For Quora Spaces, should we prioritize growing community engagement or maximizing content discoverability for non-members?

Introduction

The trade-off between growing community engagement and maximizing content discoverability for non-members in Quora Spaces presents a critical strategic decision. This scenario involves balancing the needs of existing community members with the potential to attract and convert new users. 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)

• Based on our current growth stage, I'm thinking community engagement might be our primary focus. How does this align with our current strategic priorities?

Why it matters: Helps prioritize solution against business objectives Expected answer: Balanced approach, leaning towards engagement Impact on approach: Would influence resource allocation between features

• Considering our monetization strategy, I assume ad revenue is a key driver. How significant is the potential revenue impact of increased non-member discoverability?

Why it matters: Determines the financial implications of our decision Expected answer: Moderate impact, but not the primary revenue source Impact on approach: Would affect the weight given to discoverability metrics

• Looking at our user segments, I'm guessing we have a mix of casual browsers and dedicated community members. Can you provide a breakdown of our user base and their engagement levels?

Why it matters: Helps tailor our approach to different user needs Expected answer: 60% casual, 40% highly engaged Impact on approach: Would influence feature prioritization and targeting

• Regarding our technical capabilities, I'm assuming we have the infrastructure to support both engagement and discoverability features. Are there any technical limitations we should be aware of?

Why it matters: Ensures our solution is feasible and scalable Expected answer: No major limitations, but some optimization needed Impact on approach: Would affect implementation timeline and resource allocation

• Considering our product roadmap, how urgent is this decision? Are there any upcoming releases or dependencies we need to account for?

Why it matters: Helps prioritize this decision against other initiatives Expected answer: Medium urgency, decision needed within next quarter Impact on approach: Would influence the depth and timeline of our analysis