Product complexity isn’t always obvious on the surface. A feature that feels intuitive to one team may feel overwhelming or confusing to a first-time user. That’s why user perception – not just technical accuracy – is key to successful product testing.

Usability testing tools like UserTesting help uncover how your users actually interact with your product. These insights are crucial, especially when you're iterating quickly or launching new features. While your internal team may fully understand the functionality, your market might experience the product very differently. And that disconnect can lead to friction, abandonment, or even negative brand perception.

Why complexity happens – even with good design

Product teams often face pressures to innovate quickly. As new features are layered in over time, interfaces can become bloated, navigation flows unclear, and terminology inconsistent. What begins as a well-intentioned upgrade can introduce unnecessary steps or unclear paths. This creates user friction – when people hesitate, backtrack, or feel unsure.

Importantly, complexity isn’t always due to bad coding or design errors. It’s usually an experience issue: how users interpret, expect, and emotionally respond to what they see on screen. In product testing, these reactions don’t always show up in the data alone – you need the context of human behavior.

How video-based user testing reveals the hidden layers

UserTesting allows you to view sessions where participants speak out loud while using your product. You can watch exactly where confusion arises: which buttons they hover over, if they hesitate before clicking, or if they abandon paths altogether. This creates rich, actionable context – but only if your team knows what to look for.

• Facial reactions and tone reveal frustration or uncertainty.
• Verbal comments signal expectations versus actual experience.
• Navigation patterns highlight where users get stuck or misinterpret steps.

These are the early warning signs of product complexity. By identifying them during product testing, rather than post-launch, you gain the chance to simplify, clarify, and improve before confusion impacts real users.

Market research tools like UserTesting offer huge value – but their real power lies in how effectively teams can turn usability moments into design improvements. That’s where SIVO’s On Demand Talent becomes critical. These are not just observers, but experienced usability experts who can help you interpret video feedback, highlight patterns, and guide your product team toward practical, customer-centered changes.

When using a DIY research tool like UserTesting, spotting user confusion early is key to improving your product’s usability. However, identifying when someone is confused isn’t always as simple as it seems. People may not say “I’m confused.” Instead, they show it – through what they say, what they don’t say, and how they interact during a session.

Here are some of the most common signs of user friction and product complexity during usability testing sessions:

1. Hesitation or long pauses before taking action

When a user pauses for too long before clicking or responding, it often signals uncertainty. This might mean the next step isn’t clear, or they aren’t confident in what a particular button or label means.

2. Repeating actions multiple times

If users click in the same place over and over, swipe back and forth, or retry forms multiple times, it can be a sign they believe they’re doing something “wrong.” This is a common signal of confusing UX.

3. Asking clarification questions out loud

UserTesting often asks participants to think aloud. If you hear questions like “Is this what I’m supposed to do?” or “Where am I supposed to go from here?” – that’s a clear indicator of confusion. These moments are gold for product design research because they reveal where expectations break down.

4. Verbal expressions of frustration

Statements like “That’s annoying,” or subtle signs – sighs, sarcasm, or silence – all count as signs of frustration. These cues often highlight tasks that are more difficult than they should be.

5. Skipping features or ignoring key content

If users consistently skip over a key function or miss a CTA, the issue might not be content – it might be clarity. In other words, if users don’t find a feature relevant, they’ll ignore it. But if they’re missing it entirely, it may be hidden or too complex.

Why these signs matter

Over time, these small signs add up to big problems in your product experience. They can result in more abandoned flows, lower conversion rates, or even negative word of mouth. That’s why solving usability problems using video feedback isn’t just about watching the footage – it’s about recognizing patterns and translating them into design strategy.

This is where many teams run into challenges. It’s not always easy to know what to prioritize or how to summarize feedback in a way your product team will act on. That’s why SIVO’s On Demand Talent solution is so helpful. When you need help with user friction analysis, our professionals can step in to review sessions, pinpoint insights efficiently, and guide internal teams on how to interpret user feedback in usability testing – all without delaying your timeline or overextending your current staff.

DIY research tools open the door to faster innovation. But turning that data into better design takes the right expertise – and sometimes, a little extra horsepower from seasoned consumer insights experts who’ve done it many times before.

Pinpointing Confusion at the Source

UserTesting allows you to see your product through a real user's eyes as they navigate your experience in real time. This visibility is crucial when tackling product complexity. It lets you identify 'moments of friction' – spots where the user slows down, appears confused, or gets off track. Those instances often reflect deeper usability issues that can go unnoticed in internal reviews.

