[UX#2]_Use Flow Charts In UX: From Problem Solving To Communication

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Above Images:  Young designers who harness the "Power of flowcharts – as a communication tool" appears confident and focused, guiding a discussion around user navigation and design strategy.


               


Problem Case: How do you align multiple stakeholder visions and break out of endless discussion loops when everyone has a different idea of the user journey?

Possible Scenario1: The image shows a closed group of team members discussing on UX. 


In fast-paced design sprints, time is always short and decisions need to be sharp!
 ðŸ‘‰: Picture yourself in a high-energy brainstorming session—ideas flying from every corner of the room, sticky notes piling up on the walls, but every direction feels chaotic. Each stakeholder has a different vision of the user journey, conflicting opinions pull the discussion in circles, and no clear path seems to emerge. The designer feels stuck, struggling to translate fragmented ideas into a cohesive flow.



Possible Scenario 2: A designer sketching flowchart on white board for meeting discussion. Flowcharts brings focus and alignment when everything feels scattered.

 ðŸ‘‰: As a designer, make it a habit to quickly sketch a flowchart—perhaps on a whiteboard—mapping out key user steps, like from login to checkout (if that’s the flow you’re discussing). 
This simple visual approach instantly draws attention to your ideas, making team challenges, assumptions, or blockers clear to everyone in the room. It helps you use time more effectively, gathering quick feedback and alignment so you can move forward with your design work. Beyond just team presence, it’s the clarity of communication that flowcharts enable. That’s the quiet strength of flowcharts—bringing focus and alignment when everything feels scattered.






Problem Case: How do you align multiple stakeholder visions and break out of endless discussion loops when everyone has a different idea of the user journey?
  
Possible Scenario 3: A UX designer had struggled to explain her new design due to overwhelming amount of questions and didn’t get to present the working prototype properly.

👉: Imagine a meeting room, a UX designer sat, prepping her slides, feeling a bit anxious, this being her meeting for a short MVP project . 
Her last presentation hadn’t gone well—stakeholders bombarded her with questions about navigation on the new platform. Due to communication gaps between stakeholders and coming face to face for the first time with assumptions on User pain-points, designer had struggled to explain her idea clearly and didn’t get to present the working prototype which was solution to most of the issues being discussed.


Possible Scenario 4 : ðŸ‘‰  As the meeting begins, the designer calms draws everyones focus to the whiteboard– where a clear flowchart already outlines the user journey. Instead of jumping into a working prototype, she presents wireflows—a blend of wireframes and flowcharts—visually mapping navigation paths and key interactions. This approach shifts the conversation from scattered opinions to structured discussion. Stakeholders can now see the logic, suggest changes, and give focused feedback. While a working prototype can help convey the feel of the product, true alignment only happens after every head in the room nods to a shared understanding of the flow—and that begins with a well-crafted flowchart



 "Flowcharts are not just arrows and shapes — they are visual blueprints of logic, emotion, and experience. They uncover hidden complexities, ease cognitive load, and amplify collaboration."



Above are only two scenarios where flowcharts usage are critical in communication, building the context and content leading to efficiency and feedback handling with internal teams or clients.This practice can really save from a lot of cognitive load to a designer. 

Whenever a new project of mine begins, I try to proceed with clarity in ideas and conversations—keeping reviews and feedback docs in open and shareable state. Even though I stay conscious of my actions, there are times when information or understanding gets lost, as things evolves and shifts contextually.

For instance, if new members join the team at development without any prior knowledge of design decisions, feedback, or prototypes. In such cases, I prefer to provide well-documented designs. My wireflows and flowcharts have proven helpful in supporting and communicating design decisions clearly.

Personally, I’ve found wireflows and flowcharts to be more effective than clickable prototypes when presenting design screens. Clickable prototypes can sometimes be misleading or incomplete, and they often create a cognitive load—requiring others to remember screen sequences or design choices. On the other hand, flowcharts and wireframes offer a clear, birds-eye view of the entire design flow and user experience, making it easier to understand the overall navigation and logic.

In this blog, I’m focusing only on flowcharts, explaining them in detail—though I’ve briefly mentioned user flows as well. I’ll cover user flows and information architecture in a separate blog post, once I’ve gathered a bit more insight into wireflows and sitemaps.


