The burning question of the hour! Many a times, we tend to confuse the meaning of a UX Designer with that of a Graphic Designer. Since both the roles require certain similar skills, it is quite common for us to misconstrue them as the same. However, in actuality, when it comes to the work done by individuals in both roles, there is a stark difference- a difference that you should be aware of as a recruiter, a manager or even an aspiring professional who is yet to choose between the two as their profession.
Since both are design-centric jobs, you may have difficulty differentiating between the two, thus, here are a few points of UX Designer Vs Graphic Designer that portrays the real difference which keeps both the roles apart and unique-
- Scope of the jobs : Yes, the primary difference between the role of a Graphic Designer and that of a UX Designer is its scope. A Graphic Designer works majorly on the visual elements of a product, brand or campaign while a UX Designer is responsible for the entire experience that comes with it. While a Graphic Designer will work on the brand identity spanning across multiple platforms, the UX Designer will also work on the information architecture and product prototyping.
- Skill Set : One of the stark differences between the two roles comes from the skillsets needed to perform each of them. As a Graphic Designer, an individual would majorly be required to possess skills such as creativity, typography, color theory and computer-aided design. While a UX Designer would require skills such as empathy, user research, wire framing, prototyping and information architecture.
- Centricity : When it comes to Graphic Designer, they are required to be brand-centric, which means to portray the elements of the brand, campaign or product in the most innovative, effective and creative light possible. On the other hand, the role of a UX Designer is majorly user-centric, which means that they are required to focus on the user experience and how that can be improved from a design perspective.
- Day to Day Responsibilities : There is considerable difference between the day to day responsibilities of both the roles since they differ in scope, skillset and centricity. Graphic Designers are focused incredibly on collaborations hosted with clients or other stakeholders of the brand, creation of logos and other visuals, the choice of color scheme, fonts and other creative elements and the usage of digital illustration tools to carry out their tasks. On the contrary, a UX Designer is more concerned with the identification of user needs, goals and behaviors, the creation of user personas, the design of product prototypes and collaboration with product designers and UI developers amongst other stakeholders.
- Educational Requirements : Well, since the roles are so different from one another, it is inevitable for their educational requirements to also differ, isn’t it? Although with the advent of online courses and education, it is possible to become a great graphic designer or UX Designer with their support, there are certain educational backgrounds that are preferable to have for each of the roles.
There are several specialized degrees available in graphic design from reputed institutions that enhance the professional requirements of being a graphic designer. A bachelor’s in Graphic Design is one of the most common degrees available to pursue an education in this field. However, when it comes to UX Design, there is not an array of specialized degrees in this field, primarily because of it being relatively new. UX Designers are preferred to have a degree in human-computer interaction, computer science, psychology or even design.
We hope this blog enabled you to decipher between the two roles clearly and provides a better insight whether it is for the purpose of hiring the right candidate or choosing the right profession. At YNG Media, we provide services in both UX Design and Graphic Design, thus, if you are looking for a professional digital marketing agency to assist you on any or both of these fronts, we would love to hear from you!
