What metrics would you use to evaluate Springer Nature's SharedIt content-sharing initiative?

Introduction

Evaluating Springer Nature's SharedIt content-sharing initiative requires a comprehensive approach to product success metrics. To address this challenge effectively, I'll follow a structured framework that covers core metrics, supporting indicators, and risk factors while considering all key stakeholders. This approach will help us assess the initiative's performance, identify areas for improvement, and align with broader strategic goals.

Step 1

Product Context

SharedIt is Springer Nature's initiative to facilitate legal sharing of research articles. It allows subscribers to share read-only links to full-text articles with non-subscribers, promoting broader access to scientific knowledge while maintaining publisher control.

Key stakeholders include:

1. Researchers (authors and readers)
2. Academic institutions
3. Springer Nature
4. Other publishers
5. Research funders

User flow:

1. Subscriber accesses article and generates shareable link
2. Subscriber shares link with non-subscriber
3. Non-subscriber clicks link to view read-only version of article

SharedIt aligns with Springer Nature's mission to advance discovery by publishing robust and insightful research, supporting the research community, and championing open research. It addresses the tension between paywalled content and the need for open access in scientific communication.

Compared to competitors, SharedIt offers a more flexible sharing approach than traditional paywalls while maintaining some access control. It's a middle ground between fully open access and strict subscription models.

Product Lifecycle Stage: Growth phase. SharedIt has moved beyond initial launch and is now focused on expanding usage and refining features based on user feedback and data.