Should Tonal prioritize adding more advanced strength training exercises to its library or focus on simplifying existing workouts for beginner users?

Introduction

The trade-off question at hand is whether Tonal should prioritize adding more advanced strength training exercises to its library or focus on simplifying existing workouts for beginner users. This scenario involves balancing the needs of different user segments and considering the impact on Tonal's overall product strategy. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining the product context, potential impacts, key metrics, and experimental approaches to inform a strategic recommendation.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm thinking about Tonal's current user base composition. Could you provide insights into the split between beginner and advanced users, and how this has trended over the past year?

Why it matters: Helps determine which user segment to prioritize Expected answer: 60% beginners, 40% advanced, with beginners growing faster Impact on approach: Would lean towards simplifying if beginner growth is significant

• Business Context: Based on Tonal's revenue model, I assume there's a subscription component. How does user retention differ between beginner and advanced users?

Why it matters: Informs which segment might have a larger impact on long-term revenue Expected answer: Advanced users have higher retention rates Impact on approach: Might prioritize advanced features if they drive significantly better retention

• User Impact: Considering user engagement patterns, do we see a drop-off point where beginners struggle to progress to more advanced workouts?

Why it matters: Identifies potential friction in the user journey Expected answer: Yes, there's a noticeable drop-off after the first month Impact on approach: Would emphasize simplification to improve beginner progression

• Technical: Regarding the complexity of adding new advanced exercises, are there any significant technical constraints or development time differences compared to simplifying existing workouts?

Why it matters: Assesses feasibility and resource requirements Expected answer: Advanced exercises require more development time and testing Impact on approach: Might favor simplification if it's significantly easier to implement

• Resource: What's our current team capacity and how is it allocated between new feature development and existing feature optimization?

Why it matters: Determines if we have the resources to pursue both options simultaneously Expected answer: 70% new features, 30% optimization Impact on approach: Could influence whether we need to choose one direction or can balance both