Part 2: Google Maps metrics, OKRs and Mixpanel

Module 7 · Sun 30 Aug

Class case - Google Maps metrics. First find the users, their jobs and the business stakeholders. Then split navigation from discovery - they need different metrics.

• Core navigation quality metric: ETA accuracy. Voluntary rerouting rate shows whether users trust the route. Access-point accuracy covers the last mile.
• Live traffic reports are an input, not the North Star. Data freshness and working on weak networks are performance issues too.
• Maps makes money through ads, APIs and enterprise deals, powered by a data network effect: more usage → better data → better maps.

OKRs: the Objective is what you want (significant, concrete, inspiring); Key Results are how you measure it (measurable, time-bound, verifiable). KRs are stretch goals, not bonus KPIs. Nest them company → team → sub-team; keep objectives stable and let KRs change.

Mixpanel: events are the building blocks. Unique users = people; total events = volume. Use funnels for drop-offs, retention for comebacks, flows for real paths, and metric trees to link inputs to the North Star. If it isn't instrumented, it won't show up.