When people start their product case, answer with “So my goal will be engagement.” I retort: “Engagement is a category of metrics; it is not a goal!” Please state your goal in terms of what the user needs and wants. Don’t sound as if you memorized pirate metrics and are regurgitating them for your interviewer.

If you want to split hairs, engagement is a goal. But that doesn’t tell your interviewer what you will do to help the user solve a problem or address a core need the user has with your product. And so, in this situation, engagement is not a goal but simply a category of goals/metrics. Of course, every product wants the right kind of engagement and retention. That is a statement of the obvious, not an insight.

Three Hypothetical Examples

Example 1

Product: Facebook News Feed

Goal: Provide people with the news they want quickly

Metrics:

• # of users engaging with the first post in their newsfeed

• # of users commenting on the first post in their feed

Example 2

Product: Netflix

Goal: Provide people with movies they want when they want them

Metrics:

• # of users watching the first suggestion on their home screen per session

• ‘% completion of suggested content

Example 3

Product: Instagram Stories

Goal: Help users connect with their favorite influencers

Metrics:

• # of users reacting to stories per session (or per day)

• # of reactions per user per day

Also see Users vs. Pirate Metrics