alt Hacker NewsThe quantitative ux research team at Google was created for exactly this problem: a service which became popular before the right metrics existed, meaning metrics need to be derived first, then optimized. We would observe users (irl), read their logs, then generate experiments to improve the behavior as measured by logs, and return to see if the experiment improves irl experiences. There were not many of us and we are around :)
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Google products ux is widely acknowledged to be a steaming pile of shit though, so I am not sure you should follow their example.
Many of the metrics they use are obviously actively user hostile.
Metrics and quantitative ux results in really bad software, making it rigid while optimizing for the wrong things.
The most obvious example is Google creating multiple steps for Login where you have to enter your password after you put in your user.
I wonder what metric lead to that decision or was it a political decision to make it seem like their "old" software has some new feature.
I worked with Boris in the past and in my experience, Boris cares deeply about the customer. I'd vouch that Boris really cares about the issue people are running into.