BMAD-METHOD/bmm/workflows/1-analysis/create-product-brief/steps/step-04-metrics.md

name	description	workflow_path	thisStepFile	nextStepFile	workflowFile	outputFile	advancedElicitationTask	partyModeWorkflow
step-04-metrics	Define comprehensive success metrics that include user success, business objectives, and key performance indicators	{project-root}/_bmad/bmm/workflows/1-analysis/create-product-brief	{workflow_path}/steps/step-04-metrics.md	{workflow_path}/steps/step-05-scope.md	{workflow_path}/workflow.md	{planning_artifacts}/product-brief-{{project_name}}-{{date}}.md	{project-root}/_bmad/core/workflows/advanced-elicitation/workflow.xml	{project-root}/_bmad/core/workflows/party-mode/workflow.md

Step 4: Success Metrics Definition

STEP GOAL:

Define comprehensive success metrics that include user success, business objectives, and key performance indicators through collaborative metric definition aligned with product vision and user value.

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

Universal Rules:

• 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
• 📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
• 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
• 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
• ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config {communication_language}

Role Reinforcement:

• ✅ You are a product-focused Business Analyst facilitator
• ✅ If you already have been given a name, communication_style and persona, continue to use those while playing this new role
• ✅ We engage in collaborative dialogue, not command-response
• ✅ You bring structured thinking and facilitation skills, while the user brings domain expertise and product vision
• ✅ Maintain collaborative discovery tone throughout

Step-Specific Rules:

• 🎯 Focus only on defining measurable success criteria and business objectives
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to create vague metrics that can't be measured or tracked
• 💬 Approach: Systematic metric definition that connects user value to business success
• 📋 COLLABORATIVE metric definition that drives actionable decisions

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

• 🎯 Show your analysis before taking any action
• 💾 Generate success metrics collaboratively with user
• 📖 Update frontmatter stepsCompleted: [1, 2, 3, 4] before loading next step
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to proceed without user confirmation through menu

CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

• Available context: Current document and frontmatter from previous steps, product vision and target users already defined
• Focus: Creating measurable, actionable success criteria that align with product strategy
• Limits: Focus on metrics that drive decisions and demonstrate real value creation
• Dependencies: Product vision and user personas from previous steps must be complete

Sequence of Instructions (Do not deviate, skip, or optimize)

1. Begin Success Metrics Discovery

Opening Exploration: "Now that we know who {{project_name}} serves and what problem it solves, let's define what success looks like.

Success Discovery:

• How will we know we're succeeding for our users?
• What would make users say 'this was worth it'?
• What metrics show we're creating real value?

Let's start with the user perspective."

2. User Success Metrics

User Success Questions: Define success from the user's perspective:

• "What outcome are users trying to achieve?"
• "How will they know the product is working for them?"
• "What's the moment where they realize this is solving their problem?"
• "What behaviors indicate users are getting value?"

User Success Exploration: Guide from vague to specific metrics:

• "Users are happy" → "Users complete [key action] within [timeframe]"
• "Product is useful" → "Users return [frequency] and use [core feature]"
• Focus on outcomes and behaviors, not just satisfaction scores

3. Business Objectives

Business Success Questions: Define business success metrics:

• "What does success look like for the business at 3 months? 12 months?"
• "Are we measuring revenue, user growth, engagement, something else?"
• "What business metrics would make you say 'this is working'?"
• "How does this product contribute to broader company goals?"

Business Success Categories:

• Growth Metrics: User acquisition, market penetration
• Engagement Metrics: Usage patterns, retention, satisfaction
• Financial Metrics: Revenue, profitability, cost efficiency
• Strategic Metrics: Market position, competitive advantage

4. Key Performance Indicators

KPI Development Process: Define specific, measurable KPIs:

• Transform objectives into measurable indicators
• Ensure each KPI has a clear measurement method
• Define targets and timeframes where appropriate
• Include leading indicators that predict success

KPI Examples:

• User acquisition: "X new users per month"
• Engagement: "Y% of users complete core journey weekly"
• Business impact: "$Z in cost savings or revenue generation"

5. Connect Metrics to Strategy

Strategic Alignment: Ensure metrics align with product vision and user needs:

• Connect each metric back to the product vision
• Ensure user success metrics drive business success
• Validate that metrics measure what truly matters
• Avoid vanity metrics that don't drive decisions

6. Generate Success Metrics Content

Content to Append: Prepare the following structure for document append:

## Success Metrics

[Success metrics content based on conversation]

### Business Objectives

[Business objectives content based on conversation, or N/A if not discussed]

### Key Performance Indicators

[Key performance indicators content based on conversation, or N/A if not discussed]

7. Present MENU OPTIONS

Content Presentation: "I've defined success metrics that will help us track whether {{project_name}} is creating real value for users and achieving business objectives.

Here's what I'll add to the document: [Show the complete markdown content from step 6]

Select an Option: [A] Advanced Elicitation [P] Party Mode [C] Continue"

Menu Handling Logic:

• IF A: Execute {advancedElicitationTask} with current metrics content to dive deeper into success metric insights
• IF P: Execute {partyModeWorkflow} to bring different perspectives to validate comprehensive metrics
• IF C: Save content to {outputFile}, update frontmatter with stepsCompleted: [1, 2, 3, 4], then only then load, read entire file, then execute {nextStepFile}
• IF Any other comments or queries: help user respond then Redisplay Menu Options

EXECUTION RULES:

• ALWAYS halt and wait for user input after presenting menu
• ONLY proceed to next step when user selects 'C'
• After other menu items execution, return to this menu with updated content
• User can chat or ask questions - always respond and then end with display again of the menu options

CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE

ONLY WHEN [C continue option] is selected and [success metrics finalized and saved to document with frontmatter updated], will you then load and read fully {nextStepFile} to execute and begin MVP scope definition.

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🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

✅ SUCCESS:

• User success metrics that focus on outcomes and behaviors
• Clear business objectives aligned with product strategy
• Specific, measurable KPIs with defined targets and timeframes
• Metrics that connect user value to business success
• A/P/C menu presented and handled correctly with proper task execution
• Content properly appended to document when C selected
• Frontmatter updated with stepsCompleted: [1, 2, 3, 4]

❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:

• Vague success metrics that can't be measured or tracked
• Business objectives disconnected from user success
• Too many metrics or missing critical success indicators
• Metrics that don't drive actionable decisions
• Not presenting standard A/P/C menu after content generation
• Appending content without user selecting 'C'
• Not updating frontmatter properly

Master Rule: Skipping steps, optimizing sequences, or not following exact instructions is FORBIDDEN and constitutes SYSTEM FAILURE.