The hottest Metrics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

All you need is Wide Events, not “Metrics, Logs and Traces”

A Song Of Bugs And Patches • 224 HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Observability Systems Events Metrics
  1. The concept of 'Wide Events' is proposed as a simpler and more effective approach to observability than the traditional 'Metrics, Logs, and Traces'.
  2. Older systems like Open Telemetry may contribute to confusion by categorizing data into distinct pillars, making observability seem complex.
  3. A system like Scuba, based on 'Wide Events', enables streamlined investigation and data exploration, emphasizing the importance of simplicity in observability tools.
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What does it look like to be successful here? How is my performance evaluated?

Creating Value from Nothing • 79 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💼 Business Culture Metrics Tradeoffs
  1. Evaluation of performance in the Product organization focuses on inputs like quality of thinking over outputs.
  2. Avoiding using output targets to evaluate performance is important to maintain a customer-centric culture, prevent tunnel vision, and discourage risk aversion.
  3. While metrics are essential, team members are rewarded for excellent inputs rather than just meeting success criteria, emphasizing the priority of creating value for customers.

Seduced By The Machine

The Ruffian • 368 implied HN points • 16 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Values Metrics Autonomy Technology Happiness
  1. Humans are becoming more like machines by allowing apps and corporations to define their values and goals.
  2. Metrics and rankings from technology and organizations can shape our values, making us prioritize quantifiable standards over personal fulfillment.
  3. Value capture by external agents can lead to a loss of individuality and hinder personal growth, as people conform to standardized metrics and neglect their unique aspirations.

Beware value capture

SatPost by Trung Phan • 201 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Metrics Social media AI Streaming
  1. Tech apps influence our behavior through metrics, so don't blindly follow them
  2. Metrics like rankings, step counts, and likes can lead to 'value capture' influencing our decisions and behavior
  3. Be aware of how external metrics set by institutions in apps can guide our values and behaviors without us realizing

Why We Founded SaaSGrid

Bottom Up by David Sacks • 541 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🕹 Technology SaaS Metrics Data
  1. SaaS companies need a dedicated dashboarding platform for their metrics.
  2. Problems faced by SaaS companies include lack of proper metrics, errors in data, and lack of real-time availability.
  3. SaaSGrid provides a solution by automating the calculation of key SaaS metrics and offering real-time dashboards.

Cost of Acquisition (CAC) trap.

Elena's Growth Scoop • 1022 implied HN points • 12 May 23
💼 Business Marketing Metrics ROI Customer Acquisition Product Development
  1. Focus on optimizing payback period instead of just reducing CAC to improve ROI.
  2. Consider the profitability and long-term value of different acquisition channels before shutting them down based solely on CAC.
  3. The payback period is a superior metric for acquisition that focuses on reinvesting returns and optimizing various aspects like CAC, conversion rate, ARPU, and conversion time.

The Startup CTO's Handbook | Zach Goldberg

Dev Interrupted • 37 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Engineering Leadership AI Metrics Development
  1. The core sections of The Startup CTO's Handbook include Management Fundamentals, Technical Leadership Concepts, and Hard Technology Decisions.
  2. Conducting career history interviews when hiring can reveal a candidate's mindset and how they handle challenges.
  3. Engineering leaders can stay technically relevant by reviewing pull requests and taking courses, even when not coding regularly.

Is EBITDA Really Bullshit? Answer: "It Depends"

Value Investing Substack • 353 implied HN points • 05 Aug 23
💰 Finance Investing Accounting Economics Companies Metrics
  1. EBITDA can be a controversial metric in finance, with some calling it 'bullshit earnings'.
  2. John Malone successfully used EBITDA to communicate TCI's growth strategy in cable industry.
  3. Valeant Pharmaceuticals' misuse of EBITDA led to financial trouble, highlighting the importance of understanding the context behind EBITDA figures.

Improving Retention with Audience Surveys

Growth Croissant • 452 implied HN points • 12 May 23
💼 Business Retention Surveys Feedback Audience Metrics
  1. Improving retention by solving the customer's problem in a deeper way can have a noticeable impact on retention.
  2. Focus on your core audience for a 10x improvement in solving their problem, even if it means neglecting parts of your audience for better problem-solving.
  3. Running surveys, especially cancel surveys, can provide valuable feedback to enhance your product, understand audience needs, and improve retention.

