Purpose
The method helps clarify funnel behavior, user behavior, and experiments concretely. It makes user behavior measurable and derives experiments. The outcome is captured as a North Star metric, input metric tree, and measurement cadence.
Growth
North Star Metric
Turns funnel behavior, user behavior, and experiments into a tangible result through mapping customer value, collecting candidate metrics, and deriving input metrics.
Which one metric reflects the value the product creates for users and correlates with sustainable growth?
MediumWorkshop + async1-2 h
How it works
The team follows the steps: map customer value, collect candidate metrics, check leading indicator quality, choose a metric, and derive input metrics. Each step is captured visibly. At the end, a North Star metric, input metric tree, and measurement cadence are available so decisions, tests, or actions can follow directly.
Visual orientation
Method sketch for a quick mental model.
Flow
- 1Map customer value
- 2Collect candidate metrics
- 3Check leading indicator quality
- 4Choose metric
- 5Derive input metrics
The runsheet guides execution with 5 phases, timeboxes, 5 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open runsheetIdeal for
- Growth strategy
- Cross-functional alignment
- Metric clarity
Not good for
- Replacing KPI systems
- Teams without reliable data
Deep dive
In detail
North star metric follows a clear working logic: map customer value, collect candidate metrics, validate leading indicator quality, choose a metric, and derive input metrics. This turns the method into a visible thinking process rather than only a conversation. Participants move step by step from raw material, observations, or options toward a shared structure. The result is a North Star metric, input metric tree, and measurement cadence that makes decisions, learning, or further planning actionable.
Facilitation
Prepare a clear focus question, the right information, and a visible workspace. Plan about 1-2 hours with 3-8 people and use the format in a workshop or asynchronously. The method needs structure and preparation; short timeboxes, visible intermediate results, and a parking lot for open questions help.
Output artifacts
North Star metricInput metric treeMeasurement cadence
Artifact templates
Strategy BriefCompact briefing for strategic context, target state, priorities, and non-goals.markdown
Strategy BriefCompact briefing for strategic context, target state, priorities, and non-goals.
markdownstrategy-brief-markdown.md
Compact briefing for strategic context, target state, priorities, and non-goals.
Strategy Brief
Context
Why is this strategic clarification needed now?
Target state
What should be different in 6-12 months?
Priorities
- ...
- ...
- ...
Non-goals
- ...
Metrics
- North Star Metric:
- Guardrail Metrics:
Risks
- ...
Decisions
Which decisions should follow from this?
When to choose differently
Short decision aid for existing alternatives.
KPI Tree
Statt North Star Metric, wenn ihr eine Zielzahl in steuerbare Unterkennzahlen zerlegen wollt.
Similar methods
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Flywheel
Turns funnel, user behavior, and experiments into a tangible result by clarifying the growth goal and audience, sketching the flywheel loop, and prioritizing experiments or improvements.
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Pirate Metrics AARRR
Turns funnel behavior and experiments into a tangible result through defining funnel stages, selecting metrics per stage, and planning experiments.
Growth
Funnel Analysis
Turns funnel structure, user behavior, and experiments into a tangible result through defining the funnel, checking events, and deriving hypotheses.
Product Strategy
KPI Tree
Moves target group, value, goals, and priorities toward a concrete result through "define the top metric", "describe the main driver of the top metric", and "set the review cadence".
Statt North Star Metric, wenn ihr eine Zielzahl in steuerbare Unterkennzahlen zerlegen wollt.
Growth
Hooked Model
Models trigger, action, variable reward, and investment loops to understand and design repeat usage responsibly.
Engineering
Goal Question Metric
Moves technical problems, hypotheses, and next steps toward a concrete result through "formulate the goal clearly", "derive probing questions for each goal", and "set the review cadence".