North Star Metric
Pick one customer-centric North Star Metric plus a small constellation of input metrics before you optimize funnels or OKRs.
Overview
North Star Metric is an agent skill most often used in Validate (also Grow, Operate) that defines one customer-centric North Star and 3–5 input metrics using game-type classification and seven effectiveness criteria.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills --skill north-star-metricWhat is this skill?
- Classifies your business game as Attention, Transaction, or Productivity to narrow NSM candidates
- Validates candidates against 7 criteria for an effective North Star (customer-centric, leading indicator)
- Builds a metrics constellation of 3–5 input metrics tied to the NSM
- Explicitly separates NSM from revenue/LTV, OKRs, and strategy so you do not double-count goals
- Points to The North Star Framework 101 PDF for deeper reference
- 3–5 supporting input metrics in the constellation
- 3 business game types: Attention, Transaction, Productivity
Adoption & trust: 1k installs on skills.sh; 12.3k GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You are shipping features and pulling analytics without one leading indicator that reflects customer value and predicts long-term success.
Who is it for?
Solo founders or PM-minded builders who need a disciplined metrics spine before ads, OKR cycles, or feature scorecards diverge.
Skip if: Teams that already have an approved NSM, instrumented constellation, and executive alignment—or those seeking a single-session revenue/LTV target as the North Star.
When should I use this skill?
Choosing a North Star Metric, setting up a metrics framework, learning the North Star Framework, or deciding what to measure.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You leave with a validated North Star candidate, a small input-metric constellation, and clear boundaries versus OKRs and revenue metrics so dashboards and experiments align on one compass metric.
- North Star Metric candidate with rationale
- 3–5 input metrics constellation
- Business-game classification and criteria pass/fail notes
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Solo builders need a single success definition while scoping the idea and what to instrument—before full build and growth spend. Scope is where you decide what “working” means for users and business, which is exactly when NSM candidates and input metrics get locked in.
Where it fits
Narrow three metric ideas to one NSM plus inputs before writing the one-page product scope.
Check whether your proposed pricing motion fits a Transaction-game NSM versus pure Attention metrics.
Reconcile Mixpanel events so each input metric maps cleanly to the chosen North Star.
Align launch checklist items with NSM movement rather than launch-day vanity counts.
Re-evaluate the NSM after a pivot when retention no longer correlates with the old leading indicator.
How it compares
Use for strategic metric design instead of ad-hoc “pick any KPI from a blog post” chat planning.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is north-star-metric for?
Indie builders, solo PMs, and technical founders who own positioning and analytics and need one customer-value metric to steer product and growth decisions.
When should I use north-star-metric?
During validate when scoping what success looks like, in grow when refining analytics and lifecycle metrics, and in operate when revisiting whether your NSM still predicts retention or expansion.
Is north-star-metric safe to install?
It is procedural guidance with no implied shell or network access; review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing any skill from the repo.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - North Star Metric
# North Star Metric Identify a North Star Metric and 3-5 Input Metrics that form a metrics constellation. Classifies the business game being played and validates against criteria for an effective North Star. Use when defining key metrics, setting up a metrics framework, or choosing what to measure. ## Domain Context NSM is **NOT**: multiple metrics, a revenue/LTV metric (must be customer-centric), an OKR (that's a goal-setting technique), or a strategy (but choosing the right NSM is a strategic choice). NSM **IS**: a single, customer-centric KPI that reflects the value customers get from the product and serves as a leading indicator of long-term business success. You can use Key Results (OKRs) to express expected change in NSM. Free resource: [The North Star Framework 101 (PDF)](https://learn.productcompass.pm/nsm101) ## When to Use - Defining your company's key metric framework - Setting up a metrics tracking system - Choosing what to measure and optimize for - Evaluating potential North Star candidates - Triggers: North Star metric, north star, key metric, what to measure, metrics framework, OMTM ## The Three Business Games Before identifying your North Star, classify your business into one of these three games: - **Attention Game**: How much time do customers spend using your product? (Examples: Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok) - **Transaction Game**: How many transactions occur between customers and your platform? (Examples: Amazon, Uber, Airbnb, PayPal) - **Productivity Game**: How efficiently can someone complete their work or achieve their goals? (Examples: Canva, Dropbox, Loom, Notion) ## Prompt You are a metrics strategist specializing in North Star metrics and growth measurement frameworks. Given the following business context: $ARGUMENTS **Step 1: Classify the Business Game** Determine which game this company plays: Attention, Transaction, or Productivity. **Step 2: Identify the North Star Metric** Suggest a single metric that meets all seven criteria for an effective North Star: 1. **Easy to Understand**: Clear definition that everyone in the organization comprehends 2. **Customer-Centric**: Reflects value delivered to customers, not just revenue or activity 3. **Sustainable Value**: Indicates habits and long-term customer engagement 4. **Vision Alignment**: Represents meaningful progress toward the company's vision and mission 5. **Quantitative**: Measurable with clear, numeric tracking 6. **Actionable**: Teams can directly influence it through product, marketing, and operational changes 7. **Leading Indicator**: Predicts future business success and revenue growth **Step 3: Identify Input Metrics** Define 3-5 Input Metrics (also called leading indicators) that most directly influence and drive the North Star Metric. Each input metric should: - Be easier to move in the short term - Directly contribute to the North Star outcome - Help identify where optimization efforts should focus ## Tips for Best Results - Provide details about your business model and revenue model - Share your company's vision, mission, or long-term goals - Include current metrics you're tracking - Mention key customer segments and use cases - Describe the primary value you deliver to customers --- ### Further Reading - [The North Star Framework 101](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/the-north-star-framework-101) - [AARRR (Pirate) Metrics: The 5-Stage Framework for Growth](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/aarrr-pirate-metrics) - [The Google HEART Framework: Your Guide to Measuring User-Centric Success](https://www.product