What Is Dōsen (導線)? The Difference from Dōsen (動線) and How to Use Each
導線 (dōsen) and 動線 (dōsen) are two very similar Japanese words that are both read “dōsen.” They come up constantly in web production, marketing, and store operations, yet surprisingly few people can explain the difference correctly. 導線 refers to a route that is intentionally designed to guide users or customers toward a target action such as a purchase or inquiry. This article explains, in plain terms, the meaning and reading of 導線, how it differs from the easily confused 動線, when to use each, and key points for designing conversion paths on a website.
導線 is read “dōsen.” As the character 導 (michibiku, “to guide/lead”) suggests, it refers to the route or mechanism designed to guide users or customers toward a target place or action.
On a website, for example, it might be “the flow from the top page through a product page to the completed purchase,” and in a store it might be “the flow from the entrance, past popular products, to the register.” In every case, the defining feature is that the operator designs it with the intention of “this is how I want people to move.”
Note that in the field of electricity and electronics, 導線 has a different meaning: “a metal wire that carries an electric current (a conductor).” What this article covers is 導線 as a route that guides people, as used in marketing, web, and store design.
The other word, 動線, is also read “dōsen.” 動線 refers to the route or trajectory along which people or objects actually move, and it has long been used in fields such as architecture, interior design, and store planning.
As the character 動 (ugoku, “to move”) indicates, 動線 is a concept focused on how people actually moved or will move. In housing it appears in terms like “household flow line” or “living flow line,” and in stores as “customer flow line” or “staff flow line.”
It is also worth remembering that 動線 is a general word listed in dictionaries and a more established, formal term than 導線.
The biggest difference between the two words lies in the perspective: “the designer’s intention” versus “actual movement.” Organized, it looks like this:
In a word, the relationship is “design with 導線, verify with 動線.” In practice, you check—using actual 動線 data—whether users are moving along the 導線 the operator laid out, and then improve from there.
When you are unsure which to use, it becomes easier to decide by asking “Is there an intention to guide?” or “Is this about actual movement?”
Strictly speaking, however, the standard word found in dictionaries is 動線. In fields such as architecture and real estate, 動線 is commonly used even when discussing design, so take care. In the web and marketing industries, on the other hand, 導線 has become widely established to emphasize the “intention to guide.” The safest approach is to use each according to your company’s or industry’s conventions.
When it comes to improving a website’s results, 導線 design is extremely important. Here are the basic points worth keeping in mind.
First, decide “what you ultimately want users to do.” Without a defined goal—such as a purchase, inquiry, or document request—you cannot draw a 導線.
Build the route with the order of information users want to know in mind, not just the operator’s convenience. The ideal flow resolves users’ questions and concerns in the order they arise.
Place entry points to the next action, such as buttons and links, in prominent, easy-to-understand positions. Aim for a state where “what to do next” is clear at a glance.
If there are too many options or too many unrelated links, users get lost and leave. It is also important to boldly cut elements that are unnecessary to the goal.
Whether the 導線 you designed is working is confirmed with actual user 動線 data. Use access-analytics tools such as GA4 to identify pages with high exit rates and elements that are not being clicked, and keep improving continuously.
導線 and 動線 are also used in real spaces such as stores and facilities. In store operations, you design a “flow you want to guide = 導線,” such as leading customers from the entrance past popular products to the register, and then observe the “動線” of how customers actually walked, using it to improve the sales-floor layout.
Just as with the web, comparing the “導線 you intentionally laid out” with the “動線 actually observed” makes it possible to create spaces that deliver better results.
導線 and 動線 are both read “dōsen,” but 導線 is “a route designed to guide users toward a goal,” while 動線 is “a route along which people or objects actually move.”
In the web and marketing fields, the basic flow is to design a “導線” infused with the operator’s intention and then verify and improve it with actual “動線” data. Stay aware of “whether there is an intention to guide” versus “actual movement,” and use the two words correctly.
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