UserValueMetrics [rule] v1.0.0

UX experiment success metrics must reflect actual user value and behavior — task completion, error rate, retention, or outcome measures — not what is easiest to instrument (clicks, page views, session duration).

Meta

• License: Apache-2.0
• License Provenance: package-authorship-claim

Severity

warning

Applies When

selecting success metrics for any UX experiment or product change evaluation

Verify By

For each metric, ask: 'Does a positive movement here mean a user actually got value?' Reject metrics that could improve while user outcomes worsen.

UserValueMetrics [rule] v1.0.0

UX experiment success metrics must reflect actual user value and behavior — task completion, error rate, retention, or outcome measures — not what is easiest to instrument (clicks, page views, session duration).

Meta

• License: Apache-2.0
• License Provenance: package-authorship-claim

Severity

warning

Applies When

selecting success metrics for any UX experiment or product change evaluation

Verify By

For each metric, ask: 'Does a positive movement here mean a user actually got value?' Reject metrics that could improve while user outcomes worsen.

Examples

• Good: task completion rate, error rate on key flows, 30-day retention, activation metric (first meaningful action).
• Good: time-to-complete for a core task (shorter = more efficient, but validate it's not just skipping steps).
• Bad: 'clicks on this button increased 30%' — users may be clicking because it's confusing, not because it's working.
• Bad: 'page views increased' after adding a modal — the modal creates extra views without delivering value.
• Bad: 'session duration increased' — could mean users are lost, not engaged.

Relations

related: [@community/rule-small-focused-experiment, @community/principle-nielsen-visibility]

Rationale

Convenience metrics (clicks, page views) can improve while user success decreases, producing false-positive experiment results. Teams that optimize for convenient metrics systematically mislead themselves.

Meta

• License: Apache-2.0
• License Provenance: package-authorship-claim

Severity

warning

Applies When

selecting success metrics for any UX experiment or product change evaluation

Verify By

For each metric, ask: 'Does a positive movement here mean a user actually got value?' Reject metrics that could improve while user outcomes worsen.