A user flow is a visual representation, often a diagram, of the path a user takes through a product to complete a task. It breaks down the process into individual steps, decision points, and interactions, mapping the journey from entry point to successful outcome.
Mapping user flows exposes logic gaps and dead ends that static mockups miss. It forces the team to consider the "unhappy paths" and edge cases, ensuring a robust error handling strategy and a smooth experience even when things go wrong.
Flow is state. We design flows as state machines. Every transition must be deliberate. We despise "click-heavy" flows; our goal is always to minimize the number of interactions required to achieve the user's intent to zero (anticipatory design).