UI/UX
/juː aɪ juː ɛks/
Very CommonThe combined discipline of visual interface design (UI) and user experience design (UX).
Often used loosely to mean any kind of design work on a digital product. Purists will point out that UI and UX are different jobs, but in most companies one person does both.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | the UI/UX on this app is genuinely terrible. who approved this | The design is poor and the person is questioning how it got shipped. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | hired a UI/UX designer and the app looks completely different now. in a good way | Bringing in a designer had a visible and positive impact on the product. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | I do UI/UX but mostly I'm arguing with devs about padding | The day-to-day reality of being a product designer involves small visual details. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | great product, awful UI/UX. the core feature is buried 4 taps deep | The product has merit but poor navigation and information architecture. | reddit, 2023 |
Use it when
- Referring to design work on a digital product.
- Describing a designer's role.
- Criticizing how an app looks or feels to use.
- Talking about careers in product design.
Do not use it when
- You mean graphic design or branding that is not for a product.
- You specifically mean only visual design.Use “UI” instead.
- You specifically mean only research and flows.Use “UX” instead.
Origin and context
UI and UX emerged as separate disciplines in software design. The combined term UI/UX became common in job postings and industry conversation during the 2010s as companies sought designers who could do both.
- First seen
- early-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/ui-uxUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0