Dot Plots: How to Actually See What Your Users Are Doing

One of the biggest mistakes founders make is relying on aggregate user metrics instead of understanding how any individuals use their product. In this episode of Startup School, YC General Partner David Lieb walks through one of his favorite tools for better understanding your users, the dot plot. It’s a simple two-dimensional grid that maps individual user activity over time and it can help separate signal from the noise in the early days of a startup. He’ll cover why it gives founders a better sense of product health compared to aggregate metrics, what patterns to look for and real-world exa