Before delving into the difference between visual design and usability design, what actually is design?
Design is the "process of envisioning and planning the creation of objects, interactive systems, buildings, vehicles, etc." ("What is design?"). When designing interfaces, it refers to how content is arranged so that users can process the given information.
So, is that what think of when they hear the word "design"?
Well, we tend to think of the way something looks and its graphic, aesthetic design: visual design. But that’s only a very small part of what design actually is. Design is also the way something works to support the user in achieving a specific purpose, solving a task, or achieving a goal: usability design.
Although this guide will dive into the differences between usability and visual design, senior designer Rahul Ranjan Nigam provides a very quick but comprehensive explanation of the topic as an introduction.