Should Workrise prioritize expanding its skilled trades training programs to attract more workers or focus on improving its job matching algorithm to better serve existing clients?

Introduction

The trade-off question at hand is whether Workrise should prioritize expanding its skilled trades training programs to attract more workers or focus on improving its job matching algorithm to better serve existing clients. This scenario involves balancing the supply side (workers) with the demand side (clients) of Workrise's platform. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining the current product ecosystem, potential impacts, key metrics, and experimental approaches to inform a strategic recommendation.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm thinking Workrise might be facing a supply-demand imbalance. Could you share more about the current ratio of job postings to available workers on the platform?

Why it matters: Helps determine which side of the marketplace needs more attention Expected answer: More job postings than available workers Impact on approach: Would lean towards prioritizing worker attraction and training

• Business Context: Based on Workrise's revenue model, I assume they take a percentage of each successful job placement. Is this correct, and are there any other significant revenue streams?

Why it matters: Informs which strategy might have a more direct impact on revenue Expected answer: Confirmation of the revenue model, possibly with additional details Impact on approach: Would influence whether to focus on volume (more workers) or efficiency (better matching)

• User Impact: I'm curious about the satisfaction levels of both workers and clients. Do we have recent NPS scores or other feedback metrics for both groups?

Why it matters: Identifies which user group might need more immediate attention Expected answer: Potentially lower satisfaction on one side of the marketplace Impact on approach: Would prioritize improving experience for the less satisfied group

• Technical: Regarding the job matching algorithm, what's our current match rate, and what do we believe is the realistic ceiling for improvement?

Why it matters: Assesses the potential impact of algorithm improvements Expected answer: Current match rate and estimated potential improvement Impact on approach: If there's significant room for improvement, it might favor focusing on the algorithm

• Resource: Can you give me an idea of our current team capacity and budget allocation between training programs and algorithm development?

Why it matters: Determines feasibility of each option given current resources Expected answer: Breakdown of team size and budget for each area Impact on approach: Would influence which option is more immediately actionable