The UX-UI continuum: exploring the interplay between user experience and user interface in elearning platforms

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to determine the interplay that exists between UX and UI design influence user engagement and learning outcomes in e-learning platforms and to establish the implications of defining UI as a distinct discipline versus a subset of UX on the design processes and collaborative practices within digital product teams. The study employed a qualitative research design with an interpretive philosophy to understand the subjective and socially constructed meanings expressed about the phenomenon under investigation. The study collected data using openended questionnaires from designers. The gathered data sheds light that UI is simply a by-product of good UX, which firmly places it under the UX umbrella. UX strategy, user research, information architecture, usability testing, and visual problem-solving for the user are all fundamentally focused on the user and UX cannot be separated from all the stages of the design process. The findings also revealed that designers should stop saying UI/UX since they are two different areas; hence, this shows that they don’t understand the discipline. In response to this study’s limitations, recommendations for future research were also addressed.