Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification
Tests product metrics — choosing a north star, input metrics, AARRR, HEART, leading vs lagging indicators, guardrails, cohorts and avoiding vanity metrics. Pass to earn Product Metrics and North Star Metrics SOA-PMNS.
- Intermediate difficulty.Assumes hands-on experience in the role.
- 15 scenario questions
- 15 minutes, timed
- 70% to pass · 90% for distinction
- Free no sign-up needed
- LinkedIn-ready · add it to your profile in one clickSee how ↓
What is the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification?
The Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification is a free 15-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests product metrics — choosing a north star, input metrics, AARRR, HEART, leading vs lagging indicators, guardrails, cohorts and avoiding vanity metrics. Score 70% or more on its 15 questions to earn a verifiable Product Metrics and North Star Metrics certificate (SOA-PMNS). Every question is based on published standards and research — including The North Star Playbook (Amplitude), Trustworthy Online Controlled Experiments (Kohavi, Tang & Xu), Retention (PostHog) — and each answer is explained with its source.
Built for your job title
Product manager, Product analyst, Growth PM, Founder and Head of product — and anyone who wants quick, verifiable proof of Product Metrics and North Star Metrics skills for a CV or LinkedIn.
- Product manager
- Product analyst
- Growth PM
- Founder
- Head of product
Land the job, not just the certificate
Career guide · 8 min readProduct metrics skills employers want in 2027: north star metrics, input metrics, AARRR, HEART, leading and lagging indicators, guardrails and cohorts
Product metrics skills employers want in 2027: north star and input metrics, AARRR, HEART, leading vs lagging, guardrails, cohorts and vanity metrics.
Read the hiring playbook →What the test covers
Three skill areas with 5 questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area, so a retake brings questions you haven't seen.
- 01
Choosing metrics
33%- North star
- Input metrics
- Frameworks: AARRR, HEART
- 02
Using metrics
33%- Leading vs lagging
- Guardrails
- Avoiding vanity metrics
- 03
Analytics practice
33%- Event tracking
- Cohorts and retention analysis
- Experiment metrics
Based on published standards
The questions are original scenarios, and each one names the public standard, official guide or research it draws on — shown under the question while you answer, and linked in your review. These are the sources behind this test:
- The North Star PlaybookAmplitude6 questions
- Trustworthy Online Controlled ExperimentsKohavi, Tang & Xu6 questions
- RetentionPostHog5 questions
- Measuring the User Experience on a Large Scale (HEART framework)Google Research4 questions
- Product analytics docsPostHog3 questions
- DAMA Data Management Body of KnowledgeDAMA International1 question
- How to find your activation metricPostHog1 question
- OKR meaning, definition and examplesWhat Matters (John Doerr)1 question
- Customer service skillsZendesk1 question
- Events in Google Analytics 4Google Analytics Help1 question
- FunnelsPostHog1 question
Try a sample question
Which is a vanity metric?
- Weekly retained users
- Activation rate
- Net revenue retention
- Total registered users ever
Show the answer
D. Total registered users ever — Cumulative totals rarely inform decisions. The real test has 15 questions like this.
How the test works
15 minutes, 15 questions
One question per screen, with a progress bar and a countdown. Your progress is saved on this device if you need to pause.
Graded on our server
Answers reach the page only after you submit, so the certificate can only be earned by passing.
Every answer explained
Pass or not, you see every question with the right answer, why, and the source behind it. Pass mark 70%, distinction 90%.
Your certificate
Founder-signed, with a QR code and credential ID. Download PDF or PNG, add to LinkedIn, and it's emailed to you.
What you earn

Pass, then add it to LinkedIn in one click
No typing. The Add to LinkedIn button opens your profile’s Licenses & certifications form already filled in: the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and a link recruiters can use to verify it.
- 1Take the 15-minute test
- 2Score 70% or more
- 3Click Add to LinkedIn

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Frequently asked questions
What is the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification?
The Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification is a free 15-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests product metrics — choosing a north star, input metrics, AARRR, HEART, leading vs lagging indicators, guardrails, cohorts and avoiding vanity metrics. Score 70% or more on its 15 questions to earn a verifiable Product Metrics and North Star Metrics certificate (SOA-PMNS). Every question is based on published standards and research — including The North Star Playbook (Amplitude), Trustworthy Online Controlled Experiments (Kohavi, Tang & Xu), Retention (PostHog) — and each answer is explained with its source.
How do I take the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification for free?
Read the three skill areas on this page, then take the 15-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Product Metrics and North Star Metrics certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.
Are the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification questions based on real standards?
Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: The North Star Playbook (Amplitude); Trustworthy Online Controlled Experiments (Kohavi, Tang & Xu); Retention (PostHog); Measuring the User Experience on a Large Scale (HEART framework) (Google Research); Product analytics docs (PostHog); DAMA Data Management Body of Knowledge (DAMA International). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.
What does the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification cover?
Three skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Choosing metrics (North star, Input metrics, Frameworks: AARRR and HEART); Using metrics (Leading vs lagging, Guardrails and Avoiding vanity metrics); Analytics practice (Event tracking, Cohorts and retention analysis and Experiment metrics). Every question is an original scenario based on a published standard, official documentation or research, named under the question.
Who should take the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification?
Product manager, Product analyst, Growth PM, Founder and Head of product. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Product Metrics and North Star Metrics skills, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.
Can I take the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification from any country?
Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.
How long is the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification?
15 questions — 5 from each of 3 skill areas — with a 15-minute limit. You need 70% (11 of 15) to pass and 90% for distinction.
How hard is the Product Metrics and North Star Metrics Certification?
We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 15 scenario questions — 5 from each of 3 skill areas — and a 15-minute limit. You need 70% (11 of 15) to pass and 90% for distinction.
How do I prepare for a Product manager job?
Employers in 2027 want product people who measure the right things: a north star metric that captures customer value, input metrics teams can influence, frameworks like AARRR and HEART, leading and lagging indicators, guardrail metrics that catch harm, and cohort analysis instead of misleading averages. Good metrics drive good decisions; vanity metrics hide problems. Practise on a real product and verify with a free 15-minute test. Our full career guide covers the hiring process, interview loop, pay and a prep plan: scienceofapps.com/blog/product-metrics-career-guide/
How much do Science of Apps certifications cost?
Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.
How are the tests graded?
On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.
What happens if I don't pass?
You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.
Do the certificates expire?
No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.
Can I add the certificate to LinkedIn?
Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.
How can an employer verify my certificate?
Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.
Are these accredited qualifications?
No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.
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Read before you test
- Career guidesProduct metrics skills employers want in 2027: north star metrics, input metrics, AARRR, HEART, leading and lagging indicators, guardrails and cohortsProduct metrics skills employers want in 2027: north star and input metrics, AARRR, HEART, leading vs lagging, guardrails, cohorts and vanity metrics.
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