Should Platzi prioritize expanding its course catalog or improving existing course quality to enhance student learning outcomes?

Introduction

The trade-off between expanding Platzi's course catalog and improving existing course quality presents a critical decision point for enhancing student learning outcomes. This scenario touches on core aspects of product strategy, user experience, and business growth. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining key metrics, stakeholder impacts, and potential experiments to inform our decision-making process.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm assuming Platzi is experiencing growth but facing challenges in scaling quality. Could you share more about the current growth rate and any specific quality issues we're seeing?

Why it matters: Helps gauge the urgency of expansion vs. quality improvement Expected answer: Moderate growth with increasing user complaints about course consistency Impact on approach: Would influence the balance between growth and quality initiatives

• Business Context: Based on Platzi's business model, I imagine course completion rates significantly impact revenue. Is this correct, and how do they currently compare to industry benchmarks?

Why it matters: Indicates whether quality or quantity might have a more direct impact on business health Expected answer: Completion rates are below industry average and directly tied to revenue Impact on approach: Would prioritize quality improvements if completion rates are low

• User Impact: I'm thinking our user base might be segmented between casual learners and career-focused professionals. Can you confirm if this is accurate, and which segment is growing faster?

Why it matters: Different user segments may have varying needs for course variety vs. depth Expected answer: Career-focused segment growing faster but demanding higher quality Impact on approach: Would tailor solution to meet the needs of the fastest-growing, highest-value segment

• Technical: Considering the platform's current architecture, how easily can we implement quality control measures across all courses?

Why it matters: Assesses the feasibility and resource requirements for quality improvements Expected answer: Moderate difficulty, requiring some platform updates Impact on approach: Would influence timeline and resource allocation for quality initiatives

• Resource: What's our current instructor recruitment pipeline like? Are we seeing any bottlenecks in bringing on new, high-quality instructors?

Why it matters: Determines our capacity to expand the catalog while maintaining quality Expected answer: Challenges in finding and onboarding expert instructors quickly Impact on approach: Might lean towards improving existing courses if instructor pipeline is limited