Success Metrics Definition Framework

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Define outcome-focused OKRs and measurable success metrics for product features. Guides you from setting business objectives through selecting appropriate metrics, researching benchmarks, and creating comprehensive measurement plans.

What You Get

Get a complete framework including outcome-focused OKRs, primary/secondary metrics, industry benchmarks, analytics event specifications, dashboard structure, and success criteria - preventing feature factories and post-launch confusion about success.

The Problem

Product managers struggle to define what success means before launching features. They often write output-focused OKRs ("ship feature X") instead of outcome-focused goals ("increase user behavior Y"), pick vanity metrics that don't predict business outcomes, set targets without baselines or benchmarks, and lack structured measurement plans. This leads to 'feature factories' that ship outputs without measuring impact, post-launch debates about whether features succeeded, and wasted development cycles.

The Solution

This skill applies outcome-driven product thinking to first define clear business objectives and key results (OKRs) that measure behavior change rather than feature completion. Then it applies AARRR (Pirate Metrics), leading vs. lagging indicator frameworks, and SMART goal principles to recommend appropriate metrics for measuring those outcomes. It researches current industry benchmarks, distinguishes vanity metrics from meaningful business indicators, provides baseline and target-setting formulas with calculation examples, and creates detailed measurement plans including analytics events, dashboard structure, review cadence, and success/iteration/rollback criteria. The key principle: define the outcome FIRST (what business/user value you're creating), then design metrics to measure that outcome.

How It Works

  1. 1 Part 1: Define Outcome-Focused OKRs - Understand feature context and identify primary business goal from AARRR framework
  2. 2 Part 1: Craft outcome-focused Objective statement that describes user/business outcomes (not the feature itself)
  3. 3 Part 1: Define 2-4 outcome-based Key Results that measure behavior change (not feature completion) with leading/lagging classification
  4. 4 Part 1: Document complete OKR with output traps avoided and validation that Key Results measure business value
  5. 5 Part 2: Design Metrics - Identify primary North Star metric that directly measures a Key Result from the OKR
  6. 6 Part 2: Define 2-4 secondary metrics that measure other Key Results, with vanity metric warnings and OKR connections
  7. 7 Part 2: Research industry benchmarks using WebSearch for recent 2024-2025 data from reputable sources
  8. 8 Part 2: Create measurement plan with analytics events, dashboard structure (including OKR progress section), and daily/weekly/monthly review cadence
  9. 9 Part 2: Define success criteria tied directly to OKR Key Results with specific thresholds for success, iteration triggers, and rollback conditions

What You'll Need

  • Feature description with expected behavior change
  • Product type (B2B SaaS, B2C app, marketplace, etc.)
  • Target user segment characteristics
  • Business goal from AARRR framework or assistance identifying it (acquisition, activation, retention, revenue, referral)

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