North Star Metric Selector

Use this skill to construct a growth equation for a product and select a defensible North Star Metric that actually reflects core value delivery — rejecting vanity metrics (DAU, total signups, pageviews) that feel like growth but don't compound. Produces the full multiplicative growth equation (acquisition × activation × retention + monetization + referral) and a scored shortlist of NSM candidates with rationale, then recommends one. Triggers when a growth PM or head of growth asks 'what should our north star metric be?', 'help me pick a north star', 'is DAU the right metric?', 'my team is chasing vanity metrics', 'we're orienting around the wrong metric', 'how do I build a growth equation', 'what's our key growth metric', 'OMTM one metric that matters', 'north star framework', or 'growth equation for [product type]'. Also activates for 'WhatsApp messages sent as north star', 'Airbnb nights booked', 'north star vs input metrics', or 'why DAU is misleading'. Use AFTER product/market fit is confirmed — this metric orients every downstream growth experiment.

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Install

Claude CodeClawhHubnpxCursorCodexGemini CLI

1. Add marketplace

› /plugin marketplace add bookforge-ai/bookforge-skills

2. Install plugin

› /plugin install hacking-growth@bookforge-skills

3. Use the skill

› /north-star-metric-selector

CC-BY-SA · Open sourceGitHub

Source Book

Hacking Growth

Sean Ellis, Morgan Brown

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