User Journey explained
A user journey shows the stages, touchpoints, and difficulties a person encounters while pursuing a goal. It may begin in an app and continue through email, support, or a physical place. A journey map commonly brings stages, touchpoints, actions, questions, and pain points together. It is most useful when drawn for a specific group and goal; a single journey for everyone is often too broad.
Why it matters.
A problem may lie between screens rather than on one screen. Viewing the stages together helps reveal broken handoffs and opportunities to improve. A problem at one touchpoint can carry into the next stage and create a support request. Viewing the entire journey exposes gaps between steps owned by different teams.
Let's look at an example.
Think of booking a flight.
Search, comparison, payment, confirmation email, and airport check-in are parts of the same journey. Missing baggage information in the email can affect the whole experience. If baggage allowance is unclear in the email, the traveler may search support pages or face a surprise at the airport. The map helps identify where that information should be supplied.
How to apply it.
- 01
Define the person's goal and the journey's boundaries.
- 02
List stages and touchpoints in each stage.
- 03
Mark difficulties using real research findings.
“The experience continues between screens.