What is a Flowchart in UX?


a) Definition in UX Context:

Flowcharts have a vital role in UX design. It is a communication technique that visually represents the connectivity/ flow/ structure or architecture. It’s not only a diagram that is presented with arrows or with simple shapes but it shows

  •  Thinking pathways (mental models)
  •  Navigation flows (user journeys)
  •  Information architecture (structural hierarchy)
  •  Task completion paths (user flows)



b) What are the different components of flowcharts?

To create flow charts you have to learn basic shapes that uses standardised symbols: 

1)   Ovals for start/end points: a flow chart needs to have a symbol that indicates termination ends /start points, even potential outcomes of a particular flow.

2)   Rectangles for actions or process: A process symbolised for action, or function and most widely used symbol

3)   Diamonds for decision points: this indicates a fork in the flow, which is the result of a decision or condition that changes the processes, action, or function that follow it. Most of the time it is written in yes, no or true false format.

4)   Arrows indicating directional flow.

5)   If you want to create your own symbol other than generally being used keeping a legend on top or corner of the chart is a good idea for others to understand the relevance.

c) How to create flow charts ?

First thing to design a flowchart is to define the goal or purpose of the flowchart. For example, any user login process.Then write down the whole process in steps using the tool of your choice, like FigJam, Lucidchart, or Miro. Now, you need to put the process in chronological order according to relevance. With this, start choosing the symbols and steps together and connect them with arrows. End the process with a terminate symbol, similar to the one used for the start symbol.


What is User Flow?

A user flow is a sequence of steps or actions that a user takes while interacting with a digital product, such as a website, mobile application, or other software. User flow describes a user’s path from a starting point (such as a home page or login screen to a goal action (such as making a purchase, submitting a form, or viewing a specific page).

A User Flow is about the specific path a user takes to accomplish a goal within the product.

  •  It’s task-oriented — mapping the steps from start to finish.
  • Typically shown as flowcharts with decision points (yes/no), actions (click, search), and end goals (purchase, signup).

 Below are the most common scenarios where User flows are used in any meetings and workshops for:
a) Ideation / Brainstorming – any user flow or thought process with User goals or User actions involved
b) Research or Define phase – to map out existing user flows or be hypothetical assumptions.
c) Agile methodology – During  Agile Sprint sessions for User Stories
d) Journey mapping – Alignment on complex Customer journey, User journey 
e) During any Change management  – Discussing changes with workflows and experience which needs enhancements.
f) Keeping a documented flow of thought process for any decision taken for a task leading to a screen deliverable.

Why does flow charts are effective for User flows in UX? 


Flowcharts are much more than visual decoration. They are thinking tools that can transform the way you approach design problems. Here’s why every UX designer should use them strategically:

✅  A Communication Bridge: Flowcharts translate abstract concepts into visual clarity, making it easier for cross-functional teams to understand user flows and product logic.

✅  A Rapid Alignment Tool: Compared to text-heavy documents, teams using flowcharts report 23% faster project completions and 40% higher satisfaction in design reviews. 

✅  Reduce Cognitive Load: When working on complex projects, it's easy to get overwhelmed by endless screens, features, and interactions. Flowcharts break down complexity into digestible steps, making it easier for both designers and stakeholders to understand the entire flow without feeling mentally overloaded.
 
✅  Clarify Complex Journeys: Flowcharts act like a map for user journeys, helping you pinpoint every action, decision, and outcome. They visually guide you through the path users take — ensuring you don’t miss any critical steps or alternate routes.

✅  Detect UX Pain Points Early: By mapping the experience early in the design phase, you can spot friction points, bottlenecks, and confusing loopsbefore they turn into expensive design mistakes. It’s a proactive way to prevent usability issues rather than fix them later.

✅  Make Invisible Mental Models Visible: Your users come with certain expectations and mental models. Flowcharts help you visualize these mental patterns, allowing you to align your designs closer to how users naturally think and behave.

 

👉 Scenario:  Imagine you’re designing an onboarding flow for a banking app that involves KYC verification, mobile number validation, and setting up a profile. Without a flowchart, it’s just a bunch of screens. But with a flowchart, you can simplify the journey, remove unnecessary steps, and ensure a smooth, frustration-free experience.


More Links on User Flows:


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