How do you map the user journey of an AI application?

How do you map the user journey of an AI application?

A user journey describes what someone does and what they experience in response. It connects the screens of your application to the task the person is trying to finish.

Start with actions and outcomes

For a simplified video tool, write the journey in plain language: create a project, enter a brief, request a script, review it, start video generation, and preview the finished file. Each step should have an obvious next action.

For every action, record the input required and the response the user should see. Clicking “Generate” might create a saved job and show a processing state; it should not imply that the video already exists.

Add the states between screens

Think about an empty project list, an incomplete form, a request that is still processing, a failed generation, and a completed result. These are distinct product states even when they share the same page layout.

Avoid promising a percentage unless you can calculate meaningful progress. A truthful stage label such as “Preparing narration” can be more helpful than a progress bar that jumps unpredictably.

Walk through interruptions

Ask what happens when the creator reloads the page, navigates away, or returns later. A saved job identifier and persisted status can let the application reconnect the interface to the existing work.

Also consider revisions. If the user edits a script after generating narration, the interface should make clear that the old audio does not reflect the new text. Decide which downstream steps need to run again.

Before designing polished screens, walk through the journey using a few boxes and written states. If you cannot explain how the user reaches the next step or recovers from a failure, resolve that gap first.