Reliable analytics starts before implementation. Use these principles to turn measurement intent into definitions that product, data, and engineering teams can interpret consistently.
Name the behaviour, not the interface
Button labels and screen layouts change. Customer intent tends to last longer. Prefer account_created over blue_button_clicked, and keep presentation details in properties only when they answer a real question.
Choose one grammatical pattern
A consistent object_action pattern makes catalogues easier to scan: product_viewed, checkout_started, payment_completed. Document tense, separators, abbreviations, and pluralisation before teams invent their own variants.
Treat properties as governed definitions
A well-named event can still fail when currency, channel, or customer type has several competing formats. Define allowed values, data types, null behaviour, and examples alongside every important property.