User flows outline the steps a user takes to complete a task within a website or app. Unlike broader user journeys, they focus on specific actions—like signing up or making a purchase—ensuring a smooth, frictionless experience.
By mapping entry points, decision paths, and potential exits, user flows help design teams align early on in the design process. User flows serve as a map for creating intuitive, user-centered designs.
What Is a User Flow?
A user flow maps out the steps a user takes to complete a specific task on a website or app. For example, when designing a signup process, a user flow would show designers on which screens to create and in what order they would be displayed.
User flows are part of a user journey. The user journey, though, maps out a much longer process (such as becoming a customer vs. making a specific purchase). A user journey might also include steps a user takes outside of the website or app (such as seeing ads on social media, getting a new product announcement via email, or reading reviews on another website). User flows are much more focused on a specific action a user will take.
User flows are usually represented with a user flow diagram. This diagram shows all of the steps a user takes to complete the process, and may also show exit points or potential blocks. User flow diagrams generally resemble flowcharts.
Why Are User Flows Important?
User flows are an important part of the design process for a few reasons. In addition to being helpful during the design phase of a project, they also directly tie into user benefits in the finished product.
First, they can improve user experience in the end product by reducing friction. When you map out all of the steps a user must take, along with where they might encounter problems, you can better anticipate those issues and create workarounds for them.
User flows can help you identify any pain points and potential usability issues before you start designing. This helps create a better user experience but also reduces design and development costs and requires fewer resources. Designing proactively for pain points allows you to address them before the user even encounters them.
User flows also improve the design process itself by making sure the team is aligned from the start of the project. User flows ensure that designers, developers, product managers, and other stakeholders know exactly what needs to be accomplished in order to create a good user experience. It guides them all toward the same goals early on, rather than trying to bring disparate parts and ideas together at later stages in a project.
Key Components of a User Flow
While user flows will vary based on the type of action they represent, there are some key elements and components that will appear in virtually every user flow. Knowing what these are before you begin creating your flow will make the process smoother.
Entry Points: This is where the user begins the journey. For many user flows, there will be a single entry point. But for others, there might be more than one. Be sure to map out each potential entry point in your user flow.
Steps and Decision Points: Some steps will simply require a yes or no decision, while others might require users to select from a number of options. Map out each step in the process, as well as decision points where multiple options exist—and where each of those options will lead the user.
Exit Points: Where does the user flow end? A user flow for a checkout process, for example, might end with a confirmation screen showing that their order has been successfully placed. The exit point is going to be the final step of the user flow, whatever that might be.
Alternative Paths: While we want our users to move smoothly through the user flow from start to finish, in the real world, that only happens sometimes. User behaviors are often unpredictable, and they tend to do things that designers might not initially expect. That’s why it’s important to account for alternative paths. What happens if the user encounters an error? What about if they use their back button? Are there secondary options they might encounter within the user flow that will lead down a different path? And at what point might that alternative path converge with the expected path? These are all important questions to ask yourself as you design your user flow.
Types of User Flows
There are a few types of user flows you’re likely to use when designing a website or app. Each serves a slightly different purpose and can be used in tandem or alone.
Task Flows are single-path, linear flows that show how a user moves from Point A to Point B. They’re the kind of user flow you might use for something like a login or password recovery process. There are very few chances for a user to deviate from the path, and generally have only one entry point and one exit point.
UI Flows (often just referred to as User Flows) focus on more complex paths. There could be multiple entry and exit points. They generally have a lot of decision points along the way. There are potential branches where a user could make a decision that changes their path. They may include Task Flows within them.
Wire Flows are a combination of wireframes and user flows, and show not just the steps along the path, but also what each screen looks like. Wire Flows are a useful tool when mapping out more complex paths and usually come later in the design process.
Each of these types of user flows can be used to streamline the design and development process and make sure that the entire team is working toward the same goals, based on the same premises.
So, what is a user flow?
User flows are more than just diagrams—they’re a strategic tool for creating delightful user experiences. By breaking down each step a user takes, designers can minimize friction and preemptively solve usability issues.
Investing time in thoughtful user flows ultimately saves resources, enhances user satisfaction, and creates a more intuitive end product. A well-mapped user flow isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about creating a path users want to follow.