How can we gain insights on efficacy?

Gaining insights into efficacy involves focusing on effectiveness rather than mere activity or output metrics. Several experts in different fields share the following strategies:

1. Selling Effectiveness:

   • Frank Fillmann emphasizes hands-on training and setting reps up for success, which involves directly interacting and supporting them to ensure they are capable of closing deals over long sales cycles 1.

2. Software Development:

   • Yannic Kilcher contrasts activity metrics (e.g., lines of code) with effectiveness metrics (e.g., shipping features). The goal is to measure tangible outcomes that reflect the end goal rather than the activities performed to get there 2.

3. Podcast Advertising:

   • Tyler Elliston discusses using direct response measurements such as promo codes and post-conversion surveys to gauge the effectiveness of podcast ads. This method helps track both direct and indirect conversions 3.
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       1

       Measuring Sales Effectiveness

       00:22:27
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       2

       Software Engineering Insights

       01:14:32
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       3

       Podcast Advertising Insights

       00:21:22
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       4

       Measuring Documentation Effectiveness

       00:40:18
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       5

       Rethinking Impact Metrics

       00:39:11

4. Technical Documentation:

   • Dave Nunez highlights that measuring the effectiveness of documentation includes qualitative aspects such as user satisfaction and efficiency in accomplishing tasks, rather than just page views or clicks 4.

5. Impact Metrics:

   • Jacqueline Novogratz advocates for measuring what genuinely matters using "lean data," which collects feedback directly from end-users to assess real-life impact, rather than just counting outputs like units sold 5.

These perspectives suggest that shifting focus from quantity-based metrics to quality-based ones and gathering direct feedback from end-users can provide more meaningful insights into efficacy.