Key Metrics

08 · THE EVIDENCEONE OF THE NINE BOXES

Which numbers reveal whether your idea is working?

What this square means

Key Metrics are a small number of measures that indicate whether people are experiencing value and the business is improving. Select measures tied to actions, not just publicity.

What to write in it

Choose three to five metrics that matter for your stage.
Include both a customer-value measure and a business measure.
Define each number precisely: what counts, over what period, and how it is calculated.
Favor behavior such as paid orders, retention, and repeated use over likes or page views.

A filled-in example

CampusKit pilot metrics: (1) Number of paid rentals per week. (2) Percentage of reservations completed as pickups. (3) Percentage of customers who rent again. (4) Average contribution after variable costs per rental.

A rise in page views alone would not prove that students want to rent equipment.

A common mistake

Tracking a long dashboard without deciding which changes should influence your decisions. More metrics do not automatically mean more learning.

A simple way to test it

For four weeks, track paid rentals, pickup rate, and repeat rentals. Compare outcomes with a target you established before the pilot.

How it connects to the rest

Your measurements should help validate the assumptions in Channels, Solution, and Revenue Streams.

Write your version

Add a short, specific statement to the matching box on your canvas. Treat it as a hypothesis until you have evidence.

Open the editable Lean Canvas →