Who This Helps
This is for product managers who have a list of experiments but no clear way to pick the one that matters most. You're tired of debating opinions. You want a repeatable system.
In the Metrics & Dashboards Basics program, you learn to build a weekly scoreboard that turns product questions into measurable decisions. No more tracking 20 numbers. Just the few that tell you where to focus.
Mini Case
Meet Maya. She manages a SaaS product with 12,000 active users. Her team has 7 experiment ideas for next sprint. Last month, they ran two experiments that moved the North Star metric by only 2%. The team felt busy but not effective.
Maya used the Weekly Scoreboard mission from the program. She defined her North Star metric (weekly active teams), listed 3 supporting metrics (signups, activation rate, retention), and set targets. Then she scored each experiment against those targets.
Result: She picked the experiment that could improve activation rate by 12% in 7 days. The team focused on one high-impact move instead of spreading thin.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Name your North Star metric. Pick one primary number that reflects the value your product delivers. For Maya, it was weekly active teams.
- List 3 supporting metrics. These are the levers that move your North Star. Examples: signups, activation rate, retention.
- Set realistic targets. Use past data or a simple benchmark. For example, increase activation rate from 30% to 35% in 30 days.
- Score each experiment. For each idea, estimate its impact on your supporting metrics. Use a scale of 1 to 5. Add the scores.
- Pick the highest total. That's your next experiment. Run it for 7 days, then check the scoreboard. Adjust if needed.
Avoid These Traps
- Tracking too many metrics. If you have more than 5 numbers on your dashboard, you're probably not focusing. Cut down to 1 North Star and 3 supporting metrics.
- Setting vague targets. "Improve engagement" is not a target. Say "increase weekly active teams by 10% in 14 days."
- Ignoring guardrails. A guardrail is a metric you don't want to break. For example, don't sacrifice retention to boost signups. Set a minimum retention rate.
- Running experiments without a scoreboard. If you can't score an experiment, you're guessing. Use the Weekly Scoreboard mission from the program to build yours.
- Changing the scoreboard every week. Stick with the same metrics for at least 30 days. Consistency helps you see real trends.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you will have:
- One North Star metric clearly defined.
- Three supporting metrics with targets.
- A scored list of your next experiment ideas.
- One experiment selected to run next week.
That's it. No more debate. No more guessing. Just a clear next move.
And honestly, it feels good to know you're working on the thing that actually moves the needle. Like finding the one key that unlocks the door instead of jiggling all of them.