Framework · Measurement · Actionable Gamification
North Star Metric and input metrics
One rate, count or ratio that captures the value customers get and leads sustainable business results, with 3-5 input metrics the team can move week to week. Pick the game first (attention, transaction or productivity) and check the candidate against a 7-point list. A practitioner framework.
Plain label: one value metric plus its inputsAlso known as: NSM, North Star Framework, input metrics, the game
Seven checks. A good North Star expresses customer value, reflects the strategy, leads revenue rather than lagging it, is actionable, is understandable to non-technical partners, is measurable, and is not a vanity count such as registered users or page views. Framing is complete when a candidate passes at least 5 of the 7.
The game. Attention (more willing time), transaction (more completed purchases or bookings) or productivity (jobs done efficiently, where less time can be better).
Inputs. Breadth (how many do the value action), depth (how much), frequency (how often) and efficiency (how quickly), written as a hypothesis: the North Star is a function of these inputs.
When to change it. Early teams revisit it every 6-12 months, established ones every 1-3 years. At Mature and Stalled, re-validate it before acting on a decline.
Psychology link. Chou's Strategy Dashboard starts from ranked business metrics and maps each Desired Action to a Win-State. OCT-M03 (Actionable Gamification Ch.17, p.463)
Limits
What we don’t claim
- Octalysis is a practitioner framework built from observing games, not a validated scientific model.Actionable Gamification Ch.15, pp.399-400
Sources
Actionable Gamification · Yu-kai Chou
Ch.17, p.463
The North Star Playbook · Amplitude
Benchmark confidence B. A reputable dataset.
Source IDs: OCT-M03
Book content is paraphrased, never quoted at length. Last verified October 24, 2026.
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