I measure success by whether people grew. Not by DAU, retention curves, or conversion rates—though those matter. The real question: did this product make someone's life better?
The Metrics Trap
It's easy to optimize for numbers. A/B test button colors, gamify engagement, push notifications. But when metrics become the goal, you lose sight of the human on the other side.
What Humans Actually Want
People want to feel capable. They want to connect. They want experiences that surprise and delight. At ARK Experiences, we didn't measure success by bookings alone—we measured it by whether people left with stories they'd tell for years.
The Framework
Before building, ask:
- What problem are we actually solving?
- How will this make someone feel?
- What's the human outcome we're optimizing for?
If you can't answer these, you're building for metrics, not humans. And metrics don't remember your product. Humans do.
