User Flow is the path users take from getting to a website to complete a task on the site. This flow maps the user from the entry point through a set of steps towards the outcome and final ation, such as purchasing a product.
The user flow can take on different forms, depending on the type of website or application that is being built. For example, an simplified example of an ecommerce site user flow might look like:
- User lands on homepage
- User clicks to a product category page
- User clicks on a product
- User adds product to the cart
- User starts the checkout process
- User completes the purchase
Of course users will generally go back and forth and discover, double-check, and otherwise take more complicated paths then this, but by designing your site to the path you want them to take you can help guide them in the process through good design.
Once a site is created, you should collect data on each step of your user flow using Google Analytics, and Google Tag Manager, to ensure that your users are able to navigate through the path you expected. The data collected will identify where improvements can be made to your user flow and identify where you are losing the most users. A/B testing is another tool that can be used to improve user flow. Once you have pain points identified, you can use A/B testing to revise your user flow and gain insight about whether making specific changes can help retain more users.