On 2nd July, 2025, 3Search – in collaboration with HSBC Innovation – hosted the next instalment of our Product x Design Collab series. Held at HSBC’s Alphabeta Building in London, this event brought together industry leaders to explore the metrics that truly drive product and design success.
The event featured a panel of expert speakers:
- Prachi Garg – VP of Product at Planet
- Hilal Koc Savci – COO, Product Advisor & Angel Investor
- Darci Dutcher – Director of Product Design and User Research at Financial Times
- Yolanda Martin – Founder and CEO of Batyb.com (formerly Global VP Design at Clearscore)
The session was expertly moderated by Brian Flanagan, Global Head of Public Websites at HSBC. Together, they explored how product and design teams can align on meaningful metrics that connect user value to business impact.
Key takeaways
Keep reading for the key takeaways from the discussion, including:
- Reporting is moving away from surface-level numbers and towards metrics that tie directly into customer satisfaction.
- The customer journey should sit at the heart of all decisions to ensure products truly resonate with user needs.
- Artificial intelligence is allowing product teams to predict customer needs.
- Rapid prototyping is the future of product design development, allowing teams to iterate faster than ever.
Which metrics are still relevant?
At the event, it was made clear that vanity metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and velocity are losing their importance in product and design strategies.
Darci Dutcher shared, “We’re increasingly focusing on the metrics that tell us whether users are truly engaged, how often are they using the product, how long do they stay, and are they coming back?”
Instead of relying on surface-level numbers, businesses are now prioritising metrics that directly tie to user satisfaction and long-term success.
How do customer journey maps inform design decisions?
Understanding the customer journey is key to creating products that truly resonate with users. The panellists discussed how mapping the entire user experience, right from the first touchpoint to post-purchase, helps identify pain points and opportunities for improvement. By taking a holistic view of the user journey, teams can design seamless experiences that lead to higher satisfaction and retention.
How can AI enhance product metrics?
Artificial intelligence is becoming a powerful tool for analysing user behaviour and predicting trends.
Prachi Garg explained how AI is helping teams refine their product strategies: “AI allows us to move beyond simple data analysis. It gives us the predictive power to understand what our users need before they even realise it themselves.”
This predictive capability enables teams to make data-driven decisions and anticipate user behaviour, ultimately enhancing the user experience.
What role does cross-functional collaboration play?
Effective collaboration between product, design, engineering, and marketing teams is essential to creating products that meet user needs and drive business growth.
Cross-functional collaboration ensures that all teams are on the same page, working toward unified goals that deliver value to both the user and the business.
Why is rapid prototyping essential?
Rapid prototyping has become a cornerstone of modern product design. By testing ideas quickly and gathering feedback early, teams can iterate and refine their products faster. This approach allows for quick adjustments, ensuring that the product evolves in line with user expectations.
What’s next in product and design?
The ‘Metrics that Matter’ event highlighted the importance of aligning product and design teams around meaningful metrics that reflect both user experience and business impact. By focusing on actionable insights, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and embracing tools like AI and rapid prototyping, organisations can build products that drive real commercial success.
For more insights into aligning product and design strategies, stay tuned for upcoming events.
A special thank you to our esteemed panellists, Prachi Garg, Hilal Koc Savci, Darci Dutcher, and Yolanda Martin, for their valuable contributions. Also, thanks to Brian Flanagan for his expert moderation and HSBC Innovation for hosting this event.
