User Flow: What It Is, Examples and How to Create One

A user flow is a graphical representation of the path a user takes to perform a job within a website, mobile app, or software product. It gives you a graphical representation of where users start, what they do, what decisions they make, and how they reach their goal.

For instance, an online purchase flow goes from the product page to the shopping basket, delivery details, payment and order confirmation.

Planning this process before designing screens enables you to cut down on superfluous processes, minimize misunderstanding and generate better usable products.

In this blog, you will learn: what user flows are in UX design, examples of usability, diagram symbols, and how to build and test flows.

What Is a User Flow in UX Design?

A user flow is a graphical representation of the stages a user goes through to achieve a goal in a digital product. It shows the logical sequence of user activities, interface panels, and system responses.

An excellent user flow diagram starts with an entry point and concludes when the user finishes an activity or arrives at a predetermined conclusion.

Think of a SaaS product that offers functionality for customers to create accounts. This may be like, in its sign up flow

Landing page → Sign up → Enter email → Verify email → Set password → Account created

Every step is a reaction to the activity, the screen or the system. This lets your team see how these phases fit together before you ship the UI.

The best thing about user flows is that it takes the design argument out of talking about displays and into talking about the entire activity. Don’t ask if a registration site is pretty. Do users find it easy to join up without too much hassle?

The Nielsen Norman Group’s usability heuristics for interfaces are to match the user’s mental model, give feedback, and prevent errors. Designers can employ these principles across the entire length of an activity by mapping user flows.

What Are User Flows Used For?

User flows help product teams organize, discuss and improve how people use a digital product. They are particularly important before wireframing, prototyping and building

Here are five typical uses:

• Feature generation: Design how users feel, before you start constructing the interfaces.
• Better onboarding: Find stages that are unnecessary and stop new users from getting to their first meaningful consequence.
• Optimize Checkout: Identify likely abandonment points caused by confusing forms or unexpected surprises.
• Error management: Consider what happens if a password is incorrect, a payment fails or information is incomplete.
• Align teams: Give designers, engineers, and product managers a clear idea of how a feature should perform.

User flows can even assist founders and product owners identify scope problems early on. If a feature that appears simple contains too many displays, decisions or integrations, your team can rethink the approach before development costs skyrocket. 

What Are the Main Types of User Flows?

Distinct planning purposes need distinct user flows. Select the type that works for what you have planned and the amount of information your team needs.

1. Task Flow

A task flow describes the steps a user takes to get through a specific task, sometimes without considering many other options.

Example: Resetting a password

Open login page → Select "Forgot password" → Enter email → Receive reset link → Create new password → Return to login.

If you want to make some interaction that has a start and a finish easier to make use of, then employ a task flow.

2. User Flow

User flow is a diagram of displays, activities, and decisions that make up a task. Unlike a single task flow, it might have many pathways depending on user selections or system replies.

This can be a registration flow allowing people to sign up with email, continue with Google or recover an account if the email already exists.

This method can be effective when different decisions may affect the user's next step.

3. Happy Path User Flow

The happy path user flow is the best way a user goes through a job when everything is working perfectly.

The consumer, for example, selects a product, pays successfully and receives an error-free purchase confirmation.

Happy routes help your staff know what the intended experience is. But you need to identify key alternative options such as refused payments, wrong entries in the forms, and unavailable products.

4. High-Level User Flow

The high-level user flow shows the main steps in an experience, but it doesn’t depict every click or every interface element.

For instance:

Discover product → Evaluate options → Purchase → Receive confirmation

Use high-level flows when you are in early product planning and your team has to align on the overall process before building individual displays.

5. Onboarding Flow

An onboarding sequence helps consumers register, configure their account and start using the product.

For a project management SaaS platform this might be creating a workspace, inviting team-mates, creating a project, adding the first task etc.

A properly thought out onboarding experience may help consumers attain value without bombarding them with setup they don’t need. For more ideas on shaping the early product experience, check out our SaaS customer onboarding guide.

6. Ecommerce User Flow

An ecommerce user flow maps how a buyer goes from discovering a product to buying it.

A typical movement through the checkout:

Product page → Add to cart → Review cart → Enter shipping details → Choose payment method → Confirm order

You should also look at alternate paths such as guest checkout, coupon entry, out of stock products and failed payments.

