#Actionable #Metrics for your #Startup

• Using Microsoft Visual Studio Team Services has increased our focus significantly. If you follow Lean Startup there was a statement by guru Eric Ries that you should have a vanity metrics and a actionable metrics to understand your growth, in other words hockey stick growth. So before having a hockey stick growth you should have a real or actionable metrics which will finally tell you that yeah this is what exactly we have to solve. Somehow it is not easy for a startup to find a real or actionable metric and start working on it.

Before moving forward please understand and don’t get confused between vanity metrics and actionable metrics as both are way different. Eric Ries has suggested to focus on actionable metrics first and then adopt a vanity metrics. So moving on Microsoft Visual Studio Team Services has help my team a lot in recognizing the real actionable metrics in every area whether its technology, delivery, sales, marketing, content etc and plus work as a one team. If you are a startup and you are finding it difficult to track the work, your priorities and your product development I would suggest to incorporate VSTS in your team and give full independence to every team member to choose what kind of different things they want to showcase on the dashboard. It will take a week to synchronize it with current way of working but believe me its worth exploring.

A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement— Bo Bennett

Product development & management needs discipline and feedback without these things product will loose its qualities. VSO TS has also helped us in answering questions like

• What are the company/product priorities?
• What are the priorities for the sprint in every area?
• What are the roles and responsibilities for an individual?
• How to manage individual efforts?
• How to get quick feedback?
• On which area you need to focus more?
• How to task down everything and then execute it and many more

Startups live in extreme uncertainty and to solve this problem on a certain level I think VSTS is the best tool any startup can get. Proper actionable metrics is nothing. Its just that what kind of actionable metrics is most relevant for your team. Brainstorm on it and then build it. The main important thing is how that actionable metrics is helping in keeping everyone motivated and to work towards a common goal to RISE & SHINE.

One team, one dashboard