Building an engineering growth team and encouraging them to test

Growth engineering, as exemplified by Jason van der Merwe's work at Strava, focuses on enhancing user experience and business impact through constant experimentation and user-centric ideologies. At Strava, growth engineering involves a mindset shift from merely delivering prescribed features to actively improving user flows and reducing friction, often requiring quick, innovative solutions. Jason emphasizes the importance of testing, encouraging new team members to engage in A/B tests to refine ideas and metrics. Strava's growth team has made strides in feature education to better empathize with new users, incorporating tools that allow team members to experience the app from a fresh perspective. Despite inherent chaos in app development, managed chaos, as described by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, allows for innovation and adaptability. Ultimately, the user-focused approach not only enhances product engagement but also fosters a culture of inclusivity and creativity, reinforcing the importance of user empathy in driving app growth and retention.