Strategy
Funnel
A funnel is the sequence of steps users move through toward a single goal, such as signing up or buying something. It is called a funnel because fewer people remain at each step than the one before.
Why it matters
Mapping a funnel shows you exactly where people give up, so you can fix the weakest step instead of guessing.
In depth
Most funnels lose the majority of their users before the final step, so small improvements early on can matter more than polishing the end. The common mistake is treating drop-off as a user failure rather than a design problem; if many people abandon one step, that step usually has too much friction, unclear wording, or a missing reassurance.
Real-world example
An online store's funnel might run from viewing a product, to adding it to the cart, to entering payment, to confirming the order, with people dropping off at each stage.