north star metric

A north star metric is the single key measure that best captures the core value delivered to customers by a product or business. It represents the primary indicator of long-term sustainable growth and customer satisfaction.

Context and Usage

North star metrics are commonly used by product managers, startup founders, and business leaders in technology companies and growth-focused organizations. They serve as guiding indicators for strategic decision-making, team alignment, and prioritizing product development initiatives that drive sustainable user engagement and business success.

Common Challenges

Organizations sometimes struggle with identifying truly customer-focused metrics versus vanity metrics that look impressive but don't reflect actual value delivery. Misalignment can occur when the chosen metric doesn't fully represent the core user value or when teams optimize for the metric at the expense of broader customer experience and long-term sustainability.

Related Topics: key performance indicators, product metrics, growth metrics, customer lifetime value, user engagement, retention rate, product-market fit