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Appendix

All Definitions:

Data is a set of qualitative or quantitative information that can give you more information about your product.

Metrics are number subsets of the data.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are the main framework in which we use data and metrics on VA.gov.

Data-informed means we have enough data available to understand our product’s health and performance and make educated decisions.

Data-driven means we have all of the data that we need in place to make decisions solely based on statistical analyses.

Vanity metrics are metrics that can be exciting to share but are not necessarily actionable. They don’t help you make decisions and aren’t linked to user or business goals.

North Star Metric: (Overall Product Goal) Your leading indicator of success.

Objectives & Key Results (OKRs)
Objective: The outcome the team needs to achieve to improve the user experience on VA.gov.

Key Result: The measurable (qualitative or quantitative) indicators that the team needs to meet for the objective to be true.

Product KPIs are metrics for evaluating the overall success of your product. Use these over time to prioritize your roadmaps.

Rollout KPIs (Secondary Metrics) are time-bound metrics that are vital to evaluate the release of your product. Use this to evaluate if you should continue releasing your product, or go back to fix something. Some of these metrics may or may not be product KPIs, depending on your intended outcomes and what you will need to track over time.

Discovery Metrics (Secondary Metrics) can be helpful to understand the background of a product or service space, but may not necessarily mean success over-time.

Performance Metrics are the minimum set of standards that must always be true for your KPIs or OKRs to be successful or to enable good UX and outcomes.


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