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The Dual Metrics Model — an Approach to Product Design Metrics
Metrics aren’t just abstract numbers — they reflect real user experiences.
When users abandon tasks midway, it’s more than just a dip in completion rates — it’s a signal that something within the design is causing friction. Maybe the onboarding process is too complex, or perhaps critical features are hidden too deeply in the UI. Metrics help tell these stories, providing designers with concrete evidence to diagnose and address issues.
Despite their usefulness, metrics always come with risks. Focusing on the wrong metrics or over-optimizing based on chosen metrics can lead to unintended consequences.
Using the wrong metrics means that designers may optimize for outcomes that don’t actually matter to users or the business, especially if the chosen metric doesn’t align with the core goal of the project. For example, improving a minor feature’s engagement might come at the cost of neglecting more critical aspects of the user experience.
When design teams focus too heavily on a single metric, such as reducing bounce rates, they may miss the bigger picture, sacrificing user experience or brand identity. This is an example of over-optimizing for a metric. This tunnel vision can result in a product that meets specific goals but fails to deliver a holistic and satisfying user experience.
To mitigate these risks, designers can use a Dual Metrics Model to ensure their design decisions are balanced and aligned with user needs and business goals.
A Dual Metrics Model provides a balanced framework for setting, tracking, and adjusting metrics in a way that supports both primary and secondary goals.
The Dual Metrics Model encourages a holistic view of design success by not tracking different metrics separately and later evaluating them one against another but by pairing distinct yet interconnected goals and tracking them simultaneously. Balancing between two goals prevents over-optimization and ensures that the most important aspects of the design are accounted for.
Core Concept
At the heart of the Dual Metrics Model are just two key elements (in theory, there can be more, but…
