Updated: 15 September 2025

Why We Still Design “for Ourselves”

Is it true? We often design for who we think we design for.
I meet clients who genuinely care about their customers—at least in theory.
But when it comes to websites or apps, they secretly want something that reflects them, not their users.

I always ask: “Are you sure? Will your customers really like it?”
Most of the time, they don’t care—because they treat their digital product like their own child, not as a tool that should earn money or solve a real problem.

UX vs UI: The Real Difference

Later, whose fault is it when the product underperforms? The designer’s? The client’s?
That blurred line between responsibility is exactly why understanding UX vs UI matters.

UI — What You See

UI is the visible layer—the melody, the spinning toys in a child’s carousel.
It’s the buttons, the colors, the typography—everything you can see and touch.

UX — What You Experience

UX is the experience of the child: the delight, the rhythm, the movement that makes sense.
It’s how easily the toy keeps the child engaged and entertained.
Music can be fun and a good experience—but only if it’s chosen for the child, not for the parents.

When Clients Design for Themselves

What happens when parents pick the toy to satisfy their own nostalgia rather than their kid’s curiosity?
You end up with music and lights that the child ignores.

This isn’t just a metaphor.
It’s a recurring pattern in digital projects.
Stakeholders “buy the toy” for themselves and are shocked when their users don’t play along.

Want to Go Deeper? Read the Book

“Great design happens when UX and UI work together.”

That line is at the heart of my book
UX and UI in Practice: Understand the Difference Before You Start Designing.

It’s a beginner-friendly guide that breaks down the subtle but crucial difference between User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI)—
and shows how they complement each other to create products people actually want to use.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• Why UX and UI are not the same—and why you need both.
• How to structure design thinking before you even start drawing screens.
• How color, hierarchy, and interaction guide users.
• The most common mistakes new designers make (and how to avoid them).

Final Takeaway

So next time a client proudly says, “Make it look the way I like it,”
remember the child’s toy: the melody may be pretty, but if the experience isn’t built for the real user,
no one will dance.

👉 Read more in my book UX and UI in Practice to design for real people, not just for stakeholders.