North star metric
Definition
A north star metric is the single metric that best captures the core value a product delivers to its users — the number that, if it grows consistently, signals that the product is succeeding at its fundamental job.
The north star concept was popularized by Sean Ellis and the growth community in the early 2010s. The idea: most products have many metrics, but one number ties most closely to long-term retention and revenue. Optimizing everything else at the expense of this one is usually a mistake.
Finding the right north star metric requires answering: "What is the moment a user gets undeniable value from this product?" For Airbnb, nights booked. For Spotify, time listened. For a project management tool, tasks completed. The metric should be measurable, specific to your product (not generic like revenue or DAU), and something users can influence through their own actions.
A good north star has three properties. It leads revenue — users who do this action pay, retain, and refer. It reflects user value, not just business value. And it's specific enough to guide decisions — a team should be able to look at a feature and ask "does this move the north star?"
Common north star mistakes: picking a vanity metric (total sign-ups, total page views), picking a lagging metric (MRR), or picking something so broad it stops guiding decisions.
North star workshops are whiteboard sessions. Teams map the user journey, debate candidate metrics, and draw causal diagrams connecting leading indicators to the north star. BoardSnap captures those diagrams and the reasoning that emerged from the room.
Examples
- Boards snapped per active user per week (for a whiteboard capture app)
- Weekly active projects per team (for a project management tool)
- Sessions with at least one task completed (for a to-do app)
- Number of teams running at least one ceremony per sprint (for a meeting tool)
Related terms
Snap a north star metric. Ship its actions.
BoardSnap turns any whiteboard — including this one — into a summary and action plan.