How to conduct a pain point analysis: a step-by-step guide

A practical way to uncover and address what's frustrating your users.

Understanding where users get stuck is one of the most effective ways to improve services. This guide shows you how to carry out a simple, evidence-led pain point analysis , step by step.

Whether you're improving a process, evaluating a service, or responding to feedback, pain point analysis can help you identify real barriers and make meaningful changes.

Step 1: Choose a Focus

Start small. Focused analysis is more useful than a long list of scattered issues.

We suggest beginning with one specific area:

  • A single task or process (e.g. submitting a funding application)
  • A specific page or form (e.g. the graduate enquiry form)
  • A known problem area (e.g. based on complaints or drop-off data)

If you're unsure where to start, ask:

  • What do users most often struggle with?
  • Where do we get the most helpdesk tickets?
  • What part of the journey feels confusing or high-stakes?

Step 2: Gather Real-World Evidence

Don't guess, observe. Real user input is essential.

Collect both qualitative and quantitative data:

  • User feedback : quotes from surveys, support tickets, forums or interviews
  • Analytics : where users drop off, what they search for, time spent on tasks
  • Usability testing : short sessions to observe where people get stuck
  • Staff insights : input from colleagues who deal directly with users

Make sure you record what users actually experience, not what we think they experience.

Step 3: Document Observations Clearly

Now you've collected evidence, organise it into a clear, shareable summary.

A pain point analysis deliverable typically includes:

  • Brief context : one or two sentences to explain what you looked at and why E.g. "We reviewed the postgraduate funding enquiry process in response to repeated user complaints."
  • List of pain points : write each one plainly and tie it to actual evidence E.g. "The enquiry form is hard to find; users reported clicking through 3-4 pages before locating it."
  • Supporting evidence : include direct quotes, screenshots, metrics, or snippets from recordings E.g. "I gave up and just emailed someone instead; it wasn't worth the hassle."

Keep it simple. A slide, one-pager, or shared document is often enough.

Step 4: Identify Themes and Patterns

Look for common threads. These help you spot root causes and prioritise action.

Group related issues under broad headings like:

  • Clarity and navigation
  • Timing and responsiveness
  • Accessibility or device-specific problems
  • Missing information
  • Emotional friction (stress, confusion, lack of trust)

Ask yourself:

  • Are there consistent barriers across different users?
  • Which pain points seem to have the biggest impact?
  • Where are expectations not being met?

Patterns matter more than isolated complaints.

Step 5: Create a Findings Summary

Your deliverable should be easy for anyone to understand at a glance (even if they're not UX specialists).

A typical summary includes:

  • Title and context. E.g. "Pain Point Analysis: Graduate Funding Enquiry"
  • A short paragraph explaining what you looked at. E.g. "Several users reported confusion during the funding enquiry process. We reviewed the page experience and collected feedback from students and service staff."
  • A list of 3-6 key pain points. Each with a short description and supporting evidence:
    • The form is hard to locate. Users often land on a general page and must click through multiple links.
    • No confirmation after submission. Several users emailed the team to check if their form went through.
    • Delayed follow-up. Users reported uncertainty due to lack of acknowledgement or response timelines.
  • Screenshots or visuals. Simple annotated images or recordings showing the problem.
  • Suggested areas for improvement (not full solutions):
    • Improve visibility of the form on the main page
    • Add a clear confirmation message with next steps
    • Set up an automatic email acknowledgement

This format keeps the focus on what's going wrong and offers clear next steps, without demanding technical detail or final fixes.

Step 6: Share and Sense-Check

Bring others into the conversation. A short feedback loop improves the quality and usefulness of your analysis.

  • Share your summary with relevant colleagues and service owners
  • Ask questions like:
    • "Does this match what you're hearing from users?"
    • "Is there anything we've missed or misunderstood?"
  • Incorporate useful feedback and clarify anything that's ambiguous

This stage helps build shared understanding and avoids defensiveness by focusing on the user experience, not internal blame.

Step 7: Support Actionable Follow-Up

Don't let your insights gather dust. Pain point analysis should lead to useful changes, big or small.

Encourage action by:

  • Linking findings to existing service or project plans
  • Highlighting "quick wins" (small changes that could make a big difference)
  • Flagging more complex problems that might need further work

You can also:

  • Pair your pain point analysis with a touchpoint interaction analysis for deeper insight
  • Use it to complement journey maps or process flows, showing where the real friction lies
  • Share findings with your UX team; we can help circulate them and plan follow-up activity

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even simple methods can go off-track. Watch out for these common traps:

  • Only using internal opinion : Always include actual user input
  • Jumping to solutions too early : Take time to fully understand the problem
  • Trying to fix everything at once : Prioritise what matters most to users
  • Overcomplicating the output : Keep your summary short, clear, and actionable

Conclusion

Pain point analysis is a practical way to turn user frustration into meaningful improvements. By following these steps (choosing a focus, gathering evidence, documenting clearly, finding patterns, creating summaries, checking with others, and supporting follow-up) you can build a clear picture of what needs to change and why.

Remember: the goal isn't just to list problems, but to understand them well enough to make things better for your users. Start small, stay focused, and always ground your work in real user experiences.