Field notes
When a high completion rate still means trouble
Completion can look healthy while the definition is soft, the cohort is filtered, or the finish line sits too early.
A rising completion rate feels like progress. Sometimes it measures a shorter path to a weaker finish line.
Ask what the finish line buys the user
If completion fires when the tip carousel ends, the rate can climb while fewer people reach first value. Pair completion with a secondary checkpoint that reflects real use within the first day or week.
Watch for silent cohort filters
Excluding users who never accepted tracking, never granted a permission, or never opened the app twice can inflate completion. Document filters beside the chart, not in a footnote nobody reads.
Compare against return behaviour
In our Retention Checkpoint Reviews we often find that a “strong” completion definition barely predicts day-seven return. That is a signal to move the finish line later, not to celebrate the chart.