They were presenting a graph that showed when they started focusing on quality, they saw a growth in the number of registrations.
The marketing department, one day later after this presentation, complained about credits and presented ads as a factor in the 170% increase…
Which was really the trigger for success?!?
Maybe both?
Many times in our pursuit of possible or immediate success, we forget what the true goals are.
In the previous example, we had an increase in registrations, which is excellent on its own!
However, nothing happened regarding sign-ups, which is the direct form of monetization.
The reports and debates aimed to expand conversion rates, and everything that was justified and planned for execution only affected the registrations.
When seeking success, we need metrics and strategies that support our decisions, presenting concrete facts to fill gaps based on assumptions in our strategies.
Looking good doesn’t mean being good.
The theater of success one day is discovered, and ideas are abandoned.
We cannot rely solely on accumulated totals!
Our users, registrations, sales, and other demands are always multifaceted, and no matter how complex it becomes, separating them can indicate the path to success and make all the difference.
A metric should help you reflect on your current situation and plan the next steps and choices.
Don’t be fooled.
Don’t forget that your metrics should help you see that.
Or even discover what’s not working well, and correct it along the way.
The Taiichi Ohno defined, some time ago, within the modelo Toyota, the Genchi Genbutsu, which advises us to leave and see for ourselves where problems occur.
If something is not going well, we need to go there and in situ discover what affirmations and assumptions had unobserved variants.
We need to stop guessing and scientifically quantify and divide groups.
We need to know about the people whose changes were effective, we need to work on coortes instead of meaningless totals.
Instead of reports with vanity metrics, we need to work in terms of three axes.
A actionable report will allow everyone to analyze cause-and-effect for obtaining the resulting indices, an accessible report will allow analysis so that everyone can understand and access it, and an auditable report will provide confidence in the data.
Avoiding constant debates about the “real situation” of projects.
Even then, they may say we have all the necessary statistical data regarding what the client wants, we can take advantage of research conducted by MIT or another institution; we know how Facebook achieved its current status – just copy, repeat, or modify it minimally!
Maybe not?!?
We cannot forget how influential our clients’ culture can be.
Perhaps they are very different from those used in other places where the same research was applied.
Remember that there are varied behaviors by culture in which your client is embedded; his workplace may be very different from his home!
Where was the research conducted?
In what year?
What’s the relationship between the culture lived at work?
Let’s go, everyone has great ideas somewhere in life.
Then why don’t we create them?
And who knows when we do that, we put our strategy on paper like a rough map, where we can stop and think at each crossroads but never lose focus on the final goal.
Think always, act as if, and remove what’s not aligned as soon as possible.