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Situation

Understand user needs and pain points

Build evidence-based understanding before designing solutions.

Use this when your team lacks confidence in user context, pain points, or behavior. It is ideal before roadmap bets or service redesign work.

Use this page to choose the method before you start planning the session.

Session risk to manage

Key risk: The team mistakes assumptions for insights.

Prioritise the facilitation structure that keeps trade-offs explicit and closes with named ownership.

Common constraints

  • Limited direct user access
  • Mixed quality existing research
  • Pressure to move fast to delivery
  • Duration2-4 hours
  • Group size3-8 people
  • OutputInterview discussion guide
  • RemoteRemote-friendly
Open recommended methodPlan this session in WorkspaceRead supporting guide

What good looks like

Use these signals to keep the room aimed at the outcome before it drifts into discussion.

  • Needs are prioritized with evidence strength.
  • Pain points are tied to real user context.
  • A clear research follow-up or validation plan exists.

Recommended techniques

Choose the route that matches the time you have, the room you can assemble, and the level of convergence you need.

  • 60-90 min

    Affinity Mapping

    Best when you need a credible recommendation in one working session without expanding into a half-day format.

    Output artifact: Insight themes

    Open recipe

  • 2-4 hrs

    Jobs To Be Done Interview Sprint (Lightweight)

    Use when you have enough room to build shared understanding before committing to the shortlist.

    Output artifact: JTBD force map

    Open recipe

  • Exec alignment

    Interview Discussion Guide Workshop

    Use when the room needs stronger sponsor clarity, sharper trade-offs, or explicit ownership before moving on.

    Output artifact: Interview discussion guide

    Open recipe

Qualifying questions

These questions are here to explain the recommendation logic, not just diagnose the room.

What decision should this session unlock by the end of the working block?

Why it matters: If the decision is vague, the room will drift into discussion instead of converging on a usable output.

What changes: If the answer is specific, Waypoint can recommend tighter decision formats. If it stays broad, Waypoint should push you toward framing or mapping first.

How real is the constraint around limited direct user access?

Why it matters: Availability determines whether you can run a deeper co-creation format or need a tighter, more executive-friendly move.

What changes: If availability is genuinely tight, Waypoint should favor lighter formats. If the right room can attend, it should open up deeper working sessions.

Will mixed quality existing research create friction in the room?

Why it matters: The biggest source of friction tells you where facilitation structure needs to do more work.

What changes: If the answer is yes, prefer formats that make trade-offs explicit. If not, Waypoint can recommend a lighter path with less convergence overhead.

What will you do if pressure to move fast to delivery remains unresolved during the session?

Why it matters: Some risks can be parked; others require a method that produces enough evidence or ownership before the group leaves.

What changes: If it cannot stay unresolved, Waypoint should bias toward techniques that leave owners, assumptions, or evidence checks visible before the room closes.

Risks and pitfalls

Start with the risks most likely to show up in the room, then use the fixes to keep the session on track.

Session risks to manage

  • Limited direct user access
  • Mixed quality existing research
  • Pressure to move fast to delivery

How those risks usually show up

  • Don’t start with predefined solutions if user needs are unclear.
  • Don’t over-index on a single anecdote as representative evidence.
  • Don’t skip synthesis and jump straight from notes to actions.

  • Don’t start with predefined solutions if user needs are unclear.

    Fix: Capture needs evidence first and park solution ideas in a separate lane.

  • Don’t over-index on a single anecdote as representative evidence.

    Fix: Require at least two evidence sources before treating a pain point as priority.

  • Don’t skip synthesis and jump straight from notes to actions.

    Fix: Run a 15-minute synthesis closeout with explicit next research actions.

More options

Use these when the recommended route is blocked by room shape, confidence, or stakeholder availability.

  1. #1

    Persona Hypothesis Workshop

    A workshop to draft hypothesis personas based on existing evidence and team knowledge.

    Output artifact: Hypothesis personas

    Avoid when: Avoid this when validated personas already exist and are current.

    Open recipe