Launch Metrics
Position in workflow: v0.9 GTM Strategy → v0.9 Launch Metrics → v0.9 Feedback Loop Setup
Execution Mode
Default is standard. See .claude/rules/08-skill-execution-modes.md for selection logic.
| Mode | What this skill produces |
|---|---|
| quick | 3 KPIs (one each for Reach/Acquisition/Activation); Day 7 targets; basic dashboard |
| standard | Full funnel (Reach → Referral); Day 1/7/30 targets; dashboards + alerts |
| deep | Full funnel + tier targets + Day 1/7/30/90 + product-type calibration + cohort analysis |
Consumes
This skill requires prior work from v0.3-v0.9:
- KPI-* outcome entries from v0.3 (from v0.3 Outcome Definition) — Baseline KPI- entries define success metrics for the product; launch-specific KPI- entries are calibrated variants
- GTM-* campaign specifications (from v0.9 GTM Strategy) — GTM channels inform launch-specific KPI- tracking (e.g., Product Hunt channel → KPI for PH-originated signups); timeline defines metric collection windows (Day 1, Day 7, Day 30, Day 90)
- BR-* product type (from v0.2 Product Type Classification) — Product type (Clone/Unbundle/Undercut/Slice/Innovation) determines metric targets and benchmarks (Fast Follow = higher activation expected, lower retention)
- CFD-* market benchmarks (from v0.1-v0.2 research) — Competitive analysis and market data inform realistic KPI- targets (e.g., "developer tools average 30-50% activation")
- DEP-* deployment infrastructure (from v0.8 Release Planning) — Deployment baselines from staging inform KPI- thresholds (e.g., error rate baseline → activation threshold)
- MON-* monitoring setup (from v0.8 Monitoring Setup) — Infrastructure metrics (latency, error rate) inform KPI- dashboards and alert conditions during launch
This skill assumes GTM- entries are complete and tracking infrastructure is configured.
Produces
This skill creates/updates:
- KPI-* launch-specific entries (launch metrics with targets and thresholds) — Funnel metrics (Reach → Acquisition → Activation → Retention → Revenue → Referral) with Day 1/7/30/90 targets, action thresholds (Red/Yellow/Green), and channel attribution
- Launch dashboard specification — Visual layout and refresh rate for real-time launch monitoring; links KPI- to MON- infrastructure
- Metric tracking schema — Event definitions and tracking setup for conversion funnel
All KPI- entries for launch are measurement specifications, not confidence-based. They are:
- Actionable (Red/Yellow/Green thresholds trigger specific responses)
- Calibrated (targets account for product type and market benchmarks from CFD-)
- Traceable (each KPI- links to GTM- channels and v0.3 baseline KPI-XX)
- Measurable (specific event tracking, data sources, calculation formulas)
- Time-bound (explicit timeframes: Day 1, Week 1, Month 1)
Example KPI- entries:
markdownKPI-101: Website Visitors (Launch Week) Tier: Tier 3 (Leading) Category: Reach Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Growth Team Definition: Unique visitors to marketing website from all GTM- channels Unit: count Source: Google Analytics 4 / Plausible Targets: Day 1: 5,000 (from GTM-002 PH expectations + GTM-007 paid channel) Day 7: 25,000 (cumulative from all GTM channels) Day 30: 50,000 (post-launch momentum) Day 90: 100,000 Evidence: CFD-025 (competitor benchmarks show 5-10% market awareness for Fast Follow), CFD-008 (our GTM reach model projects this based on channel scale) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow — higher reach expected due to known category Tracking: Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Reach panel Alert: <1,000 on Day 1 (channel distribution problem) Action Thresholds: Red: <2,500 Day 7 (channel underperformance) Yellow: <20,000 Day 7 (80% of target) Green: >25,000 Day 7 GTM Connection: GTM-002 (Product Hunt), GTM-007 (Website), GTM-008 (Paid ads), GTM-010 (Email) v0.3 KPI Link: N/A (launch-specific) --- KPI-102: Trial Signups Tier: Tier 2 (Conversion) Category: Acquisition Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Product Team Definition: Completed signup flow (email verified, profile created) Unit: count Source: Application database + Mixpanel Targets: Day 1: 500 (5-10% conversion from reach) Day 7: 2,000 (extrapolated from Day 1 + momentum) Day 30: 5,000 (post-launch plateau) Day 90: 15,000 (month 3 growth) Evidence: CFD-030 (developer SaaS benchmarks show 5-10% landing-to-signup), CFD-031 (our onboarding tested with 8% conversion) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow = 8-10% expected (higher than average because users understand category) Tracking: Event: signup_completed { source, campaign_id, user_segment } Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Acquisition panel Alert: Conversion rate <5% Action Thresholds: Red: <100 Day 1 (messaging/channel mismatch — escalate GTM) Yellow: <400 Day 1 (funnel friction — investigate landing page) Green: >500 Day 1 GTM Connection: GTM-002, GTM-004 (Landing Page), GTM-005 (Email), GTM-008 (Ads) v0.3 KPI Link: KPI-001 (Trial Signups baseline from Outcome Definition) --- KPI-103: Activation Rate (First Value Achievement) Tier: Tier 1 (Critical) Category: Activation Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Product Team Definition: % of signups who complete first core action (generate code suggestion) within 24h Unit: percentage Source: Mixpanel + Application events Targets: Day 1: 40% (from CFD-035 developer tool benchmarks) Day 7: 45% (slight improvement with onboarding refinement) Day 30: 50% (post-launch optimizations) Day 90: 55% (mature product experience) Evidence: CFD-035 (activation benchmarks for dev tools: 30-50%), CFD-015 (our UJ-001 usability test showed 45% completed core action) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow = higher baseline (users already understand AI coding assists) Tracking: Event: first_value_achieved { user_id, action_type, time_to_value_seconds } Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Activation panel Alert: Drops below 30% (onboarding broken) Action Thresholds: Red: <25% (product experience broken — pause marketing, investigate UJ-001) Yellow: <35% (friction in onboarding — iterate SCR-001/002) Green: >45% (strong PMF signal) GTM Connection: Quality indicator for all GTM- channels (tells us if messaging matches product) v0.3 KPI Link: KPI-002 (Activation Rate from Outcome Definition) --- KPI-104: Day 7 Retention Tier: Tier 1 (Critical) Category: Retention Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Product Team Definition: % of Day 0 signups who return and take an action on Day 7 Unit: percentage Source: Mixpanel cohort analysis Targets: Day 7: 25% (from CFD-040 B2B SaaS benchmarks) Day 30: 20% of original (cohort retention) Day 90: 15% of original (monthly cohort) Evidence: CFD-040 (B2B SaaS D7 retention benchmarks 20-30%), CFD-015 (our beta test: 22% D7 retention with 50 users) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow = critical (users can easily switch back to competitors) — retention signal validates PMF Tracking: Event: session_start { user_id, cohort_day } Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Retention panel Alert: Day 7 retention <15% (fundamental problem) Action Thresholds: Red: <15% (product-market fit issue — consider pivot in features, messaging) Yellow: <20% (value delivery problem — investigate UJ-/feature completeness) Green: >30% (strong retention, ready for growth) GTM Connection: Quality indicator for all GTM- channels v0.3 KPI Link: KPI-003 (Retention Rate from Outcome Definition)
Core Concept: Metrics as North Star
Launch metrics are not vanity numbers—they are decision criteria. Each metric should answer: "Is this working? Should we double down or pivot?" If a metric doesn't inform action, don't track it.
Metric Layers for Launch
| Layer | What to Measure | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | How many saw us | Day 0-7 |
| Acquisition | How many signed up | Day 0-30 |
| Activation | How many got value | Day 1-14 |
| Retention | How many came back | Week 2-4 |
| Revenue | How many paid | Week 2-8 |
| Referral | How many shared | Week 3+ |
Execution
-
Review v0.3 Outcome Definition KPIs
- What KPI- entries exist from v0.3?
- Which are most relevant for launch?
- What launch-specific metrics are needed?
