Creating great products starts with understanding how people use them. But tracking every step of the user experience can get messy without the right tools. That's where user journey maps come in. In this guide, discover the best free templates to get you started, along with practical tips on how to use them effectively.
What is user journey mapping?
A user journey map is like a story that follows your users through their entire experience with your product. Unlike basic flowcharts or process diagrams, journey maps help you see the human side of product usage. They show not just what users do, but how they feel, think, and react during each interaction.
These visual tools are particularly powerful because they help teams spot patterns and problems that might not be obvious when looking at individual user interactions. Think of it as the difference between watching individual scenes of a movie versus seeing the whole film - you get a much better understanding of the overall story.
Read the detailed guide on how to do user journey maps here.
What is customer journey mapping?
While user journey maps focus specifically on product interactions, customer journey maps take a wider view. They capture every touchpoint between a customer and your company, from the first time they hear about your brand through social media or advertising, to their interactions with sales, their product usage, and even their experience with customer support.
Both types of maps serve similar purposes, but customer journey maps often help teams see the bigger business picture. They're especially useful when you need to understand how different departments impact the customer experience, or when you're trying to improve the overall customer experience beyond just the product itself.
Why do you need a user journey map template?
Creating a journey map from scratch is like trying to build a house without blueprints - you can do it, but why make life harder? Templates give you a proven structure to work with and help ensure you don't miss important details. They also make it easier to get started, especially if you're new to journey mapping.
Good templates help you focus on what matters—understanding your users. Instead of worrying about format and structure, you can spend your energy on gathering insights and identifying opportunities for improvement. Plus, using a standard template makes it easier to share your findings with stakeholders and compare different user journeys over time.
Why product managers, designers, and researchers need journey maps
Journey maps aren't just pretty documents - they're practical tools that serve different purposes for different team members. Product managers use them to spot opportunities for new features and prioritize improvements. Designers rely on them to understand the context for their design decisions and create more intuitive interfaces. Researchers use them to organize their findings and identify gaps in their understanding.
Building empathy starts with talking to the right people
The best journey maps are built on real user research, not assumptions. Before you start mapping anything, you need to talk to actual users. This means conducting interviews, analyzing support tickets, reviewing usage data, and observing users in action. Without this foundation of real user input, your journey map risks being a fiction rather than a useful tool.
7 free user journey map templates
Let's look at some of the best free user journey map templates available, starting with the most versatile options.
1. Figjam User Journey Mapping Template by Looppanel
This modern, clean Figjam user journey map template by Looppanel offers everything you need to create comprehensive journey maps. The template is also very customizable, and includes sections for user actions, thoughts, feelings, and pain points, all organized in a clear, visual format.
View Figjam user journey mapping template here.
2. Miro user journey map template by Looppanel
Prefer to work on Miro? No issues, Looppanel’s customer journey mapping also comes in a Miro version. It’s just as easy to use, with adorable stickers and quickly customizable.
View Miro user journey map template here.
3. Customizable customer journey map template on Canva
If you’re a fan of building things on Canva, there are plenty of free user journey mapping template options available to try out. The Doodle Sketch Customer Journey Map Brainstorm is one such free template by user Smartly Designed that caught our eye. If a hand-scrawled, white-board vibe is what you’re looking for, this one fits the bill. It might not be the best to use for a formal stakeholder presentation, however.
View the customer journey mapping template on Canva here.
4. Miro Customer Journey Map Template
Miro also offers their own customer journey map template, with sections for defining user personas, opportunities, pain points and embedded images. It has a clean, professional look, and is free to use with a Miro account.
View the Miro customer journey map template here.
5. NN/g customer journey map template
Based on years of UX research expertise, the Nielsen Norman Group’s template includes only the most essential elements needed for effective journey mapping. It focuses on what matters most: user actions, thoughts, and pain points. The clean PDF format makes it easy to print for workshop sessions, but is not as intuitive to understand as the visual templates on this list.
Download the free PDF template here.
6. PowerPoint journey mapping template
For teams that need to present journey maps to stakeholders, Kerry Rodine’s PowerPoint-based template does the job well. The template includes dedicated spaces for user needs, expectations, and direct quotes from customers. It’s also easy to edit and update on both Microsoft Powerpoint of Google Slides - no design skills required.
View the Powerpoint journey map template here.
6. User journey map template by Saroj Shahi
Designer Saroj Shahi’s template for user journey mapping is popular with over 42k users for a reason. It’s straightforward, sleek and easy to study and analyze as a team. This free template is ideal especially if your team does its prototyping work on Figma.
The original Figma version of this template is also quite popular. Bonus: it comes with light/dark mode options.
View the Figma user journey map template here.
7. Multiple persona journey map template by UXPressia
UXPressia is a user journey mapping platform that offers specialized templates tackling the challenge of mapping journeys for different user personas simultaneously. This is useful when your product serves distinct user groups with different needs and behaviors.
Note, UXPressia only offers 1 project as part of their free plan.
Find UXPressia’s user journey mapping templates here.
What should be included in a customer journey map template?
A well-structured journey map needs several key components to be truly useful. Let's break down the essential elements that every effective journey map should include:
User Stages and Touchpoints
The backbone of any journey map is the sequence of stages users go through. These typically start with awareness or discovery and continue through engagement, purchase, and ongoing use. For each stage, you need to document the specific touchpoints - the moments where users interact with your product or service. This gives you a clear timeline of the entire experience.
User Actions and Goals
At each stage, capture what users are trying to accomplish and what they actually do. The gap between intended and actual behavior often reveals important insights. For example, if users consistently take unexpected paths to complete tasks, this might indicate problems with your product's interface or flow.
