How to Configure the North-Star-Metric Skill with Input Metrics in pm-skills

You configure the north-star-metric skill by invoking the /north-star command with a free-form text description containing your product context, business model, and a bullet list of 3–5 input metrics with owners, current values, and targets.

The north-star-metric skill in the phuryn/pm-skills repository provides a declarative framework for defining your North Star Metric (NSM) and its driving input metrics. Rather than editing configuration files, you supply arguments directly within the slash command to trigger a structured five-step workflow. This guide explains how to format your input metrics and product context to generate a complete metrics constellation.

Understanding the Skill Architecture

The skill resides in the pm-marketing-growth section of the repository and operates through two primary files that define its behavior and command interface.

Core Configuration Files

• pm-marketing-growth/skills/north-star-metric/SKILL.md: Defines the skill's purpose, the seven NSM validation criteria (easy to understand, customer-centric, sustainable value, vision alignment, quantitative, actionable, leading indicator), and the business-game classification system.
• pm-marketing-growth/commands/north-star.md: Implements the slash-command logic, containing the five-step workflow (lines 20–98) that parses your input and generates the markdown output.

The Five-Step Configuration Workflow

When you invoke /north-star, the skill processes your input through a fixed workflow defined in north-star.md:

1. Gather product context (lines 20–27): Parses your description of product value, business model, current metrics, and urgency.
2. Classify business game (lines 28–36): Maps your context to Attention, Transaction, or Productivity categories.
3. Select NSM candidates (lines 41–50): Generates 2–3 metric possibilities and validates each against the seven NSM criteria.
4. Identify input metrics (lines 52–58): Extracts or infers 3–5 input metrics from your prompt, ensuring each is MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) and assignable to a specific owner.
5. Render output (lines 60–98): Produces a markdown report with validation matrices, the metrics constellation table, counter-metrics, and anti-patterns.

Configuring Input Metrics via Command Arguments

To configure input metrics, embed them directly in your /north-star invocation. The skill parses free-form text to extract structured data—no YAML, JSON, or additional configuration files are required.

Each input metric must include:

• Metric name: Clear, measurable indicator
• Owner: Team or individual responsible
• Current value: Baseline measurement
• Target: Desired future state
• Lever description: How this metric drives the North Star

Practical Configuration Examples

When writing your command, structure your input metrics as a bulleted list immediately following your product description. The skill recognizes this format and includes it in the final constellation diagram.

Example 1: SaaS Collaboration Tool

/north-star
Product: SaaS collaboration tool for remote teams
Business model: Subscription (monthly recurring revenue)
Current metrics: DAU 12k, weekly active teams 1.2k, onboarding completion 85%
Goal: Increase product-value delivery
Input metrics:
- Daily active users (DAU) – owned by Growth, current 12k, target 20k
- Number of teams creating >5 projects per week – owned by Product, current 1.2k, target 2k
- Feature adoption rate for "shared boards" – owned by Engineering, current 45%, target 70%

Example 2: Consumer Fitness App

/north-star
Product: Consumer fitness app (subscription)
Business model: Monthly subscription, freemium tier
Current metrics: Daily Active Users 30k, Avg. Session Length 12 min
Input metrics:
- Weekly active users (WAU) – Growth – 30k → 45k
- Avg. session length – Product – 12 min → 15 min
- Completed workout plans – Engineering – 70% → 90%

Example 3: Freelance Marketplace

/north-star
Product: Marketplace for freelance designers
Business model: Transaction fee (5% per sale)
Current metrics: Monthly GMV $1.2 M, Completed orders 4 k
Input metrics:
- Number of designer sign-ups – Growth – 2k → 3k
- Avg. order value – Product – $300 → $350
- Conversion rate (visitors → buyer) – Marketing – 3% → 5%

Output Structure and Validation

After processing your configuration, the skill returns a markdown block structured according to the template in north-star.md (lines 60–98). The output includes:

• Business Game classification
• North Star Metric definition and validation against seven criteria
• Input Metrics table showing the relationship between your inputs and the NSM
• Counter-metrics to prevent Goodhart’s Law violations

The input metrics section renders as a constellation table:

### Input Metrics

| Input Metric | Drives North Star By | Owner   | Current | Target |
|--------------|----------------------|---------|---------|--------|
| Daily Active Users (DAU) | Top-line user growth | Growth | 30k | 45k |
| Avg. session length      | Increases value per user | Product | 12 min | 15 min |
| Completed workout plans | Increases stickiness | Engineering | 70% | 90% |

Summary

• Declarative configuration: The north-star-metric skill requires no code changes or configuration files—only well-structured text arguments in the /north-star command.
• Input metric requirements: Supply 3–5 metrics that are MECE, easier to move in the short term, and directly contributory to the NSM, each with clear ownership and target values.
• Source file references: The workflow logic resides in pm-marketing-growth/commands/north-star.md (lines 20–98), while the criteria definitions live in pm-marketing-growth/skills/north-star-metric/SKILL.md.
• Automatic generation: The skill produces a complete markdown report including business-game classification, NSM validation, and the metrics constellation diagram ready for documentation or OKR tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I configure input metrics using JSON or YAML instead of bullet points?

No. According to the north-star.md command definition, the skill parses free-form text descriptions and bulleted lists provided directly in the /north-star command. You must embed your input metrics as bullet points within the command text, specifying owner, current value, and target for each metric.

How many input metrics should I define for optimal results?

The skill expects exactly 3–5 input metrics as defined in the workflow (lines 52–58 of north-star.md). This range ensures your metrics are MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) while remaining manageable for team execution. Fewer than three may leave gaps in your constellation; more than five dilutes focus and complicates ownership.

What distinguishes an input metric from the North Star Metric?

Input metrics are leading indicators that are easier to move in the short term and directly contribute to the NSM, while the North Star Metric is a single, customer-centric lagging indicator representing sustainable value delivery. For example, "daily active users" might be an input metric driving the North Star Metric of "weekly active teams," according to the validation criteria in SKILL.md.

How does the skill prevent metric gaming or Goodhart’s Law violations?

The output automatically includes counter-metrics and anti-patterns (defined in the rendering step, lines 60–98 of north-star.md) designed to protect against optimizing single metrics at the expense of user experience. These safeguards appear in the final markdown report alongside your input metrics.

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