Why flows matter
A single screen can look perfect and still be part of a broken journey. Users do not experience screens one by one; they experience a task from start to finish. User flows show that whole journey, and they are one of the most commonly requested skills in junior design adverts.
What a user flow is
A user flow is a diagram of the steps a person takes to complete one task. It shows:
- Where they start, for example opening the app or dialling a USSD code
- Each screen or step along the way
- Decisions, such as "Is the PIN correct?"
- Where it ends: success, or a clear way out
Use simple shapes. Rectangles for screens or steps, diamonds for decisions, arrows for movement. You can draw it on paper or in a free tool such as Excalidraw or FigJam.
Do not forget the unhappy paths
The "happy path" is when everything goes right. Real life is different, especially in places where networks drop and phones are shared. A good flow also covers:
- wrong PIN or wrong number entered
- not enough balance
- the network drops halfway
- the session times out on USSD
- the user presses back or changes their mind
- the payment is pending and nobody knows if it worked