A User Flow is a diagram that shows the path a user follows to complete a task or achieve a goal within a product. It maps the step-by-step journey users take from entry point to completion, helping designers understand and optimize the user experience.
User flows serve as the blueprint for how people interact with your product, making them essential for several reasons:
When well-designed, user flows create intuitive experiences that feel effortless to users, increasing satisfaction and conversion rates. Poorly designed flows, conversely, can frustrate users and lead to abandonment.
Most user flows contain these key elements:
Where users begin their journey, such as:
The steps users take and choices they make:
The distinct interfaces users encounter:
Visual indicators showing:
Where journeys conclude, such as:
While often used interchangeably, these terms have subtle differences:
✅ Start with user goals, not features or screens ✅ Keep it simple – one flow should focus on one primary task ✅ Include decision points with multiple paths when relevant ✅ Use consistent symbols – adopt standard UX notation or create a legend ✅ Label steps clearly with user actions and screen names ✅ Consider edge cases and error states ✅ Get feedback from team members and stakeholders ✅ Revise based on user testing and actual behavior data
❌ Making overly complex diagrams that try to capture every possibility ❌ Focusing on ideal paths only without considering errors or alternative routes ❌ Creating flows based on assumptions rather than user research ❌ Using technical language instead of user-centered descriptions ❌ Designing for the system rather than for the user's mental model ❌ Ignoring mobile vs. desktop differences in multi-device experiences ❌ Treating the flow as final rather than an iterative document
Card sorting is a powerful method for improving your user flows in several ways:
For example, you might conduct a card sort to understand how users categorize products before designing an e-commerce purchasing flow. The results could influence how you structure product browsing steps within your user flow.
Many tools can help you create effective user flows:
Begin by identifying the key tasks your users need to accomplish. Sketch out the steps required, considering the different paths users might take. Test your assumptions through user research methods like card sorting to ensure your user flows match how people actually think about and approach these tasks.
By creating clear, user-centered flows, you'll build more intuitive experiences that help users achieve their goals efficiently and enjoyably.
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