Should Outschool prioritize expanding its live online class offerings or focus on developing more self-paced courses to increase overall enrollment?

Introduction

The trade-off we're examining today is whether Outschool should prioritize expanding its live online class offerings or focus on developing more self-paced courses to increase overall enrollment. This decision is crucial for Outschool's growth strategy and will impact various stakeholders, including students, parents, educators, and the company itself.

In my analysis, I'll cover the following key areas:

1. Clarifying questions to understand the context
2. Identification of the trade-off type
3. Product understanding and ecosystem analysis
4. Trade-off agreement and hypothesis
5. Key metrics identification
6. Experiment design
7. Data analysis plan
8. Decision framework
9. Recommendation and next steps

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: Based on Outschool's current market position, I'm thinking there might be a specific catalyst driving this decision. Could you provide more context on why this trade-off is being considered now?

Why it matters: Helps understand the urgency and strategic importance of the decision. Expected answer: Recent market shifts or competitor actions are driving the need for change. Impact on approach: Would influence the timeline and aggressiveness of the strategy.

• Business Context: I'm assuming Outschool's revenue model is primarily based on class fees. Is this correct, and are there any other significant revenue streams we should consider?

Why it matters: Ensures the solution aligns with the core business model. Expected answer: Confirmation of the revenue model, possibly with additional details. Impact on approach: Would affect how we prioritize different user segments and features.

• User Impact: Considering Outschool's diverse user base, I'm curious about which user segments are showing the most growth potential. Can you share any insights on this?

Why it matters: Helps focus the solution on the most promising user segments. Expected answer: Identification of high-growth segments (e.g., certain age groups or subject areas). Impact on approach: Would influence the type of classes or courses to prioritize.

• Technical Feasibility: I'm assuming Outschool has the technical infrastructure to support both live classes and self-paced courses. Are there any significant technical constraints or opportunities we should be aware of?

Why it matters: Ensures the proposed solution is technically feasible and scalable. Expected answer: Overview of current technical capabilities and any limitations. Impact on approach: Would affect the timeline and resource allocation for implementation.

• Resource Allocation: Given that both options require different types of resources, I'm wondering about the current team structure and capacity. Can you provide an overview of the resources available for this initiative?

Why it matters: Helps determine the feasibility of executing different strategies. Expected answer: Breakdown of team size, skills, and available budget. Impact on approach: Would influence the scope and timeline of the proposed solution.