Path analysis often begins with an assumption: fewer steps mean a better experience. Sometimes that is true. But a short route can remove context, confidence or control that users need before making a meaningful choice.
Friction has different jobs
Repeated data entry and unclear navigation are usually waste. A confirmation step before a financial action may be protective. A comparison view can lengthen a buying path while improving confidence. The analytical task is to determine whether a step helps the user progress or merely makes progress harder.
Compare whether people who pause, review or return later achieve better downstream outcomes than people who move quickly.
Measure quality beyond completion
Completion rate is useful, but it should sit beside indicators such as error correction, repeated visits, support contact, cancellation and early retention. Segment the route by intent and experience. A returning customer and a first-time user may need very different amounts of guidance.
Optimise understanding, not taps
Remove steps when evidence shows they create confusion without value. Preserve or improve steps that help users understand consequences, compare options or recover from mistakes. The best path is the one that supports a good outcome with no unnecessary burden.