Map what matters

What is a workflow?

A workflow is a meaningful sequence of behaviour. It describes something a user is trying to achieve, such as registering for an account, completing checkout, submitting an application, setting up a subscription, or creating a plan.

In product measurement, workflows help teams decide what is worth measuring. Instead of starting with screens, clicks, features, or dashboards, a workflow starts with the user’s task.

A workflow helps teams answer:

what the user is trying to do
where the task begins
which steps matter
where the user can pause, fail, abandon, or complete
what successful progress looks like
what decisions the measurement should support

A workflow is not just a journey map, a feature, or a set of screens. It is the behaviour the team needs to understand.

Workflow anatomy

A measurable workflow usually has these parts:

User intent
↓
Entry point
↓
Meaningful steps
↓
Possible exits or failure points
↓
Completion point

This anatomy keeps the workflow practical. It helps the team move from a broad label, such as “onboarding”, to a measurable behaviour, such as “create an account and access the product”.

Examples beyond registration

Broad area	Better workflow	Why it is measurable
Checkout	Complete checkout	Has entry, steps, payment, confirmation, and exits
Mortgage application	Submit a mortgage application	Has document, eligibility, review, and submission steps
Retrofit planning	Create a retrofit plan	Has assessment, recommendations, choices, and completion
Subscription	Choose and set up a subscription	Has plan selection, account setup, payment, and confirmation

Why workflows matter

Many product teams measure what is easy to count: page views, button clicks, sessions, visits, downloads, sign-ins, or isolated feature usage. These can be useful, but they often describe activity rather than progress.

For example, a team does not only need to know that users visited the registration page. They need to know whether users were able to register for an account and access the product.

That means understanding the sequence:

View registration form
↓
Enter details
↓
Submit form
↓
Verify email
↓
Access product

This sequence helps the team decide which behaviours should be observed, which events should be captured, and which metrics would support useful decisions.

A workflow describes progress

A useful workflow describes progress from intent to outcome.

Examples include:

registering for an account
completing checkout
submitting a mortgage application
setting up a subscription
creating a retrofit plan
booking an appointment

The workflow does not need to capture every possible interaction. It should describe the meaningful path the team needs to understand.

A workflow is not a screen or feature

Screens are part of the product interface. Features are things the product provides. Workflows are about what users are trying to achieve.

For example:

“registration page” is a screen; “register for an account” is a workflow
“account system” is a feature area; “create an account” is a workflow
“payment integration” is a feature; “complete checkout” is a workflow
“retrofit recommendations” is a feature; “create a retrofit plan” is a workflow

A registration workflow may include several screens and features, but the workflow is the user’s progress through account creation. If teams measure only screens or features, they may miss the behaviour that connects them.

What makes a workflow measurable

A workflow becomes measurable when the team can describe its start, meaningful steps, and end.

A measurable workflow usually has:

a clear user intent
a defined starting point
meaningful steps
possible failure or abandonment points
a clear completion point
a reason for the team to measure it

For example, “registration” is broad. “Register for an account” is clearer because it describes what the user is trying to do.

A measurable version might define:

Start:
User views the registration form

Meaningful steps:
Enter details
Submit form
Verify email

Completion:
User accesses the product for the first time

This does not need to be perfect before measurement can begin. It needs to be clear enough for the team to agree what behaviour matters.

How to apply this

When defining a workflow, start with a plain-language verb phrase:

register for an account
complete checkout
submit an application
set up a subscription
create a plan
compare options
book an appointment

Then define:

what starts the workflow
which steps matter
what counts as completion
where the workflow can fail
what decision the measurement should support

Avoid making the workflow too broad. “Onboarding” may be too vague. “Create an account and access the product” is easier to measure.

Avoid making it too narrow. “Click the continue button” is usually an interaction, not a workflow.

A good workflow sits between a high-level journey and a single interaction.

Workflow, feature, or user journey?
Entry points, exits, and completion
Workflow catalogue template

Key takeaway

A workflow is a meaningful sequence of behaviour that describes what a user is trying to achieve.

Start with the workflow before deciding what events to capture or what metrics to put on a dashboard.