-
Define launch-specific metrics
- Channel performance (per GTM-)
- Funnel progression
- Activation milestones
- Early retention signals
-
Set targets per timeframe
- Day 1, Day 7, Day 30, Day 90
- Tie to product type expectations (from v0.2 BR-)
-
Configure tracking infrastructure
- Analytics platforms
- Event schemas
- Dashboard setup
-
Create visibility
- Daily launch dashboard
- Weekly metrics review
- Automated alerts for thresholds
-
Create/Update KPI- entries for launch
KPI- Output Template (Launch Variant)
KPI-XXX: [Launch Metric Name] Tier: [Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3] Category: [Reach | Acquisition | Activation | Retention | Revenue | Referral] Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: [Who monitors this metric] Definition: [Exact calculation formula] Unit: [count | percentage | currency | ratio] Source: [Where data comes from] Targets: Day 1: [target] Day 7: [target] Day 30: [target] Day 90: [target] Evidence: [CFD-XXX or benchmark that justifies targets] Product Type Calibration: [How product type affects expectations] Tracking: Event: [analytics event name if applicable] Dashboard: [Where to view this metric] Alert: [When to get notified] Action Thresholds: Red: [Below this = urgent intervention] Yellow: [Below this = investigate] Green: [Above this = on track] GTM Connection: [GTM-XXX channels this measures] v0.3 KPI Link: [KPI-YYY from Outcome Definition if applicable]
Example KPI- entries:
KPI-101: Website Visitors (Launch Week) Tier: Tier 3 (Leading) Category: Reach Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Growth Team Definition: Unique visitors to marketing site Unit: count Source: Google Analytics / Plausible Targets: Day 1: 5,000 Day 7: 25,000 Day 30: 50,000 Day 90: 100,000 Evidence: CFD-025 (competitor launch benchmarks) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow = higher baseline expected Tracking: Event: page_view (landing pages) Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Reach panel Alert: <1,000 on Day 1 Action Thresholds: Red: <2,500 Day 7 (50% of target) Yellow: <20,000 Day 7 (80% of target) Green: >25,000 Day 7 GTM Connection: GTM-002 (Product Hunt), GTM-007 (Website) v0.3 KPI Link: N/A (launch-specific)
KPI-102: Trial Signups Tier: Tier 2 (Conversion) Category: Acquisition Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Product Team Definition: Completed signup flow (email verified) Unit: count Source: Application database + Mixpanel Targets: Day 1: 500 Day 7: 2,000 Day 30: 5,000 Day 90: 15,000 Evidence: CFD-030 (industry signup rate benchmarks 5-10%) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow = 8-10% expected conversion Tracking: Event: signup_completed Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Acquisition panel Alert: Conversion rate <5% Action Thresholds: Red: <100 Day 1 (messaging/channel mismatch) Yellow: <400 Day 1 (funnel friction) Green: >500 Day 1 GTM Connection: GTM-002, GTM-004 (Landing Page) v0.3 KPI Link: KPI-001 (Trial Signups, general)
KPI-103: Activation Rate (First Value) Tier: Tier 1 (Critical) Category: Activation Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Product Team Definition: % of signups who complete first value action within 24h Unit: percentage Source: Mixpanel + Application events First Value Action: Complete first [core action - e.g., generate code suggestion] Targets: Day 1: 40% Day 7: 45% Day 30: 50% Day 90: 55% Evidence: CFD-035 (activation benchmarks for dev tools 30-50%) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow = higher baseline (users know the category) Tracking: Event: first_value_achieved Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Activation panel Alert: Drops below 30% Action Thresholds: Red: <25% (onboarding broken) Yellow: <35% (friction points) Green: >45% GTM Connection: Measures effectiveness of all GTM- channels v0.3 KPI Link: KPI-002 (Activation Rate, general)
KPI-104: Day 7 Retention Tier: Tier 1 (Critical) Category: Retention Stage: Launch (v0.9) Owner: Product Team Definition: % of Day 0 signups who return on Day 7 Unit: percentage Source: Mixpanel cohort analysis Targets: Day 7: 25% Day 30: 20% (of Day 0) Day 90: 15% (of Day 0) Evidence: CFD-040 (B2B SaaS retention benchmarks) Product Type Calibration: Fast Follow = retention critical (easy to switch back) Tracking: Event: session_start (Day 7 cohort) Dashboard: Launch Dashboard > Retention panel Alert: Day 7 retention <15% Action Thresholds: Red: <15% (critical product-market fit issue) Yellow: <20% (value delivery problem) Green: >30% (strong PMF signal) GTM Connection: Quality indicator for all GTM- traffic v0.3 KPI Link: KPI-003 (Retention Rate, general)
