Product metrics and goals
Time to value
Also called TTV
How long it takes a new user to get their first real benefit from a product, from signing up to the activation moment.
How it's worked out
Time of reaching the activation point − time of signing up, usually shown as the median
Every extra step or day before people get value is a chance for them to leave. Shortening time to value often lifts activation and retention more than adding features.
Templates, sample data, importing existing work and doing setup for people are the usual ways to cut it.
In practice
A survey tool starts new users from a ready-made template, cutting the median time to a first response from two days to an hour.
Common mistake
Measuring the average, which a few very slow users can drag far from what most people experience. Use the median.