User flow - why is it important and how is it created?

The user flow describes how users interact with a mobile app or website.

It helps designers create an even better product because the user flow provides clues to identify potential problems and optimise the user experience.

The creation of a user flow for a user experience design (UX) is an important step for any product. It helps map the user’s path from the first interaction with the product to the completion of tasks or the achievement of an end goal.

When creating the user flow, considerations such as user preferences, navigational structure and content hierarchy have already been established in UX research. To create a user flow, it is best to plan all tasks, decision points and intended user actions that need to be supported by the product.

To create a user flow, several phases have to be passed through:

define user goals
selecting a suitable tool
create a flowchart
define interactions
refining the processes
implement

At the beginning, the creation of user scenarios based on user requirements and product goals come first. Then user paths with different steps are recorded and the user interface elements such as buttons, navigation elements and input fields are inserted. The goal is to identify all potential paths between pages and optimise user navigation.
Various programmes can be used to create the user flow, such as Miro, LucidChart or Figma, all of which allow for easy collaboration, sharing and editing of documents online. Which programms to use can be decided according to one’s preferences.

What to do after creating a user flow?

Once the user flow is finalized, the next step in UX design is to create wireframes.
Wireframes are a visual representation of the user interface that illustrates how users will interact with a website or mobile app. They allow designers to create a prototype to test different layout options. Wireframes created based on user flow allow you to validate your decisions through usability testing with real users. This way you can ensure that the design is intuitive and easy to use.
By creating wireframes, during the design process, designers can ensure that all user interactions and features are considered from the start. This helps to avoid potential problems that may arise when programming begins. At this stage, it is important for designers to consider things like usability, accessibility and responsiveness to ensure the best possible experience for users.

Conclusion

In summary, user flow is crucial to UX design.
It helps designers understand how a website or mobile app works. To improve the user experience and ensure easy product navigation, designers can create useful and effective diagrams for their customers.
Ultimately, this leads to more successful products!