NSM Debate

When I prioritize or select my North Star metric (NSM), I like to show my thought process by showing two different metrics have been considered before landing on an NSM. These metrics need to be distinctly different.

Example 1:

• DAU

• # sessions

With above, I can discuss the debate between number of users and activity. Does it matter that people look at least once or that they return. The stage of the product and the competition are likely discussion points here.

Example 2:

• # transactions

• total revenue

In this case, it is the debate between revenue and transactions. Cases can be made for both. The stage of the business and macro environment might make me change my mind.

Example 3:

• minutes watching

• number of videos watched

With this trade off, I can discuss the importance of time on platform vs. distinct content consumed. Also concerns about diversity vs. dominate creators.

These are just a few examples. Don’t fall into the trap of comparing two metrics that are the same core measure. For example, # of users completing 1 core action vs. 3 core actions. That is a minor discussion not a major illustration of your ability to debate between user focus and activity. Debating DAU vs. # videos watched shows better extremes.