Metrics of Evolution

This chapter describes the three roles of metrics of evolution: steering evolution, separating signals from noise, and helping manage tradeoffs. It then describes three overarching principles that guide the selection of metrics used to help guide evolution. We explore nine strategic and operational metrics of evolution spanning three time horizons: The short, medium, and long term. These metrics encompass resilience, scalability, and composability in the short term; stickiness, platform synergy, and plasticity in the medium term; and envelopment, durability, and mutation in the long term. We also explore how these metrics directly influence others in the longer term, and ones where improvements simultaneously bolster another metric. These metrics apply to both platforms and apps. For both platform owners and app developers, we also offer a few ways to tangibly measure each metric.