The mechanisms and geographic locations of tidal dissipation in barotropic tidal models is examined using a global, unstructured, finite element model. From simulated velocities and depths, the total dissipation within the global model is estimated. This study examines the effect that altering bathymetry can have on global tides. The Ronne ice shelf and Hudson Bay are identified as a highly sensitive region to bathymetric specification. We examine where dissipation occur and find that high boundary layer dissipation regions are very limited in geographic extent while internal tide dissipation regions are more distributed. By varying coefficients used in the parameterizations of both boundary layer and internal tide dissipation, regions that are highly sensitive to perturbations are identified. Particularly sensitive regions are used in a simple optimization technique to improve both global and local tidal results. Bottom friction coefficients are high in energetic flow regions, across the arctic ocean, and across deep ocean island chains such as the Aleutian and Ryuku Islands. Global errors of the best solution in the $M_2$ are 3.10 \si{cm} overall, 1.94 \si{cm} in areas deeper than 1000 \si{m}, and 7.74 \si{cm} in areas shallower than 1000 \si{m}. In addition to improvements in tidal amplitude, the total dissipation is estimated and compared to astronomical estimates. Greater understanding of the geographical distribution of regions which are sensitive to friction allows for a more efficient approach to optimizing tidal models.