Understanding the difference between a task flow, user flow, and wire flow

Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash

Task flows, user flows, and wire flows are all diagrams that are used in the design process to visualize the steps involved in completing a task or achieving a goal. These diagrams can be incredibly useful for designers and developers, as they help to clarify the process and identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. However, it’s important to understand the differences between the three types of flows, as they each have a different focus and level of detail.

A task flow is a diagram that outlines the steps involved in completing a specific task. It is used to understand the process and identify any potential bottlenecks or issues. Task flows are often used to design software interfaces, and they can be either linear or branching, depending on the complexity of the task.

For example, let’s say you’re designing a task flow for a simple to-do list app. The task flow might include steps such as:

1. Open the app
2. View the list of to-do items
3. Tap on an item to mark it as complete
4. Tap the “Add” button to add a new item
5. Enter the details of the new item
6. Tap “Save” to add the new item to the list

As you can see, the task flow outlines the steps involved in completing the task of adding a new item to the to-do list. It helps the designer understand the process and identify any potential issues or areas for improvement.

A user flow is a diagram that shows the steps a user takes to complete a specific goal or task within a product or service. It is used to understand how users navigate through a product or service and to identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. User flows are often used to design websites and mobile apps, and they can be either linear or branching, depending on the complexity of the goal.

For example, let’s say you’re designing a user flow for an e-commerce website. The user flow might include steps such as:

1. Go to the homepage
2. Browse the product categories
3. Select a product to view more details
4. Add the product to the shopping cart
5. Go to the checkout page
6. Enter billing and shipping information
7. Review the order and submit the payment

As you can see, the user flow outlines the steps a user takes to complete the goal of purchasing a product on the website. It helps the designer understand how users navigate through the website and identify any potential issues or areas for improvement.

A wire flow is a diagram that shows the layout and hierarchy of a website or app, including the relationships between different pages or screens. It is used to understand the structure of a product and to identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. Wire flows are often used in conjunction with user flows to design websites and mobile apps, and they provide a high-level overview of the product.

For example, let’s say you’re designing a wire flow for a social media app. The wire flow might include pages or screens such as:

• Homepage
• Profile page
• Friends list
• News feed
• Message inbox
• Settings

As you can see, the wire flow outlines the layout and hierarchy of the app, showing the relationships between different pages or screens. It helps the designer understand the structure of the app and identify any potential issues or areas for improvement.

In summary, task flows focus on the steps involved in completing a specific task, user flows focus on the steps a user takes to complete a specific goal within a product or service, and wire flows focus on the layout.