How to Spot UX Issues—Even Without Testing
Author: Jay Thomas
UX Designer who builds UX research teams, leads design teams, and implements Jobs to be Done (JTBD) in companies
UX research is powerful—but not always feasible. Still, signs that your product confuses users often show up without needing in-depth interviews.
Behavioral Crutches
If users take screenshots, write down sequences, or frequently contact support with “Where is this?”—your UI isn’t self-explanatory. In these cases, analyzing support tickets helps quickly identify recurring issues.
Anomalies in Metrics
UX problems rarely generate direct complaints—but they do show in analytics. People may loop back to the same step, drop off midway, or spend too long on simple actions. If it takes 40 seconds to complete a form that should take 10, that’s a red flag.
Gap Between Product Logic and Real Flow
We often assume how users will behave. But if they ignore your CTA and take a different route, the actual flow doesn't align with your intentions.
You don’t always need formal testing to notice problems. Sometimes, just looking closer is enough to spot weak spots. But remember: understanding why it happens—or what users actually expect—still requires testing. The above are indicators; deeper work still needs proper UX research.
Jay Thomas
A UX strategist with a decade of experience in building and leading UX research and design teams. He specializes in implementing Jobs to be Done (JTBD) methodologies and designing both complex B2B admin panels and high-traffic consumer-facing features used by millions.
Previously, he led UX development at DomClick, where he scaled the UX research team and built a company-wide design system. He is a guest lecturer at HSE and Bang Bang Education and has studied JTBD at Harvard Business School.
Jay has worked with ONY, QIWI, Sber, CIAN, Megafon, Shell, MTS, Adidas, and other industry leaders, helping them create data-driven, user-centered experiences that drive engagement and business growth.
