Overlooked user insights uncovering what exists

Collaborating in a few start-up environments over the years, I have noticed a reoccurring theme of reluctance to speak with customers directly, especially in the early stages of development.

While transforming this mindset has been a part of my journey, I’ve also become well-versed in uncovering insights into the user experience from often-overlooked sources.

It’s important to acknowledge that these alternative avenues cannot substitute for well-organized user research. However, they can offer a valuable starting point, sparking curiosity and providing focused inspiration for further exploration.

1. Leverage Insights from internal teams.

Commonly I start with internal stakeholders. I organise separate meetings with those responsible and involved in customer success, customer support, marketing and sales. I listen to their front-line experiences, and dig into the customer pain points and challenges as perceived by the team.

During my time at CarePlanner, I also listened in on some sales demos, which was invaluable in understanding what features were interesting to users, what tasks or actions required clarification, and how customers interpreted the value of a specific feature or service.

When collaborating with a new health startup in 2021, listening to the founders ‘sales pitch’ to family and friends allowed me to hear the questions asked by his target audience, it gave me first-hand experience of the language customers used, which was sometimes at odds with the more technical language used by the CEO and health expert.

2. Decipher User Sentiments through Support Channels and ReviewsSupport ticketing systems, help request emails, complaints, social media discussions, and review sites can provide unfiltered views of the customer experience. Often overlooked, these sources offer valuable feedback for identifying persistent points of friction and quick wins.

I always advise start-ups to set up monitoring for mentions on social platforms, discussions here can often give a clue to customer satisfaction and a potential space for feature requests.

3. Harness available analytics.Even with limited or fragmented user data, tapping into available analytics can provide valuable insights into user behaviour. Metrics like conversion rates, bounce rates, session lengths, completed profiles, and service desk inquiries, though seemingly simple, can offer rich information on user engagement.

In a 2020 health tech startup project, unexpected short session lengths in the ‘blog’ section triggered a reevaluation, guiding the CEO to reconsider the app features that truly delivered user value.

4. Competitive Intelligence for User Expectations.

A grasp of the competitive landscape is instrumental in understanding user expectations and preferences. Scrutinizing feature lists and customer reviews of competitors helps identify trends, areas of interest, and potential opportunities.


While individually these sources may not provide a comprehensive view, collectively, they can indicate areas that need attention, and shed light on latent issues and opportunities that might not be readily apparent through direct communication.