The microscopic nature of the XYZ states remains an unsettled topic. We show how a thorough amplitude analysis of the data can help constraining models of these states. Specifically, we consider the case of the $Z_c$(3900) peak and discuss possible scenarios of a QCD state, virtual state, or a kinematical enhancement. We conclude that current data are not precise enough to distinguish between these hypotheses, however, the method we propose, when applied to the forthcoming high-statistics measurements should shed light on the nature of these exotic enhancements.