For a real-world product example, check out the Wink shopping website case study.

What Are the Elements of a User Flow Diagram?

A user flow diagram is a set of several visuals that illustrate activities, decisions and transitions. If the symbols are consistent it is easier for the designers, developers and stakeholders to grasp your diagram.

The most prevalent components are:

These symbols are based on standard flowchart norms, although UX teams may customize them to suit their design tools and documentation requirements.

For instance, a login flow might have rectangles for the login screen and dashboard, a diamond for the query “Are the credentials valid?” and arrows for the potential paths.

If the credentials are correct, the user is sent to the dashboard. If they are invalid, the flow returns to the login screen with an error notice. Consistency is the big thing. Use a visual convention to mark choice branches clearly, and ensure that every path leads to a stated next step or consequence.

User Flow Examples for Websites and Apps

The best way to learn about user flows is to witness them in action in real product scenarios. These examples illustrate how you might map typical interactions and consider alternative user decisions.

Example 1: User Flow for an Ecommerce Website

Suppose you are creating an online store where clients may purchase things using a guest account or an existing account.

The main purchasing flow could look like this:

Homepage → Product listing → Product details → Add to cart → Checkout → Enter delivery details → Select payment → Order confirmation

But not all customers take the same path. In your diagram you need to consider critical decisions and alternate outcomes.

Baymard Institute’s checkout UX research found that ecommerce shoppers abandon their carts at an average of over 70%. Its research reveals that checkout usability is a primary driver of abandonment.

Review your user flow in the checkout is a good place. Be careful of too many account requirements, unclear mistakes on paperwork and surprise costs that can stop a buying flow.

Example 2: User Flow for a SaaS Product

Imagine a project management app that helps teams get their job done together.

Before a new user may administer projects, he must create a workspace. The flow could be like this:

Landing page → Sign up → Verify email → Create workspace → Create project → Invite teammates → Dashboard

Your team will want to consider other roads, too. For example, a user may not invite coworkers, may have an email verification problem, or depart before launching a project.

By mapping these possibilities, you can see which activities are necessary and which can stay optional.

If you’re building a new SaaS product, Orbix Studio’s UI/UX design services can help you map out user interactions before you move on to interface design and development.

Example 3: User Flow for a Mobile App

Say you’re building a food delivery application. Customer wants to order a meal, and track delivery.

The main flow could be:

Open app → Enter delivery location → Browse restaurants → Select meal → Add to cart → Choose delivery option → Pay → Track order

A mobile app needs to manage interruptions and permission requests as well. A user might reject location access, or lose internet access, or find out a restaurant doesn’t deliver to their address.

In your graphic, you should explain how the software responds to these circumstances without confusing the consumers.

Check out our mobile app UX design guide to learn more.

How to Create a User Flow Diagram

Good user flows begin with understanding the user’s intent, not with boxes and arrows. Here’s how to diagram a process your team can actually use.

Step 1: Define the User's Goal

Completely comprehend what the user aims to do.

Get the coupon from the app. Get the discount from the website. Instead focus on one consequence — making an appointment, signing up for an account, or buying a product.

For example,

User goal: First-time visitor wants to book a consultation on your site.

By articulating a purpose, you can figure out what acts are in the flow and what actions you can ignore.

Step 2: Identify the Entry Point

Then find the beginning for the job.

Depending on the product, this could be a homepage, landing page, dashboard, product listing or notification.

The example of the consultation can come from a search result or a service page. Think about these entrance points if they affect steps users need to take.

Step 3: Map the Main Actions

Complete the work by following the steps below. Keep each activity simple and to the point.

For instance,

• Open consultation page
• Select a service.
• Select an open date and time.
• Enter the contact information.
• Confirm your reservation.
• You will receive a confirmation message.

Arrange these activities in chronological order. Now do a graphic of this.

Step 4: Add Decision Points and Alternative Paths

Real users don’t always take the optimal path. Add decision points to any location a choice or system condition effects the flow .

In the example of the booking, think about these questions:

• Is the time you selected available?
• Is the user putting in the correct contact info?
• Need to reschedule?
• The reservation was confirmed, right?

