What is User Flow

What is User Flow?

User Flow is a visual representation of the sequence of actions that a user performs to achieve a specific goal on a website or application. Most often it is a diagram or flowchart, with each element corresponding to one action by the user as they interact with the product. User Flow can describe actions from the application entry point to the final action, or some separate function.

There are many paths a user can take while interacting with a product, and User Flow diagrams can describe any of them. This helps UX designers create intuitive, user-friendly interfaces.

The Importance of User Flow

An application’s success largely depends on the convenience, interface, logical operation, and predictability for each action by the user. With the help of User Flow, a developer can see interaction with the product from the user’s standpoint.

User Flow allows you to understand whether the product’s processes are built efficiently and whether they end logically. The more functions an app performs, the more pathways will need to be calculated.

Visual presentation is important for facilitating interaction between the customer and the developer, as well as for coordinating work within a team.

Examples of User Flow

Let’s say a store that sells electronics and home appliances has an app. A typical user journey when making a purchase would look like this:

  1. Open application
  2. Register
  3. Enter the name of a product in the search bar
  4. Compare products from the resulting list
  5. Add an item to the cart
  6. Checkout
  7. Remit payment
  8. Close the application

These are basic steps that a user takes to complete a single task. This kind of User Flow is called Task Flow and consists of a simple flowchart. There are also Wire Flows, which combine flowcharts with rough sketches of the screen, and Screen Flows, which use elaborate, detailed application elements. The overall User Flow could be a mix of these components depending on the task.

Tips for Improving User Flow

When writing a User Flow, you must first understand who the user will be, what their goal is, and what steps they will need to take to achieve that goal. Answering these questions is one of the first steps in working with diagrams.

Here are some tips for improving user flows:

  • Each diagram should have a clear entry point
  • User Flow should flow in one direction
  • Each flow should only aim to achieve one goal
  • Add captions for key actions, screen assignments, etc.
  • Always make sure that the user’s goal has been successfully reached
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