity are thought to be solely graphic design issues. However, these elements can also play a role in user experience design — especially considering how inconsistent or sporadic design can negatively impact a user’s ability to navigate and engage with a product (like a website).
Using the same color schemes, fonts, logos, and other design elements builds a recognizable brand identity. When a designer deviates from these elements to which users have grown accustomed, this can harm brand recognition, reputation, and even trust among a brand’s target audience.
Typography and Readability
The right choice of font and typography can make all the difference in the visual appeal of a product from a graphic design perspective. However, when text is difficult to read or understand (due to poor spacing, too-small font size, or other issues), this can easily affect the user experience.
With this in mind, graphic designers should be mindful of their use of typography and fonts in the design of a product, ensuring that chosen fonts are accessible across all devices and that they’re spaced in a way that’s easy to decipher.
Color Theory and Emotional Impact
Color theory is commonly used in graphic design to elicit emotions from a target audience or build a connection between a brand and a desired concept. For example, the use of warmer colors (like red and orange) is typically associated with feelings of power and passion. In contrast, cooler colors (like blues and purples) may be more readily connected with feelings of calm or stability.
All of this, combined with principles of color psychology and color association, can be used to elicit an emotional impact that ultimately impacts the user experience.
Practical Applications of Graphic Design in UX Design
So, what are some ways graphic designers can apply UX design principles in their work to enhance the user experience and create better products overall? Here are several user experience design tips worth keeping in mind.
Designing Intuitive Navigation
Users may quickly become frustrated and leave a website if they have trouble finding the information they need, which is why intuitive navigation is a critical design component. Simplicity and knowing your audience are key here; once you know what your users are looking for and how they’re likely to behave on your website, you can use a logical hierarchy to lay out content in a way that’s easy to find.
Enhancing User Interaction With Micro-interactions
Using interactive design principles, including micro-interactions, can also be a great way to improve the user experience through compelling graphic design. Specifically, micro-interactions are tiny, interactive moments that offer feedback and guidance to users. For instance, when you tap on a “like” button on social media, the button itself may change color to indicate to the user that the input has been received. This motion design in UX is just one example, but you can find micro-interactions on just about every website you visit.
Micro-interactions, when used sparingly and in the right context, can help guide your users and reduce their frustration which in turn, can drastically improve the user experience.
Creating Responsive and Adaptive Designs
Finally, graphic designers can apply principles of responsiveness and accessibility in UX design to create more user-friendly products. A prime example of this is responsive web design, which ensures that websites and other digital content can be viewed and used seamlessly from one device to the next. Which thereby improves the experience for the end user while ensuring accessibility for all.
Case Studies: Graphic Design in Successful UX Design
You can better understand the connection between graphic design and the user experience by checking out some real-world examples.
Analyzing Effective UI/UX Designs
- Airbnb’s user interface and experience redesign – When Airbnb completely redesigned its platform, the focus was on building trust while creating a sense of community among users. Using high-quality photos of hosts’ homes and personalizing recommendations, Airbnb effectively transformed its brand with user experience design at the forefront.
- Spotify’s user interface and brand design – Spotify’s user interface is known for its intuitive design, making it easy for users to find what they need and navigate the music streaming app. Meanwhile, personalized recommendations and a default dark mode add another layer to the user experience.
- Duolingo’s gamified user interface – Users on Duolingo can use this mobile app to learn a new language through a gamified experience that keeps them engaged and motivated.
- Dropbox’s simplified user interface – Simplicity is key to the user experience on Dropbox, a platform that makes uploading files of all sizes easier and more accessible than ever. Specifically, Dropbox features streamlined navigation, previews, and a helpful “action bar” that keeps users in control at all times.
Interviews With UX Designers and Graphic Designers
Delve deeper into the world of UX design and graphic design through published interviews with big names in the industry. Explore some valuable insights from each of these interviews below:
Interview with Luke Wroblewski (product director at Google and author of Mobile First)
- Wroblewski explains the importance of knowing your audience. He explains, “You’ve got to figure out relevance, and you’ve got to try to prioritize things based on what you know for a customer coming in. One thing I can tell you for sure is that everything you have is not going to be relevant for everybody. Therefore, exposing every single option to every single person that comes by your site is by definition a losing proposition, right?”
Interview with Antionette Carroll (founder and CEO of Creative Reaction Lab)
- Carroll emphasizes the importance of equitable design that is accessible to people of all backgrounds. In her Clever podcast interview, she explains, “I do believe that all of these methodologies of design intersect and build upon one another. […] And equity design builds upon this for folx to center history and healing, acknowledging/sharing/dismantling power constructs and designing through an equitable, trauma-informed and liberatory lens.”
Interview with Don Norman (cognitive scientist and author of The Design of Everyday Things)
- Norman makes key distinctions between human-centered design and humanity-centered design, stating, “We have to change the scope of what we think about when we design. It’s not just about if somebody can understand and use [a product] to satisfy their needs — it’s also about how the manufacturing process may destroy the planet. […] So humanity-centered design builds on the principles of human-centered design, except it expands them. We must think about all living things and about the environment. We must realize we are part of a complex system, so what we do here can impact people all across the world and have a long effect.”
Interview with Aarron Walter (VP of Design Education at InVision and author of Designing for Emotion)
- In an interview with Medium, Aaron Walter describes the challenge of measuring for success when designing for emotion. He says, “There certainly are ways to measure certain emotional design experiments if you can tie them to specific outcomes you’re trying to achieve. […] But I am a believer in letting some things go unmeasured.”
The Future of Graphic Design in UX Design
What does the future hold for user interface design and graphic design? Time will tell, but there are some emerging trends to watch for.
Emerging Trends and Technologies
As professionals strive to improve user interface design, we may see an increase in the use of more personalized browsing experiences as a means of making content more relevant and useful to target audiences. This, combined with an increase in the use of AI-driven content and 3D designs, will shape the realm of the user experience as we know it in the coming years.
Skills for the Future
For those preparing to break into the design field, having a solid understanding of these UX design techniques will help them be more competitive and prepared to deliver the designs clients are seeking. Specifically, a strong knowledge of 3D design, AI-assisted design, responsive design and audience research can go a long way in this dynamic field.
Ready to Learn More About UX Design Principles?
Both graphic designers and UX designers play a central role when it comes to balancing functionality and appealing visuals. Ultimately, understanding the unbreakable bond between graphic design and UX design can help you improve your work in digital product design and forge the path to a career you are proud of.
Still looking for the graphic design degree program that’s right for you? Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design provides a range of options to suit your needs and professional goals, including our Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. This BFA program is also offered with an advertising design concentration or a UX/UI concentration, depending on where your interests lie. Plus, with courses offered year-round both on campus and online, you can pursue your degree without putting other aspects of your busy life on hold. Drop us a line today to request more information about our graphic design programs, or get started with your free application.