The Launch Funnel
Track conversion at each stage:
REACH → ACQUISITION → ACTIVATION → RETENTION → REVENUE → REFERRAL 100% 10% 50% 25% 20% 10%
| Stage | Key Metric | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Reach → Acquisition | Signup Rate | 5-15% |
| Acquisition → Activation | Activation Rate | 30-60% |
| Activation → Retention | D7 Retention | 20-40% |
| Retention → Revenue | Conversion Rate | 2-10% |
| Revenue → Referral | NPS / Referral Rate | 10-30% |
Product Type Calibration
Expectations vary by product type (from v0.2 BR-):
| Product Type | Acquisition | Activation | Retention | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Follow | High (known category) | High (familiar UX) | Medium (easy to switch) | Quick |
| Slice | Medium (niche) | High (focused value) | High (workflow fit) | Medium |
| Innovation | Low (education needed) | Low (learning curve) | High (if activated) | Slow |
Tracking Infrastructure Checklist
| Component | Purpose | Tool Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Product Analytics | User behavior | Mixpanel, Amplitude, PostHog |
| Web Analytics | Traffic, sources | GA4, Plausible, Fathom |
| Event Tracking | Specific actions | Segment, custom events |
| Error Tracking | Failures, issues | Sentry, LogRocket |
| Session Recording | User experience | Hotjar, FullStory |
| A/B Testing | Experiments | LaunchDarkly, Statsig |
Event Schema for Launch
Define standard events for launch tracking:
# Acquisition Events signup_started: { source, campaign, referrer } signup_completed: { source, campaign, user_id } signup_abandoned: { step, source, reason } # Activation Events onboarding_started: { user_id } onboarding_step_completed: { user_id, step } first_value_achieved: { user_id, action, time_to_value } # Engagement Events feature_used: { user_id, feature, context } session_start: { user_id, day_number } session_end: { user_id, duration } # Conversion Events upgrade_started: { user_id, plan } payment_completed: { user_id, plan, amount }
Launch Dashboard Layout
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ LAUNCH DASHBOARD Last updated: [time] │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ REACH │ ACQUISITION │ ACTIVATION │ │ Visitors: X │ Signups: Y │ Activated: Z% │ │ Target: X │ Target: Y │ Target: Z% │ │ [trend chart] │ [trend chart] │ [trend chart] │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ RETENTION │ REVENUE │ CHANNELS │ │ D7: X% │ MRR: $Y │ Product Hunt: X │ │ Target: X% │ Target: $Y │ Direct: Y │ │ [cohort chart] │ [revenue chart] │ [breakdown chart] │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Anti-Patterns
| Pattern | Signal | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Vanity metrics only | Tracking visitors but not activation | Focus on funnel progression |
| No targets | "We got 1000 signups!" (is that good?) | Set explicit targets per timeframe |
| Lagging only | Only tracking revenue | Add leading indicators (activation) |
| No action thresholds | Metrics exist but no response plan | Define red/yellow/green zones |
| Over-instrumentation | 200 events, can't find signal | Focus on 10-15 key events |
| No attribution | Don't know which channel works | Track source for all signups |
Quality Gates
Before proceeding to Feedback Loop Setup:
- Launch funnel metrics defined (Reach → Referral)
- Targets set for Day 1, Day 7, Day 30
- Tracking infrastructure configured
- Launch dashboard created and accessible
- Action thresholds defined for critical metrics
- KPI- entries link to GTM- channels
- Product type calibration applied to targets
Downstream Connections
| Consumer | What It Uses | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Feedback Loop Setup | KPI- thresholds trigger feedback collection | KPI-103 <30% → investigate with CFD- |
| Daily Standup | KPI- dashboard for launch status | "Activation at 42%, on track" |
| Pivot Decisions | KPI- data informs strategy | KPI-104 <15% → fundamental problem |
| Investor Updates | KPI- for launch performance | "Day 30: 5000 signups, 45% activated" |
| v1.0 Planning | KPI- baselines for growth targets | KPI-102 baseline → 10% MoM growth |
Detailed References
- Metric definition examples: See
references/metric-examples.md - KPI- entry template: See
assets/kpi-launch-template.md - Dashboard design guide: See
references/dashboard-design.md - Event schema examples: See
references/event-schema.md

