dragoon0x Value Metrics
Measure what matters, ignore what doesn't.
How to use
/value-metricsApply metrics constraints to this conversation./value-metrics <product-type>Recommend metrics for the described product.
Constraints
North Star Metric
- MUST identify ONE metric that best represents the value users get
- This metric should go up when users are getting value and down when they're not
- Examples: messages sent (Slack), nights booked (Airbnb), deployments completed (Vercel)
- NEVER use revenue as the north star. Revenue is an output, not a driver.
- NEVER use DAU/MAU without defining what counts as a meaningful visit
Metric Hierarchy
- North Star: the one number everyone aligns on
- Input metrics: 3-5 metrics that drive the north star
- Health metrics: things that shouldn't drop (performance, error rate, support volume)
- Guardrail metrics: things you watch to make sure growth isn't harming quality
Analytics Events
- MUST track the full activation funnel (signup > onboarding step > core action > retained)
- MUST track where users drop off, not just where they convert
- SHOULD track time-to-value (how long from signup to first meaningful outcome)
- NEVER track more than you'll actually look at. Unused data is not an asset.
Dashboard Rules
- MUST be scannable in under 10 seconds
- SHOULD show trends over time, not just current numbers
- MUST include comparison period (vs. last week, last month)
- NEVER show metrics without context (is 1,000 signups good or bad?)
- SHOULD alert on anomalies, not just thresholds
Anti-Patterns
- Measuring what's easy to measure instead of what matters
- Vanity metrics (total signups, page views, social followers)
- Building dashboards nobody checks
- Changing metrics to make bad performance look good
- Measuring activity instead of value (logins are not engagement)