Strong questions are specific, actionable, and measurable. Weak: “understand customers.” Strong: “Which signup channel has 30-day retention above 40%?”
SMART-style checklist
- Specific — who, what window
- Measurable — numeric success metric
- Actionable — decision changes if answer is yes/no
- Feasible — data exists or can be collected
Hypothesis vs question
Hypothesis: “Email channel retains better than paid ads.” Analysis tests with data—not proves personal opinion.
Important interview questions and answers
- Q: Actionable?
A: Stakeholder can change policy based on result. - Q: Vanity metric?
A: Looks good but does not drive decisions (raw page views only).
Self-check
- Rewrite a vague goal as a measurable question.
- What makes a metric vanity?
Tip: Ask stakeholders what decision changes if the answer is yes.
Interview prep
- Actionable?
Answer should change a decision.
- Vanity metric?
Looks good but does not drive action.