The UI Designer’s Wake-Up Call
Picture this: You’ve spent hours crafting the most pixel-perfect, glassmorphic, neumorphic, ultra-modern UI design. You’re beaming with pride, showcasing it to your team—only for the UX designer to say, “This looks great, but... users won’t know what to do with it.”
Boom. Mic drop🎤. Your beautiful design is now just art—not a product.
2025 is the year to bridge the gap. If you’re a UI designer who thinks UX is just another department’s problem, you’re in for a bumpy ride. Let’s break down why UX is your best ally and how learning it can level up your career.
UI Without UX is Like a Supercar Without a Steering Wheel
Imagine a car company launches a futuristic supercar with an insanely sleek dashboard. The only problem? They forgot to include a steering wheel. Sure, it looks cool, but how are you supposed to drive it?, Maybe Its Automatic But! (Maybe Not A Good Example 😁)
That’s what UI without UX feels like. Beautiful, but unusable.
Your job as a UI designer isn’t just to make things pretty—it’s to make them work beautifully. Users should flow through your design like butter on a hot pan, not get stuck wondering where to click.
The UX Laws You Can’t Ignore
If you want to elevate from “pretty pixels” to problem-solving pixels, you need to understand these key UX laws:
1. Hick’s Law (More Choices = More Confusion)
The time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices.
Takeaways
- Minimize choices when response times are critical to decrease decision time.
- Break complex tasks into smaller steps in order to decrease cognitive load.
- Avoid overwhelming users by highlighting recommended options.
- Use progressive onboarding to minimize cognitive load for new users.
- Be careful not to simplify to the point of abstraction.
2. Fitts’s Law (Bigger Buttons = Better Clickability)
The time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target.
Takeaways
- Touch targets should be large enough for users to accurately select them.
- Touch targets should have ample spacing between them.
- Touch targets should be placed in areas of an interface that allow them to be easily acquired.
3. Jakob’s Law (Users Prefer What They Already Know)
Users spend most of their time on other sites. This means that users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know.
Takeaways
- Users will transfer expectations they have built around one familiar product to another that appears similar.
- By leveraging existing mental models, we can create superior user experiences in which the users can focus on their tasks rather than on learning new models.
- When making changes, minimize discord by empowering users to continue using a familiar version for a limited time.
4. Miller’s Law (People Can Remember 7±2 Items at a Time)
The average person can only keep 7 (plus or minus 2) items in their working memory.
Takeaways
- Don’t use the “magical number seven” to justify unnecessary design limitations.
- Organize content into smaller chunks to help users process, understand, and memorize easily.
- Remember that short-term memory capacity will vary per individual, based on their prior knowledge and situational context.
Why Learning UX in 2025 is a Career Game-Changer
1. AI is Replacing Pretty UIs, Not Great UX
With AI-powered design tools generating decent UI layouts in seconds, what will set you apart? The ability to craft experiences, not just screens.
2. Companies Want Designers Who Think
No one wants a designer who just follows orders. If you understand UX principles, you’ll ask the right questions before designing.
3. UX Pays More $$$
Let’s be honest—money matters. UX designers earn more than UI designers because they solve deeper problems. Learning UX can literally boost your paycheck.
4. You’ll Design With Confidence
Ever had a developer ask, Why is this button here? and you answered, Umm... it just felt right?
When you understand UX, every design decision has logic behind it. No more guessing.
Bonus Tip: The ‘UX Spy’ Technique
Want to level up your UX thinking fast? Become a UX spy.
Whenever you use an app or website, analyze:
- Why do they place buttons where they do?
- How does their onboarding process feel?
- What makes their experience smooth (or frustrating)?
By doing this daily, UX thinking will become second nature to you.
Where to Learn UX (Without Breaking the Bank)
Here are some solid resources to start:
- NNGroup – The gods of UX research.
- Laws of UX – Quick, digestible UX principles.
- UX Collective – Practical, real-world UX insights.
- Interaction Design Foundation – Affordable UX courses.
Final Words: Be a ‘Full-Stack’ Designer
In 2025, UI designers who ignore UX will struggle. The best designers will be the ones who combine both skills—creating stunning and functional experiences.
So, are you ready to level up? 🎮
👉 If you found it helpful or insightful, consider following me.
@dishank
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