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Thinking in Product Metrics

North-star metrics, AARRR, leading vs lagging, funnel analysis, cohort retention. The product-analytics frames every DA must know.

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90 min total

15 Lessons

0 Completed

Module Content

North-Star Metrics - What They Are and Aren't

The metric that ties a product team together - and how teams pick the wrong one. FIND_VIDEO: search 'Exponent How to Set a Great North Star Metric' - recommended channel: Exponent. Aim for 9 min or under.

9 minVideo

Start

Picking a Good North Star

A good north star is leading, controllable, and tied to value. Most companies pick metrics that fail at least one of those.

5 minArticle

Start

Picking a Good North Star Quiz

Test what you just read.

3 minTutorial

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AARRR - Pirate Metrics for Product Analytics

Acquisition, activation, retention, revenue, referral - the most-used product analytics framework. FIND_VIDEO: search 'Ignite Seattle Dave McClure Startup Metrics for Pirates AARRR' - recommended channel: Ignite Seattle. Aim for 8 min or under.

8 minVideo

Start

Applying AARRR in Practice

The AARRR funnel is over-cited but still the cleanest frame for thinking about a consumer or freemium product.

5 minArticle

Start

Applying AARRR in Practice Quiz

Test what you just read.

3 minTutorial

Start

Leading vs Lagging Indicators

What to optimize vs what to monitor. Teams that confuse the two ship the wrong things for months. This video uses general management examples (weight loss, customer surveys) - as you watch, swap those for product ones in your head: 'diet and exercise' is D1 activation rate, 'the scale' is 90-day retention. The recap does this translation explicitly. FIND_VIDEO: search 'The Modern Manager Leading and Lagging Indicators' - recommended channel: The Modern Manager. Aim for 8 min or under.

8 minVideo

Start

Optimize vs Monitor

Lagging metrics tell you what happened. Leading metrics tell you what's about to happen. Optimizing the wrong one wastes quarters.

5 minArticle

Start

Optimize vs Monitor Quiz

Test what you just read.

2 minTutorial

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Funnel Analysis - Finding Where Users Drop Off

Build funnels, find the leakiest step, decide what to do - and why 'fix the biggest drop' is usually wrong. FIND_VIDEO: search 'Amplitude Onboarding Funnel Drop Off' - recommended channel: Amplitude. Aim for 10 min or under.

10 minVideo

Start

Reading Funnels Like an Analyst

The biggest drop in a funnel isn't always the right one to fix. Learn the absolute vs relative leverage frame.

6 minArticle

Start

Reading Funnels Like an Analyst Quiz

Test what you just read.

3 minTutorial

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Cohort Retention Curves - Smiling, Flat, Leaky

Cohort curves tell you the long-term health of a product faster than any other chart. Learn to read them. FIND_VIDEO: search 'cohort retention curve product analytics' - recommended channel: Amplitude. Aim for 10 min or under.

10 minVideo

Start

Reading Cohort Curves

The shape of a retention curve tells you in 30 seconds whether the product is sticky, leaky, or growing.

6 minArticle

Start

Reading Cohort Curves Quiz

Test what you just read.