North Star Metric Resources
Get your company aligned on what matters the most with expert tips and guidance on defining and integrating your North Star Metric into your development processes.
What is a North Star Metric?
The North Star metric is a leading indicator that defines the relationship between the customer problems your product team is trying to solve and sustainable, long-term business results. It is defined by three core qualities: It represents the value users get from your product, it’s within product and marketing’s sphere of influence, and it’s a leading indicator of revenue.
Everything you need to know about the North Star Framework
Let us help you discover your North Star metric with the help of three experts in our two-part guide.
Explore the purpose and value of the North Star Framework. Get expert tips to define and integrate your North Star Metric into your organization.
Discover everything you need to run an internal North Star workshop, including agendas, templates, and hands-on exercises. Get this step-by-step guide.
Use this North Star Statement Exercise to explore your own ideas, beliefs, and assumptions about your product.
Debunk North Star Myths with John Cutler
Discover common North Star myths and misconceptions straight from John Cutler, the original author of the North Star Playbook. As a seasoned product coach who's led hundreds of North Star workshops across various industries, John’s insights will guide you to find your North Star.
North Star on the Blog
Discover what makes a good North Star Metric, how to avoid using bad ones, and examples of each.
Explore how Amplitude launches new product offerings with best practices from Director of Product Management Katie Barnett.
Discover your North Star Statement by following the step-by-step prompts in this exercise.
Get started with a North Star Framework
Build the best product for growth with clear insight into your customer journey. Amplitude lets you visualize where users get stuck before activation, your stickiest features for engagement and retention, and your highest-converting journeys for monetization.
Frequently asked questions
A North Star Metric is a single metric that best captures the value customers derive from your product.
The North Star Metric is defined by three core qualities:
- It represents the value users get from your product.
- It’s within product and marketing’s sphere of influence.
- It’s a leading indicator of revenue.
A North Star metric aligns your team by providing a clear, unifying goal that everyone can work toward. It helps prioritize tasks, fosters cross-functional collaboration, and ensures consistent decision-making. By focusing on a single, meaningful metric, teams stay motivated and aligned with the long-term vision of the product or company.
A North Star metric is the primary metric that guides your product strategy and long-term success, while KPIs are specific metrics that track progress in various areas. The North Star metric is your overarching focus, and KPIs are the supporting measures that help you achieve that goal.
You should revisit your North Star metric periodically, whenever there’s a significant shift in your product, market, or business strategy. Early-stage startups and companies new to the framework might modify their North Star Metric every six to 12 months. However, more established organizations usually don’t need to change their North Star Metric as frequently—every one to three years is more typical.