Empathize
Pain point
A specific frustration, friction, or unmet need that a user experiences in a real context.
Pain points are raw material from empathy work. They should be observable and specific - not generic complaints like "the app is bad."
Teams cluster pain points, prioritize by frequency and severity, and translate the most important ones into problem statements during Define. Skipping this translation is a common reason products solve the wrong problem.
Related terms
- Empathy interview - A structured conversation focused on understanding a user's experiences, pain points, and context - not validating a solution.
- Problem statement - A clear, actionable framing of the user need and insight - written so a team can ideate and measure success against it.
- User journey - A map of the steps, touchpoints, and emotions a user goes through while trying to accomplish a goal.