This page shows you what to measure, why, and how to start in one sprint.
1 · Mental Model Q → M → E
Question → Metric → Event
- Question you want answered
- Metric that quantifies it
- Event (or two) that feed that metric
Product Question | Metric (M) | Minimal Events (E) |
---|---|---|
Do users see value on day 0? | Conversion to First Value | signup , first_value |
Do they come back? | D1 / D7 Retention | app_open |
Will growth be organic? | Invite Acceptance Rate | invite_sent , invite_accepted |
Can we re‑engage them? | Push Open Rate | notification_open |
2 · Core Event Set (6 Lines of Code)
3 · Action Plan
Focus on these 4 metrics weekly until they’re all green:- Signup → First Value % (target: ≥40%) - Are users getting value immediately?
- D1 Retention (target: ≥25%) - Are they coming back the next day?
- Invite Acceptance % (target: ≥15%) - Is word-of-mouth working?
- Push Open % (target: ≥15%) - Can we re-engage users?
4 · Common Pitfalls to Dodge
- Event sprawl – >10 events = analysis paralysis.
- Vanity charts – page views ≠ value.
- No cohorts – averages hide churn.
- Premature segmentation – wait for 1k users.
- Ignoring retention – acquisition is useless without it.