Who This Helps
You are a founder operator drowning in data. Every week, you stare at 20 numbers and wonder which experiment to run next. The Metrics & Dashboards Basics course is built for you. It turns noise into a clear signal so you can decide fast.
Mini Case
Maya runs a small SaaS team. She tracked 20 metrics but couldn't pick the next experiment. After building a weekly scoreboard with 3 supporting metrics and targets, she found a 12% drop in activation rate. She ran a quick fix and recovered 7% in 7 days. One move, big impact.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Pick your North Star metric. Choose one number that captures the value you deliver. Maya picked "weekly active users."
- Define 3 supporting metrics. These explain why your North Star moves. Maya chose sign-ups, activation rate, and retention.
- Set realistic targets. Use past data or a simple benchmark. Maya set activation at 40%.
- Build a weekly scoreboard. List your North Star, supporting metrics, and targets. Update it every Monday.
- Add guardrails. Flag any metric that drops below 90% of target. That's your next experiment trigger.
Avoid These Traps
- Tracking too many numbers. Stick to 4 metrics max. More is noise.
- Vague definitions. Define each metric clearly. "Activation" means "completed onboarding in first 3 days."
- No targets. Without a target, you can't spot problems early.
- Ignoring guardrails. A small drop today can become a big problem next week.
- Changing metrics weekly. Pick your North Star and stick with it for at least a month.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you will have a weekly scoreboard with your North Star metric, 3 supporting metrics, and targets. You will know exactly which experiment to run next. No more guessing. Just calm, fast decisions. And maybe a little extra time for coffee.