Glossary

user journey map

A user journey map is a visual representation that illustrates the steps, actions, thoughts, and emotions a person experiences while interacting with a product or service to achieve a specific goal. It maps the complete sequence of touchpoints from initial awareness through final outcome, providing a comprehensive view of the user experience.

Context and Usage

User journey maps are primarily used in user experience (UX) design, product management, and service design to understand and improve customer interactions. They are created by UX designers, product teams, and service designers working in digital product development, e-commerce, software as a service (SaaS), and customer experience optimization contexts.

Common Challenges

Common challenges include creating maps based on assumptions rather than actual user research, overlooking diverse user segments and their unique needs, and ignoring the emotional aspects of user experience. Teams may struggle with defining clear objectives, gathering sufficient data, or keeping journey maps updated as products and user behaviors evolve.

Related Topics: customer journey map, user flow, touchpoint mapping, persona development, service blueprint, experience mapping

Jan 22, 2026

Reviewed by Dan Yan