What is the North Star & Drivers Workflow?
The North Star Framework helps you define your primary KPI — your “North Star” — and map the underlying metrics that drive it. It reveals how daily efforts connect to long-term success, creating a shared language across teams.
This workflow transforms your metric ecosystem from a flat dashboard into a causal model — a map of how your business actually grows.
Why It Matters
Dashboards show what’s happening. Driver maps show why. By identifying key influences on your North Star metric, you can:
- Focus investment on high-leverage drivers
- Align teams behind a shared success framework
- Detect when early signals predict future performance
How It Works
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Define Your North Star Metric Choose the single KPI that best represents long-term success (e.g., retention, revenue, active users).
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Add Supporting Metrics List the input and outcome metrics that influence or enable the North Star.
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Connect Metrics Use directional relationships (drives, enables, depends_on) to map causal flow.
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Run Driver Analysis Quantify which metrics have the most statistical influence on your North Star.
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Refine and Monitor Adjust relationships as data evolves — turning the map into a living decision tool.
What You’ll Get
- Metric influence hierarchy showing which drivers matter most
- Driver impact strength and contribution scores
- Early warning signals for performance changes
- System view of your growth mechanics
Best Practices
- Keep the model simple at first — start with 5–8 key drivers.
- Focus on influence, not correlation — relationships should make logical sense.
- Review quarterly to capture evolving system dynamics.
- Use results to guide bets, not just interpret outcomes.
Summary
The North Star & Drivers Workflow gives teams clarity on what truly drives success. It connects metrics into a coherent system, aligning execution and measurement under one shared direction.