Low Fidelity
Low Fidelity
Low Fidelity
Pain Mapping
Overview
Pain Mapping is a collaborative workshop format we use to uncover the real reasons why customers might struggle to adopt a new venture, product, or service. Instead of relying on assumptions about customer pain points, this method gets teams working directly with users to map out what’s holding them back and what’s driving them forward. The exercise is built around simple visual metaphors: sometimes, a boat represents the ideal experience, the sails are forces pushing it forward, and the anchors are the obstacles slowing it down. By guiding customers through this structured conversation, we quickly identify the most significant barriers to adoption and prioritise areas for improvement.
Pain Mapping is a collaborative workshop format we use to uncover the real reasons why customers might struggle to adopt a new venture, product, or service. Instead of relying on assumptions about customer pain points, this method gets teams working directly with users to map out what’s holding them back and what’s driving them forward. The exercise is built around simple visual metaphors: sometimes, a boat represents the ideal experience, the sails are forces pushing it forward, and the anchors are the obstacles slowing it down. By guiding customers through this structured conversation, we quickly identify the most significant barriers to adoption and prioritise areas for improvement.
Pain Mapping is a collaborative workshop format we use to uncover the real reasons why customers might struggle to adopt a new venture, product, or service. Instead of relying on assumptions about customer pain points, this method gets teams working directly with users to map out what’s holding them back and what’s driving them forward. The exercise is built around simple visual metaphors: sometimes, a boat represents the ideal experience, the sails are forces pushing it forward, and the anchors are the obstacles slowing it down. By guiding customers through this structured conversation, we quickly identify the most significant barriers to adoption and prioritise areas for improvement.
Process
We start by setting up a Pain Mapping template, either physically on a whiteboard or digitally in a tool like Miro. The boat sits in the centre, with room below it for “anchors” (pain points) and space above for “sails” (positive drivers). Customers participate in a structured session where they write down things that slow their progress or cause frustration, placing them under the boat as anchors. Then, they note the things that make them want to engage more, placing them above the boat as sails. Throughout the discussion, we guide them in ranking and prioritising these elements, identifying which issues are most pressing and which drivers are most influential. Once we’ve captured these insights, we cluster similar responses and look for patterns. If multiple customers highlight the same obstacles, we know exactly where to focus next. The most valuable part of this experiment isn’t just what customers say—it’s how they prioritise what really matters to them.
We start by setting up a Pain Mapping template, either physically on a whiteboard or digitally in a tool like Miro. The boat sits in the centre, with room below it for “anchors” (pain points) and space above for “sails” (positive drivers). Customers participate in a structured session where they write down things that slow their progress or cause frustration, placing them under the boat as anchors. Then, they note the things that make them want to engage more, placing them above the boat as sails. Throughout the discussion, we guide them in ranking and prioritising these elements, identifying which issues are most pressing and which drivers are most influential. Once we’ve captured these insights, we cluster similar responses and look for patterns. If multiple customers highlight the same obstacles, we know exactly where to focus next. The most valuable part of this experiment isn’t just what customers say—it’s how they prioritise what really matters to them.
We start by setting up a Pain Mapping template, either physically on a whiteboard or digitally in a tool like Miro. The boat sits in the centre, with room below it for “anchors” (pain points) and space above for “sails” (positive drivers). Customers participate in a structured session where they write down things that slow their progress or cause frustration, placing them under the boat as anchors. Then, they note the things that make them want to engage more, placing them above the boat as sails. Throughout the discussion, we guide them in ranking and prioritising these elements, identifying which issues are most pressing and which drivers are most influential. Once we’ve captured these insights, we cluster similar responses and look for patterns. If multiple customers highlight the same obstacles, we know exactly where to focus next. The most valuable part of this experiment isn’t just what customers say—it’s how they prioritise what really matters to them.
Requirements
To run a successful Pain Mapping session, we need a well-defined objective—whether that’s increasing adoption, improving retention, or removing friction from a customer journey. A small group of engaged customers is essential, as well as a facilitator who can guide the conversation and extract meaningful insights. The final outputs should be structured enough to feed directly into decision-making, whether that’s optimising a product, refining a service, or repositioning a proposition.
To run a successful Pain Mapping session, we need a well-defined objective—whether that’s increasing adoption, improving retention, or removing friction from a customer journey. A small group of engaged customers is essential, as well as a facilitator who can guide the conversation and extract meaningful insights. The final outputs should be structured enough to feed directly into decision-making, whether that’s optimising a product, refining a service, or repositioning a proposition.
To run a successful Pain Mapping session, we need a well-defined objective—whether that’s increasing adoption, improving retention, or removing friction from a customer journey. A small group of engaged customers is essential, as well as a facilitator who can guide the conversation and extract meaningful insights. The final outputs should be structured enough to feed directly into decision-making, whether that’s optimising a product, refining a service, or repositioning a proposition.
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