Product leadership
Product metrics that matter in early stage
How to connect learning loops, activation intent, and retention to the value narrative of your earliest customers.
- Product Strategy
- Analytics
Start with qualitative leading signals
Before instrumenting dashboards, align on what progress looks like for your earliest cohorts. Are they exploring, activating, or compounding value? Use pre-launch interviews to develop moment maps that make it obvious which events signal forward motion.
At Adex we ask founders to anchor on a simple statement: “Users win when...” Then we instrument the behaviors that prove that statement true. Anything else is a vanity metric.
Learning loop framework
- Step 1
Intent captured
You’ve earned a trial, waitlist signup, or integration request. Capture where it came from and confirm the job to be done.
- Step 2
Activation moment
Define the first time someone actually receives value—often a data import, completed workflow, or first collaboration.
- Step 3
Habit loop
Track whether they repeat the behavior within the expected cadence. If not, schedule a research call to uncover friction.
Instrument activation as a story, not a step
Activation isn’t a button click. It’s the moment when a user experiences meaningful value. Tie events together into journeys and score them to spot cohorts that need a nudge.
| Stage | Primary signal | Support signal | Playbook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Onboarding survey submitted | Calendar connected | Send welcome call invite |
| Activation | First automation enabled | Data import > 500 records | Surface advanced templates |
| Habit | Weekly usage > 3 sessions | Teammate invited | Launch customer story |
Translate insight into roadmap bets
Pair every metric with a qualitative insight. When activation dips, listen to the customer calls driving the change. When retention jumps, capture what’s different about that cohort. This is how your roadmap earns the right to exist.