Applying the DevEx framework

Engineering Enablement • 14 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Developer Productivity Frameworks Metrics Data Collection
  1. The DevEx framework focuses on the lived experiences of developers by measuring feedback loops, cognitive load, and flow state to enhance developer productivity.
  2. Teams interested in using metrics to improve developer productivity, such as platform engineering teams, engineering managers, and engineering executives, can benefit from implementing the DevEx framework.
  3. To successfully implement the DevEx framework, organizations should focus on getting feedback from developers, setting targets, driving impact through projects, running experiments, and then measuring progress to improve developer experience and productivity.

Evaluating Team Effectiveness with a Data-first Approach | Bhavini Soneji, Executive Leader (ex-Cruise, Headspace, Microsoft)

platocommunity • 19 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
💼 Business Leadership Metrics Team Dynamics Execution Measurement
  1. Empowering people to discover their strengths and amplify their impact is key in leadership.
  2. When measuring team effectiveness, consider the three buckets: what (strategic value), how (execution), and who (team dynamics).
  3. Combining measurement with follow-through techniques is crucial to determine if you're measuring the right things and drive continuous improvement.

Lifetime Value for Crypto Businesses

DeFi Weekly • 255 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🔮 Crypto Business Metrics Frameworks Cryptocurrency
  1. Understanding the concept of Lifetime Value (LTV) is crucial for crypto businesses as it determines how much a customer is worth in terms of fees earned over their lifetime.
  2. For different categories like chains, DEXs, lending, stablecoins, and yield aggregators, there are specific frameworks to optimize customer lifetime value based on factors like transaction size, fees applied, profit earned, and performance fees.
  3. Each crypto primitive operates similar to traditional businesses but with unique mechanics due to the nature of the crypto environment, such as the impact of costs on profits and the challenge of optimizing incentive elasticity.

Beyond Code Generation: Rethinking Dev Productivity in the Age of AI

Maestro's Musings • 103 implied HN points • 14 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Software Development Productivity Metrics Collaboration
  1. Software development involves more than just writing code; it's a symphony of collaboration, communication, and coordination.
  2. Developers spend a small fraction of their day writing code; other activities like collaborating, debugging, and planning play significant roles.
  3. AI can enhance developer team productivity by focusing on automated testing, augmented code reviews, automated project management, and more beyond code generation.

Design and Measure the REAL Customer Experience to Win

The Digital Leader Newsletter -- By John Rossman • 216 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
💼 Business Customer Experience Innovation Metrics Company performance
  1. Focus on designing and measuring the real customer experience to win.
  2. Provide customers with an 'easy button' by ensuring a frictionless experience across all touchpoints.
  3. Integrate customer experience metrics alongside financial and operational metrics to drive operational excellence and customer obsession.

Applying the SPACE Framework

Engineering Enablement • 23 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Productivity Developer Tools Software Metrics Frameworks
  1. The SPACE Framework for developer productivity includes dimensions like satisfaction, performance, activity, communication, and efficiency.
  2. SPACE is useful for software organization leaders defining productivity, teams seeking comprehensive measurements, and leaders involving teams in productivity improvement.
  3. Implementing SPACE involves understanding various metrics, balancing workflow and perception measurements, and considering the holistic approach to developer productivity.

☁ How to Build an ARR Book (Part 1)

Hard Mode by Breaking SaaS • 39 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
💼 Business SaaS Metrics Analysis Investment Training
  1. An ARR book is essential in SaaS analysis to track customer contracts and calculate key metrics.
  2. The underlying data for an ARR book comes from customer contracts, detailing customer information and contract specifics.
  3. To convert contract data into an ARR book, organize logos and periods, calculate ARR changes, and categorize them into New Logo ARR, Expansion ARR, Logo Churn, and Downsell/Shrinkage.

Turning NPS into action: how to make the most out of a... dubious metric*

UX Psychology • 218 implied HN points • 14 Dec 22
💼 Business Metrics User Experience Research Analysis Strategy
  1. NPS (Net Promoter Score) measures customer loyalty based on likelihood of recommendation. Responses are categorized into Promoters, Passives, and Detractors.
  2. To make the most of NPS, ensure it is measured properly by defining target audience, using standardized surveys, analyzing data regularly, and avoiding biases.
  3. Despite NPS limitations, leverage its open-ended question for uncovering user pain points, recruiting research participants, involving all team members, complementing with other metrics, and using it strategically.