PM frameworks and metrics—MVP, PMF, OKRs, unit economics. 24 patterns for building products users want.
Product management patterns help founders make better product decisions. These 24 patterns cover MVP (minimum viable product), product-market fit (PMF), north star metrics, OKRs (goals), user personas, value propositions, unit economics (LTV/CAC), churn, retention, A/B testing, and prioritization frameworks (ICE, RICE). Start with PMF—nothing else matters until you have it.
An MVP is the simplest version of your product that solves the core problem. Learn how to build MVPs that validate ideas without wasting time.
Product-Market Fit is when customers love your product and tell others. Learn how to know when you've found PMF and how to get there.
Your North Star Metric is the single number that best captures customer value. Learn how to find and track your startup's North Star.
OKRs are a goal-setting framework used by Google and startups. Learn how to write effective OKRs that align teams and drive results.
User personas are fictional profiles of your ideal customers. Learn how to create actionable personas based on real user research.
The Value Proposition Canvas maps customer jobs, pains, and gains to your product. Learn how to use it to sharpen your value prop.
Unit economics show if each customer is profitable (LTV > CAC). Learn how to calculate and improve unit economics for sustainable growth.
A competitive moat is what prevents competitors from eating your lunch. Learn the types of moats and how to build defensibility.
Churn rate is the percentage of customers who stop using your product. Learn how to calculate, reduce, and benchmark churn.
DAU/MAU ratio measures daily vs monthly active users. Learn what good engagement looks like and how to improve stickiness.
Time to Value (TTV) is how fast users get value from your product. Learn how to reduce TTV and improve activation rates.
Feature flags let you deploy code but control who sees new features. Learn how to use feature flags for testing and gradual rollouts.
Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) focuses on why customers "hire" your product. Learn how to uncover the real job your product does.
ICE Score (Impact, Confidence, Ease) helps prioritize features. Learn how to use ICE scoring to decide what to build next.
RICE Score (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) helps product teams prioritize features objectively. Learn how to calculate and use RICE.
Retention rate measures how many users come back. Learn how to calculate retention, why it matters, and how to improve it.
TAM is the total revenue opportunity if you captured 100% of your market. Learn how to calculate TAM for fundraising and strategy.
LTV is the total profit a customer generates over their lifetime. Learn how to calculate LTV and use it for growth decisions.
CAC is how much you spend to acquire a customer. Learn how to calculate CAC, reduce it, and optimize LTV/CAC ratio.
A/B testing shows variant A to 50% of users, variant B to 50%, and measures which performs better. Learn how to run valid A/B tests.
Product-Market Risk is building something nobody wants. Learn how to de-risk your startup idea before wasting time building.
Diminishing returns means each additional unit of effort produces less result. Learn when to stop optimizing and move to new opportunities.
Sustainability risk is whether your business can survive long-term. Learn how to spot and mitigate sustainability risks early.
The Sniff Test is a quick reality check: does this idea pass basic common sense? Learn how to quickly spot bad ideas.