The article discusses the challenges of measuring and evaluating product performance in the cybersecurity industry, particularly for startups with small sales teams and limited user data. The author argues that quantitative metrics such as daily active users (DAU) and monthly active users (MAU) may not provide useful information due to the low volume of users and in-product activity.
To identify user needs and focus on what matters, product managers are encouraged to look for qualitative insights through:
- Talking to sales and sales engineering teams to gain visibility into the sales process.
- Conducting win-loss analysis with prospects who decided to go with competitive offerings.
- Analyzing questions coming to support to understand areas of the product that are hard to use or require critical features.
- Practicing continuous discovery habits by talking to users, prospects, and non-users.
The author emphasizes that it’s essential for product managers to understand the actual motivators of users instead of relying solely on data-driven decisions. By adopting a more qualitative approach, product teams can design products that solve real problems and meet user needs.
Some key points from the article include:
- Quantitative metrics may not be sufficient in the early stages of a cybersecurity startup due to limited user data.
- Qualitative insights can provide valuable information about user needs and pain points.
- Continuous discovery habits are essential for product managers to understand users’ motivators and design products that meet their needs.
Overall, the article highlights the importance of adopting a more nuanced approach to product evaluation and development in the cybersecurity industry.
