ASK’EM: smarter decisions
(Post 1 of 2) A path to scalable, data-driven decisions
In the midst of our Conjoints and Consequences series, which explores the cost of assumptions in product development and how to make better-informed, data-driven decisions, an article by Mary K. Pratt recently came across my desk (Data-driven decision-making case study: Indeed, Pratt, 2024).
To my surprise (and absolute delight), it featured ASK'EM—a targeted survey system I created during my time at Indeed. As my passion project over three and a half years, ASK'EM started as a mission to provide product teams with insights that were specific, actionable, and truly reflective of user needs. Seeing it highlighted as a case study of data-driven success was one of those 'pinch-me' moments, especially as I continue advancing these principles in my current role at Splunk.
At Splunk, I’m applying my approach, AAIM UP with U3, to empower teams—equipping them to build products that are Useful, Usable, and Ubiquitous (U3), while driving Upward Potential OKRs (UP) and closing the loop on product intervention through continuous monitoring, improvement, alerting, and attribution (AAIM). If any of this sounds like alphabet soup, don’t worry! We’ll dive into each of these concepts in more detail in future posts.
Why data-driven decision-making matters
Pratt’s article emphasizes the power of focused metrics in optimizing the customer journey, illustrated by Indeed’s Time to Hire Index. This example aligns with the principles we’re exploring in Conjoints and Consequences: prioritizing metrics that reveal actionable insights and connect behaviors to outcomes. ASK'EM was my first step in this direction, moving beyond generic satisfaction metrics to deliver targeted insights that could directly shape and guide product improvements.
Creating ASK'EM: Actionable insights over broad strokes
I developed ASK'EM to move beyond broad metrics, capturing insights at the critical moments that align with important customer goals. This shift empowered product management teams to zero in on what truly matters, focusing resources where they could make the biggest impact. My commitment to building products that are Useful, Usable, and Ubiquitous (U3) remains central to my approach at Splunk today. Implementing U3 at a high level means creating end-to-end experiences that meet all customer needs, in all contexts, with these three guiding principles:
Useful: Design products that solve real user problems, ensuring they deliver meaningful value and align with core customer goals. Products should address genuine needs, making each feature feel purposeful and essential to the user experience.
Usable: Prioritize intuitive and efficient design that allows users to accomplish tasks with ease. High usability means minimal friction in the user journey, allowing customers to navigate and benefit from the product without barriers.
Ubiquitous: Enable satisfying end-to-end experiences across diverse customer needs and contexts. Products should be ready and adaptable for users wherever they are, meeting the demands of real-world environments and varied use cases.
Together, these principles drive meaningful, lasting results by ensuring that products resonate with customers and adapt seamlessly to their lives.
AAIM for sustainable impact
Today, I apply AAIM principles—Monitor, Improve, Alert, and Attribute—as a core framework to refine products and strategically align them with high-impact objectives. This approach ensures that each product decision is informed by real-time insights and is continually optimized for effectiveness, allowing for both immediate course corrections and long-term improvements. Pratt’s article reinforces the power of an adaptable, impact-driven measurement system, demonstrating that a streamlined, data-informed approach can drive tangible results without unnecessary complexity.
Data-driven decisions: key takeaways and tips from the trenches
Seeing ASK'EM highlighted as a case study was one of those surreal, 'is this really happening?' moments. I’d put years of work into building a system that could bridge the gap between generic satisfaction scores and insights that product teams could act on with real purpose. ASK'EM was all about capturing feedback that truly aligned with customer goals—digging deeper than touchpoints to understand what users genuinely valued.
Today, at Splunk, I’m building on that foundation with a more advanced approach, using AAIM UP and U3 principles to ensure that every decision is tied to a clear, strategic objective, in service of a customer goal or problem. This system empowers teams to make informed, impactful decisions faster and more effectively, creating a complete feedback loop that keeps product interventions responsive and relevant. It’s an evolution of ASK'EM, taking data-driven insights to new heights while staying rooted in what matters most to customers.
How to get started on your “Measure What Matters” journey
Start with actionable insights: Broad metrics like NPS can provide context, but targeted insights at key touchpoints provide specific opportunities for growth.
Align with strategic goals: Metrics should support immediate needs and broader business objectives, ensuring every data point adds value to the customer and the business.
Design for scalability and adaptability: Design for scalability and adaptability: Align measurement systems to durable goals that act as north stars, guiding product ecosystems as they evolve and adapt. AAIM’s Monitoring, Improving, Alerting, and Attributing keep insights relevant and actionable along the way.
Prioritize utility, usability, and ubiquity: Ensure your data drives a product experience that is Useful, Usable, and Ubiquitous (U3), empowering customers to reach their goals seamlessly, effectively, and on their own terms. This approach creates meaningful interactions that adapt to their needs, ensuring the product remains valuable across varied contexts.
Invest in outcome-oriented OKRs: Upward Potential OKRs keep focus on metrics that drive scalable ROI, emphasizing what matters for long-term success.
These lessons prove that when you focus on what truly matters, you don’t just gather data—you drive real ROI and create impact that scales. This evolution from ASK'EM to today’s impact-focused system serves as a reminder: a robust, well-aligned measurement strategy is key to sustained success, driving decisions that turn customer insights into transformative business growth. Next time, we’ll dive deeper into ASK'EM at Indeed in part two of our three-part ASK'EM React series.
‘Til next time, I’m Bianca
You can find my approach here
You can find the original article by Mary K. Pratt here
References
Data-driven decision-making case study: Indeed, Pratt, 2024