Watch for Signals of Friction

In usability testing, friction shows up in subtle yet important ways. Here’s what to look for when reviewing UserTesting video feedback:

• Hesitation: Users pausing for longer than expected before acting
• Verbal confusion: Phrases like “Wait…”, “I thought this would…” or “Where is…?”
• Misclicks or repeated actions: Clicking the wrong element or trying the same task repeatedly
• Task abandonment: Giving up before completing a task – sometimes with frustration

These cues are strong indicators that something in the interface or flow is more complex than expected. In many cases, the design may feel intuitive to your team but still overwhelms or misleads actual users.

Tag Moments and Build a Feedback Story

With UserTesting’s built-in features, you can tag clips and themes that stand out. Grouping similar friction points gives you a bigger picture: whether users consistently struggle with terminology, navigation paths, layout hierarchy, or something else.

For example, a (fictional) startup might discover that multiple users pause on a key pricing page, looking for “free trial” options that aren’t labeled clearly. The confusion doesn’t mean the page is broken – it means it appears unclear or misleading through the eyes of a first-time visitor. These are the small moments of confusion that compound into lost trust or abandonment.

Identifying these patterns makes it easier to translate feedback into precise, impactful adjustments. And that’s exactly where the next step begins.

From Insights to Improvement

Once you've identified where and how users struggle using UserTesting, the next challenge is translating those observations into real design decisions. This is where teams sometimes hit a roadblock. Recognizing a confusing interface is one thing – knowing how to fix it with confidence is another.

The key is to spot the “why” behind the friction. For instance, if users consistently misinterpret a button label or miss a menu altogether, the fix might not be to highlight it with color. Instead, it may require clarification of intent, repositioning, or simplifying the overall layout. Usability insights are only as valuable as the changes they inspire.

Turn Confusion into Clarity

Here’s a beginner-friendly approach to converting user feedback into design updates:

• Group Similar Comments: Are multiple users struggling at the same point? That usually signals a widespread issue.
• Look for Shared Behaviors: Even when users don’t verbalize confusion, watch what they do – repeated backtracking or ‘hovering’ in one area often reveals uncertainty.
• Map Friction to Goals: Align user struggles with key tasks (e.g., checkout, onboarding). Fixing a complexity here has the largest impact on user success.
• Test Iterations: Once a redesign is implemented, run another round of UserTesting. Even subtle improvements make measurable differences in behavior and satisfaction.

For example, let’s say a (fictional) midsized retail brand learns through usability testing that customers can’t locate “add to cart” buttons on mobile. Armed with this feedback, the UX team experiments with placement, size, and spacing. A second test shows near-instant recognition and smoother purchase journeys. That’s a transformation powered by research-informed design.

In short, the cycle is: spot complexity, revise the experience, validate changes. When you close the loop using user input, your product naturally becomes more intuitive and effective.

DIY Tools Are Powerful – But They Still Need Human Strategy

DIY research tools like UserTesting make it easier than ever to run usability tests quickly and independently. But while speed and convenience are major advantages, it’s easy to overstep and underdeliver without the right expertise. Misinterpreting video feedback, asking the wrong questions, or missing context behind user confusion are all common problems with DIY testing.

Expert support bridges that gap. With On Demand Talent from SIVO, companies get flexible access to experienced consumer insights professionals who guide research and elevate the outcomes – not just the execution.

How On Demand Talent Enhances DIY Research

Here’s where seasoned research professionals can make a meaningful difference:

• Designing Smarter Tests: Experts know how to write unbiased tasks and questions that draw out the most useful feedback.
• Spotting Deeper Patterns: Professionals can see themes and root causes across multiple sessions that tools alone might miss.
• Turning Feedback into Strategy: On Demand Talent doesn’t just interpret results – they help translate them into impactful design, development, and stakeholder actions.
• Upskilling Your Team: Because On Demand Talent works with your internal people, they help build your long-term capabilities in using DIY tools effectively.

Rather than relying on freelancers or outsourcing research completely, On Demand Talent allows you to supplement your team with the exact skill set you need – whether that’s planning a complex test, reviewing nuanced video footage, or organizing themes for an executive-ready readout.

And unlike traditional hiring, which can take months and require long-term budget commitments, On Demand Talent can step in within days or weeks, flexing to match your timelines, priorities, and team needs. You stay in control – with immediate access to quality insights that keep your product moving forward.