Distinguishing problems from symptoms

Problems are root causes that create pain for users. Symptoms are what users notice and complain about. When you treat symptoms without addressing problems, you create band-aid solutions that don't last. It's like taking painkillers for a broken bone without setting it properly.

Consider an e-commerce site where users abandon their carts. The symptom might be "users don't complete purchases." But the real problems could vary. Perhaps the checkout process is confusing. Maybe shipping costs appear too late. Or users might not trust the payment system. Each problem requires a different solution. Learning to spot this difference takes practice. Listen carefully to what users say, then dig deeper. Ask follow-up questions. Look for patterns across multiple complaints. The real problem often hides beneath several layers of symptoms.^[1]