Product teardown is an invaluable tool for everyone involved in the creation and development of products. It offers a systematic approach to uncovering insights that lead to better understanding, paving the way for improvements and innovation. By dissecting and analyzing various (competitive or not) products, you can learn from the successes and failures of others and incorporate these lessons into your own product development processes.
In this blog post, I will introduce the S.U.P. Framework as a method for evaluating products and gaining insights from product teardowns. The S.U.P. Framework stands for (S)olves a Real Problem, Delivers on the (U)ser Promise, and (P)ositive Reinforcement.
I’ll use Strava, my favorite fitness app, to demonstrate the S.U.P. Framework
#1: Solves a Real Problem (S)
Strava positions itself as the Home for Your Active Life. From my perspective, the app does solve real problems by helping me set fitness goals, monitor progress, and compare performance with others. Strava encourages a sense of community and competition in a great way, which keeps me motivated and engaged.
I struggled with maintaining a consistent workout routine and found Strava to be a game-changer. The app's community aspect inspired me to join a local running groups, ultimately helping me build a fitness habit and even complete my first half-marathon in 2019.
#2: Delivers on the User-Promise (U)
Strava's onboarding process is straightforward and user-friendly. Upon signing up, users are prompted to set fitness goals and choose their preferred sports. The app is easy and intuitive to use, starting to record runs with a single high prominence button. Strava's visual communication, including the use of maps, charts, and graphs, is effective in conveying information to users in an intuitive manner.
Strava is excellent at providing metrics and feedback loops. It has good integration with health devices (Fitbit, Garmin, etc.) and tracks various data points, such as heart rate, miles, step length, and weight, to curate progress.
I love the Suffer Score. The Suffer Score is a unique feature that calculates the difficulty of your workout based on time, distance, and effort.
Premium members have access to additional benefits like creating and tracking goals, indoor training videos, filtered leaderboards, and discounts on sports-related goods and services. With over 70 million users worldwide, and the app's user base growing double digit % year-over-year, it does showcase its ability to deliver on its promises.
#3: Positive reinforcement (P)
Strava excels at fostering user engagement through social features like Runners Club, which encourages friendly competition and interaction. This social proof is the hook that keeps users coming back and staying active. The app recommends new running and cycling tracks, enabling users to push their limits and discover new routes.
However, there is room for improvement in personalization. Imagine if Strava could build a personalized "coach" for each user, considering factors like fitness levels, workout frequency, and health signals. A schedule planner and holistic activity management, including nutrition and sleep, could elevate the app's value proposition in this aspect.
I have found that Strava's social features helped me stay accountable and motivated, ultimately leading to a significant improvement in my fitness schedule. The positive reinforcement provided by the app has pushed me to train harder and more consistently.