The Right Way To Set Goals for Growth: Wellness Wisdom from WeChat

The Right Way To Set Goals for Growth: Wellness Wisdom from WeChat

Setting goals for growth is an essential part of any business strategy. However, it's important to approach goal-setting in the right way to ensure that you're driving meaningful progress and not just chasing vanity metrics. In this article, we'll explore two different sources of wisdom - one focused on setting absolute goals for growth and the other on mindful product principles from Allen Zhang, the father of WeChat. By combining these insights, we can discover a holistic approach to goal-setting that aligns with both business objectives and user needs.

When it comes to setting goals for growth, one common approach is to focus on absolute numbers such as the number of active users and the decrease in churned users. This approach emphasizes tangible outcomes and allows teams to take credit for their actions rather than relying on external factors. For example, if you grow traffic to a lower converting country like Germany, you may hit traffic goals but not signup goals. By setting absolute goals, you can ensure that your efforts are focused on driving meaningful results.

On the other hand, Allen Zhang, the father of WeChat, offers a different perspective on goal-setting. He approaches product management as an art rather than a purely commercial endeavor. Zhang believes in combining intuitive design, human psychology, and technological feasibility to create a work of art that resonates with users. He emphasizes the importance of empathy and treating users as friends, putting their needs above all else. This approach prioritizes delight and human connection, creating a product that users will use for a longer time.

Zhang's product philosophy also draws inspiration from Dieter Rams, a renowned designer. He models WeChat's design process after Rams' principles, which include innovation, usefulness, beauty, ease of use, and environmental friendliness. By following these principles, WeChat aims to create tools that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, Zhang believes in the value of simplicity and getting users out of the app as quickly as possible. He believes that technology should help increase efficiency and encourage users to put down their phones and engage in real-life interactions.

Another important aspect of goal-setting is considering the impact on user experience. WeChat limits ads in its social feed to just two per day, despite the potential for significant advertising revenue. This decision reflects Zhang's belief in respecting users and their needs. He understands that bombarding users with ads would negatively impact their daily platform usage and goes against the principle of treating users with empathy. Instead, WeChat focuses on empowering creators to make money off authentic and quality content through tipping.

In terms of user research, Zhang emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs and experiences. He implements the 10/100/1000 Principle, which requires PMs to conduct 10 end-user interviews, read 100 user blogs, and collect feedback from 1,000 user experiences each month. However, he also advises being selective with user research and making decisions based on good principles. It's crucial to maintain coherence and simplicity in design, ensuring that new features align with the existing design and don't add unnecessary complexity.

When it comes to challenges, Zhang sees WeChat itself as the main competitor. He recognizes that user tastes and needs change constantly, and staying ahead of these changes is key to success. Rather than focusing on external competitors, he prioritizes keeping up with user demands and ensuring that WeChat continues to provide hope and value to its users.

To summarize, setting goals for growth requires a combination of absolute metrics and mindful product principles. By setting absolute goals focused on tangible outcomes, teams can drive meaningful progress. At the same time, incorporating principles of empathy, intuitive design, and user-centeredness, as exemplified by Allen Zhang and WeChat, can create a product that serves delight and human connection. Here are three actionable pieces of advice to keep in mind when setting goals for growth:

1. Focus on absolute goals: Set clear and measurable goals that reflect tangible outcomes, such as the number of active users and the decrease in churned users. By focusing on absolute metrics, you can ensure that your efforts are driving meaningful growth.

2. Embrace empathy and intuitive design: Put yourself in the shoes of your users and prioritize their needs above all else. Incorporate principles of intuitive design, human psychology, and technological feasibility to create a product that resonates with users and fosters long-term engagement.

3. Stay adaptable and user-focused: Understand that challenges come from users themselves, as their tastes and needs evolve over time. Continuously listen to user feedback, conduct user research, and make decisions based on good principles to ensure that your product remains coherent, simple, and aligned with user needs.

In conclusion, the right way to set goals for growth is to combine the best of both worlds - the focus on absolute metrics and the mindful product principles. By setting clear and measurable goals while also prioritizing empathy, intuitive design, and user-centeredness, you can create a product that drives meaningful growth and serves delight and human connection.