On the topic of visual design and UX, these are two (not quite orthogonal) different domains. The area in which they meet, design that helps UX and UX that does

On the topic of visual design and UX, these are two (not quite orthogonal) different domains. The area in which they meet, design that helps UX and UX that doesn't look off putting, is usually missed. IMO, software used by professionals can get away with poor graphic design as long as it provides high functionality and efficiency. For software intended for beginners or occasional users the graphic design needs to be stronger to encourage the user to keep trying!