Product-market fit

• Evaluating whether growth problems are demand or channel related.
• Choosing between scaling acquisition and fixing core product value.
• Prioritizing retention and activation experiments.

PMF clarity prevents scaling too early and helps teams invest in the right constraints first: retention, habit, and value delivery.

Track segment-level retention, repeat usage, and qualitative pull signals. Pair behavioral data with interviews to verify real alternatives and switching triggers.

A team sees flat signup growth but rising week-8 retention in one segment. They narrow focus there and grow faster with lower CAC payback risk.

• Confusing short-term acquisition spikes with durable fit.
• Averaging metrics across segments and hiding true signal.
• Skipping qualitative evidence when interpreting retention data.