For each possible result. The next step should be appropriate. Where it matters, provide error messages and recovery options.

Step 5: Draw the Diagram

Now, convert your written sequence into a visual user flow diagram.

You are able to create and share your diagrams with Figma, FigJam or Miro applications.

Keep the layout readable, mark decision branches and use arrows to demonstrate direction. Avoid crossing connectors if possible.

Focus on the logic here, not the visual characteristics of individual panels.

Step 6: Connect the Flow to Your Interface Design

Then, when the flow is making sense, translate those steps into screens, wireframes and interactive prototypes.

Every screen should support the action the user needs to take next. If your diagram has an error state, then your interface must describe what went wrong and how the user can recover.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of interface design, check out our guide to wireframes, mockups and prototypes to understand how these deliverables fit into the design process.

Step 7: Test and Improve the Flow

A diagram that makes sense to your team can nonetheless confound real users.

Have representative users do the task using a prototype or working product. Notice where they falter, where they become sidetracked, where they struggle to understand what is happening next.

The Nielsen Norman Group’s guidelines on usability testing describes how witnessing people completing realistic tasks might reveal usability issues.

Use those observations to alter the flow. Verify whether the changes affect essential tasks, navigation or decision points. 

User Flow vs. User Journey vs. Task Flow vs. Sitemap

These concepts are related yet each addresses a separate design question. Knowing the difference helps you select the right tool for the problem you are solving.

For instance, a path map can show a consumer learning about your product, considering options, signing up, and contacting support.

A user flow would zoom in on one facet of that experience, such the act of buying the membership.

To learn how the overall customer experience differs from various product interactions, visit our guide on the B2B SaaS customer journey map.

Best Practices for Creating Effective User Flows

A good user flow does not just provide clarity on the path, but does not ignore the hurdles users may run across. Use these strategies when you are designing or reviewing your diagrams.

• Set a clear goal. Each flow should target a single user need or business purpose.
• Make the main path simple . Trim the fat, not the fundamentals or security.
• Important error states are shown. Plan for what happens when forms fail, payments are declined, or data isn’t available.
• Use consistent symbology . Make that the meaning of the actions, decisions, and connectors is the same throughout the diagram.
• Mark each branch of the decision. Use clear labels, for example, “Yes” and “No” or “Available” and “Not Available.”
• Accessibility is one important element. Ensure the final interface is keyboard-accessible, has clear labels for users, and provides visual feedback. Design accessible interactions using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
• Test with real people to identify crucial flows, don’t expect users to behave as your expected sequence.
• The product update updates the flow. Make sure diagrams are in line with existing interface, business rules and technical limits.

Note that the shortest flow need not be the optimal flow. Sometimes, a little more verification might save consumers from losing information or making an expensive error. Evaluate each stage for success in helping the user reach their goal. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a user flow diagram?

A user flow diagram is a graphical representation of the screens, actions and decisions a user takes to perform a task on a digital product. It allows the teams to understand the process and to spot probable problems of usability .

What is the difference between a user flow and a wireframe?

User flow is the sequence of steps and choices a user makes to complete a task. A wireframe shows the layout and placement of objects on one screen. User flows are often built before wireframes by designers.

What does a happy path mean in a user flow?

An ideal path is what a user would take if everything worked as planned. For instance, a consumer checks out, pays successfully and receives an order confirmation without any issues.

Is a user flow the same as a user journey?

No. A user flow is about the processes and decisions that make up a particular task. A user journey is about a larger experience with several touchpoints, user expectations, emotions and pain spots.

What tools can you use to create user flow diagrams?

Make user flows in Figma, FigJam, Miro, or any other diagramming tool. Select a tool that provides explicit connectors, collaboration, and easy upgrades as your product matures.

Final Thoughts

User flows are a method of understanding how people navigate your website, mobile app or SaaS product to do essential activities. They show you unclear actions, missing alternatives and incorrect scenarios before such errors become expensive to fix.

Begin with one valuable user goal, find the main path, examine other options and test the experience with real users. Then before you start on the development, connect your flow to wireframes and prototypes.

If you’re designing a new digital product or improving an existing one, Orbix Studio lets you plan user flows and turn them into clear and valuable product experiences. Tell us your product design needs with our UI/UX Design Services.