Field notes
What a heatmap can—and cannot—tell you.
What heatmaps show, where they help, and the limits to keep in mind.
Read the guide
A heatmap makes the distribution of measured activity easier to see. It can highlight busy routes, quieter corners and areas worth investigating, and it helps you review layouts, signage and promotions.
First check the time period, coverage and scale. A warmer colour means more measured activity relative to the map’s scale; it does not by itself explain why people were there or how they felt.
Use the map to form a question, then test it against flow, dwell time and what the site team observed. For before-and-after comparisons, keep zones, measurement settings and periods comparable. Do not interpret a busy zone as proof of customer satisfaction or sales.