Thoughts and Feelings
The emotional component is what transforms a basic process flow into a true journey map. Document what users are thinking and feeling at each stage. Are they confused? Frustrated? Delighted? This emotional context helps teams build empathy and identify critical moments that need attention. Use direct quotes from user research when possible - they're more powerful than paraphrased observations.
Pain Points and Opportunities
Document both the problems users encounter and potential solutions. Pain points might include technical issues, confusing interfaces, or gaps in functionality. Each pain point represents an opportunity for improvement. Be specific - instead of noting "users are frustrated," explain exactly what's causing the frustration.
Support Systems and Channels
Include information about the channels and systems supporting the user journey. This might include customer service, documentation, community forums, or automated help systems. Understanding how these support mechanisms interact with the user journey helps identify gaps in assistance.
Metrics and KPIs
Connect user experiences to measurable business outcomes. Include relevant metrics like conversion rates, time on task, satisfaction scores, or other KPIs that help quantify the user experience. This helps justify improvements and track progress over time.
How to create a customer journey map
Creating an effective journey map involves more than just filling in a template. Here's a detailed process to help you get the most value from journey mapping:
1. Prepare with research
Start by gathering real user data. This might include:
- In-depth user interviews
- Survey responses
- Analytics data
- Support tickets
- User testing sessions
- Field observations
Don't rely on assumptions - base your map on actual user behavior and feedback.
2. Define your scope and focus
Decide what specific aspect of the user experience you're mapping. Are you looking at the entire customer lifecycle? A specific feature? The onboarding process? Having a clear focus helps keep your map manageable and actionable.
3. Identify key personas
Who are you mapping for? Create clear user personas based on your research. Different user types often have different journeys - you might need separate maps for different personas.
4. Map the current state
Start by documenting the journey as it exists today. Be honest about pain points and problems - sugar-coating issues won't help improve the experience. Use your template to organize the information systematically, but don't feel constrained by it. Adapt the format to serve your needs.
5. Add detail and context
Layer in additional information that helps tell the complete story:
- Supporting data and metrics
- Screenshots or examples
- Relevant quotes from users
- Business impact information
- Technical constraints
- Resource requirements
6. Validate with stakeholders
Share your draft with team members and stakeholders. Get feedback from people with different perspectives - designers, developers, support staff, and business leaders often see different aspects of the journey.
7. Identify opportunities
Use the completed map to identify opportunities for improvement. Look for common pain points, gaps in support, redundant steps, unclear processes and missing features.
8. Plan and prioritize improvements
Turn your insights into action by:
- Prioritizing improvements based on impact and effort
- Creating specific action items
- Assigning owners for improvements
- Setting timelines for changes
Reddit’s opinion: Recommended resources for journey mapping
UXPressia emerges as a favorite, with teams praising how it connects personas with maps in one place. Miro gets frequent mentions for its collaboration features, while Draw.io is recommended as a solid free alternative. For teams on a budget, Canva and free templates from the Interaction Design Foundation are suggested as good starting points.
When it comes to learning journey mapping, the community strongly recommends James Kalbach's book "Mapping Experiences" as essential reading. Other frequently mentioned resources include "This is Service Design Thinking" and "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug. These books help build a strong foundation in journey mapping principles before diving into tools and templates.
Customer journey mapping template
While tools like Envato and Samply keep popping up in the discussion, many experienced UX researchers on Reddit emphasize that the tool matters less than the research behind the map. While design tools like Sketch can work for journey mapping, they suggest focusing first on content and user insights rather than visual polish. As one UX designer puts it, "Start simple and focus on the content - you can always make it prettier later."
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a customer journey map?
A customer journey map shows every interaction someone has with your business, from first hearing about you to becoming a loyal customer. It's like a story that captures not just what customers do, but how they feel and think during each interaction. The map helps teams understand the complete customer experience across all touchpoints - marketing, sales, product use, and support.
What is a user journey map?
While similar to customer journey maps, user journey maps focus specifically on how people interact with your product or service. They're typically more detailed about specific features and interactions, and help product teams understand how users accomplish their goals. Think of it as zooming in on the product experience part of the larger customer journey.
Why customer journey mapping?
Customer journey mapping helps teams spot problems and opportunities they might miss when looking at isolated interactions. By seeing the full picture of how customers experience your business, you can make better decisions about where to focus improvements. It's also a powerful tool for building empathy - when teams see the journey through customers' eyes, they make more user-centered decisions.
How do I use a customer journey map template?
Start by filling in the basic structure with real data from user research - don't just guess what users do or think. Add specific examples and quotes to make the journey concrete and believable. Make sure to include both positive and negative experiences, and use the template to track opportunities for improvement along the journey.
What are the benefits of customer journey mapping?
Journey mapping helps teams align on what matters to customers and where to focus improvements. It breaks down silos between departments by showing how different teams impact the overall experience. The process often reveals quick wins and longer-term opportunities that can significantly improve customer satisfaction and business results.
What is a touchpoint in a customer journey map?
A touchpoint is any moment where a customer interacts with your company - whether it's visiting your website, talking to support, using your product, or seeing an advertisement. Think of touchpoints as the building blocks of the customer experience. Understanding these moments helps teams identify which interactions most influence customer satisfaction.
How often should you update your customer journey map?
Update your journey map whenever you make significant changes to your product or service, or when you notice shifts in how customers behave. Most teams review their maps quarterly and update them at least annually. Regular updates help ensure the map stays relevant and continues to guide improvements effectively.
Do all businesses need a customer journey map?
While journey mapping is valuable for most businesses, not everyone needs a formal, detailed map. Small businesses with simple customer interactions might do fine with a basic understanding of their customer journey. However, as businesses grow or serve multiple customer types, journey mapping becomes increasingly important for maintaining a good customer experience.
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