Article details
Last Edited:
Aug 4, 2025
Published:
Dec 10, 2018

Why is a North Star metric important?

Benefits of a North Star metric

1. Alignment

2. Transparency

3. Customer focus

North Stars and metric trees: Why you need more than direction

North Star metric tree framework
Beyond the North Star metric tree ebook

North Star Metric versus The One Metric That Matters

How a North Star metric works

Examples of North Star metrics

Ecommerce

Consumer tech

B2B SaaS

Media

Fintech

Making metrics actionable: From data to decision-making

💡 Mixpanel tip: Every key metric in your tree should have an owner accountable for monitoring it, interpreting changes, and initiating action. That doesn’t mean they solve every problem alone, but it does mean they don’t wait for someone else to notice an issue.

A marketing lead might own campaign-specific churn, while the product team owns retention overall. They know what “normal” looks like for their metric, and with self-serve access to real-time data, both teams can collaborate on solutions without bottlenecks.

Operationalizing your North Star

Focus metrics vs. input metrics

Focus metric = Business/team value moment + Natural frequency

Example: Video streaming company

metric tree example

Learn more about operationalizing your North Star metric by downloading our ebook: Beyond the North Star.

How to find a North Star metric for your product

Measuring progress against your North Star metric over time

Example of using product analytics for a North Star metric

Can companies aim for more than one North Star?

Scaling your metrics strategy: From individual teams to company-wide alignment

1. Begin with what you control

2. Connect metric trees to the North Star

3. Drive adoption with thoughtful change management

4. Build for trust and transparency

It’s time to find your North Star

Analytics for everyone.
Share article