A user flow is a diagram that maps the path a user follows to accomplish a specific task in a product, such as signing up, buying an item or resetting a password. It shows each screen or action, the decisions the user makes and where the path branches or ends.
Why it matters
Mapping a flow exposes unnecessary steps, dead ends and missing error states before anything is built. Designers use it to simplify journeys, developers to understand the logic, and product managers to compare options against a goal. Fewer steps and clearer choices commonly improve conversion rate. Flows are usually drawn with simple shapes: rounded boxes for start and end, rectangles for screens or actions, diamonds for decisions.
Example
Start -> Enter email -> Valid email?
no -> show error -> Enter email
yes -> Create password -> Verify email link
-> Link clicked? -> yes -> Dashboard
-> no -> Resend optionCommon mistakes
- Drawing only the happy path and ignoring errors, empty states and cancellations.
- Mixing several goals in a single diagram.
- Confusing it with the customer journey, which spans the whole relationship rather than one task inside the product.
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