Writing in the front

How to measure the effectiveness of a tool platform? A measurement model is developed to measure effectiveness value through specific data indicators, making the value of internal tools/platforms visible and clear

So, for the tool platform that is being done or will be done, how to further enhance its efficiency value?

I. What are the influencing factors of efficiency value?

First, the key goal of the tool is to solve real problems:

Tools are always made to solve problems

After the target problem is selected, it tries to solve it through automatic/semi-automatic means such as instrumentalization and platformization, and reflects the efficiency value of the solution through the improvement of efficiency and experience:

Efficiency value = efficiency value * experience factorCopy the code

Further refinement:

Tool efficiency = problem size/operation time Tool efficiency = (time cost to solve without the tool)/(time cost to solve with the tool) Tool experience = ease of use * stabilityCopy the code

Therefore, the effectiveness value of a tool depends on four factors:

  • Problem size

  • Operating time

  • Ease of use

  • The stability of

To improve tool efficiency is to find ways to increase the numerator and reduce the denominator, that is, to increase the scale of the problem, ease of use, stability, and reduce the operation time

Ii. How to improve the scale of the problem?

The size of the selected target problem is usually fixed, so the key is to choose the problem with the highest target value:

Target value of the problem = number of target users * frequency of demand * value per sessionCopy the code

In most cases, we tend to choose problems with a larger audience, because solving a common problem makes more sense than solving a specific problem that only a small number of users will encounter

However, the effect of demand frequency and unit price on target value is less obvious:

Among them:

  • Preferred high frequency high price: very rare demand, if there is, priority to meet

  • Don’t do low frequency low price: this kind of demand is not worth doing

  • High frequency, low price, low frequency, high price: Most needs are in these two categories, and the choices are concentrated here

Between high frequency low price and low frequency high price, the general strategy of product managers is:

High frequency catch users, low frequency do profit

That is to say, in the early stage, a large number of users are obtained by meeting the demand of high frequency and low price, and then the demand of low frequency and high price is taken into account in the middle and late stage:

Firstly, use the demand of high frequency and low price to catch users, because the high frequency scenario has more opportunities to interact with users, while the low price light decision scenario can reduce the entry threshold of users, easy to attract new and drainage; Low frequency and high price demand to do profit, because the unit price is high, can be cut into the cake is big. The reason to adopt such a sequence, because there must be a large number of users to do the basis, the total amount of low frequency demand is large enough.

Three. How to reduce the operation time?

Of course, if there are obvious items to be optimized, we should do it as soon as possible. First, we should improve the efficiency of the tool to a relatively high level and reduce the time for users to wait for the completion of the operation of the tool

However, if the tool itself does not have much time for optimization, it is necessary to move away from the local tool and consider the overall optimization:

  • Process oriented perspective: in the process, can reduce some intermediate links, simplify workflow

  • Object-oriented perspective: in terms of patterns, can we reduce the number of related roles involved, reduce the interaction between people and tools, tools and tools, tools and people, and reduce some intermediates

Changes in processes, and even collaboration patterns, often have the opportunity to overturn the previously critical path to solving a problem, bypassing the efficiency bottlenecks of existing tools and dramatically reducing operational times

How to improve ease of use?

The first essence of tool-based products is that users can use them. Only when users can at least use them, can the value of products be reflected

Usability requires that product functions should conform to the user’s mind as much as possible (at least ensure the usability of core functions), simplify interaction, and reduce the learning cost for users to start using:

Mapping from the user’s mind to product functions, the ultimate ease of use is intuitive and ready-to-use

So, the first step is to understand the user’s mind, and it’s very simple:

Tell the user what specific problem the tool can solve for you.

Then (in the less intuitive stages of the product) teach the user how to use it first. Feature guides, tutorials/videos, help documents, etc. are all good ways to improve usability and get the user to use it first. At the same time, according to the real feedback of users, constantly optimize the use experience, narrow the gap between product functions and users’ minds, and finally make it intuitive:

  • Low mental burden (low learning cost)

  • Interactive friendly

  • The UI is beautiful

  • Smooth flow of core functions

In addition to making product functions close to the user’s mind, there is another unconventional way to cultivate the user’s mind (that is, to change the user’s intuition to conform to the product function), which often appears in the scene of disruptive innovation. Only by changing the user’s deep-rooted intuition can we really improve efficiency

5. How to improve stability?

Mapping from the mind of the user to the performance of the product, the ultimate stability is complete trust, never suspecting that the tool will go wrong

In contrast to ease of use, stability is objective and unambiguous, and can be largely ensured from a technical point of view alone. For example:

  • Reduce crash rate: continue to pay attention to top crashes and timely repair those with a large impact range

  • Reduce the number of bugs: continuously observe the growing trend of bugs, quickly iterate on fixes, and converge functional problems

  • Reduce the number of failed operations: Record failed operations, analyze and improve common misoperations, and reverse enrich functions

Failed operations are recorded. For example, failed operations include:

  • Search service error

  • No search results

  • Search results don’t match expectations (results don’t help)

The latter two categories are not technically operational failures, but are of equal concern, as fruitless searches often indicate inadequate semantic/fuzzy search capabilities or missing relevant content, information that can be useful in enriching product functionality. Similarly, search results that do not meet users’ expectations can provide valuable negative feedback that can help identify problems and improve the user experience

How to increase the number of users?

When the efficiency and experience of the tool are up to the standard, the key question is how to increase the number of users and enlarge the value of the tool

Compared with other products, the difficulties of tool-based products are:

  • Fungibility

  • Users don’t know (there are tools available)

  • Poor user engagement, easy to lose

Strong irreplaceability is the decisive factor, as the only option naturally does not have to consider the number of users, such as small program developer tools

If there is no strong irreplaceability, it is necessary to increase the replacement cost of users by other means, such as scenario-based operation, community operation and content operation

Scenario-based operation

Closely associate tools with usage scenarios to cultivate user habits:

To make tool-based products, we must always ask users in what scenario they would think of opening your product. This specific scenario is the basis of all operations

Focus on a core scenario, fully meet the key requirements, become the optimal solution in this scenario, so as to solve the problem that users do not know

On the other hand, scenario-based warm tips help to raise the temperature of the product, so that users feel human care, rather than just a cold tool

Community operating

Strengthening the connection between products and users, as well as between users, and establishing communities are effective means to improve user stickiness. For example:

  • Run a group: Turn cold tools into “living people” who can communicate, and narrow the distance between products and users

  • Add social functions: users subscribe to product updates, users pay attention to, comment on, like, increase users’ sense of participation and belonging

Through the group to inform users of product changes, such continuous and frequent positive feedback can stimulate the enthusiasm of users to report problems and enhance the connection between products and users

Social sounds a bit distant from a tool platform for internal use, but it’s not. For example, common components/Code snippets, Code reviews, tutorials /API documents can have simple social features (likes, comments) that seem small but help increase user engagement

Content operation

Like communities, content is an extension of the scene, with the content produced by the tool as part of the tool, for example:

  • WPS and rice husk template

  • Git and Gist

Tools lead users to output added value that increases the overall value of the tool (tools + shared content). On the other hand, users share their content with other users, which also helps to increase their influence and promote each other

The resources

  • Again understand “high frequency hit low frequency”, right and wrong

  • How should tool products operate?

  • How to operate tool products? Attached to the case

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This article was originally published on ayqy.net. The original link is www.ayqy.net/blog/%e5%a6…