# NORTHSTAR

## Mission
Build <product-name> for <primary user> so they can <core outcome> with radically less <pain/cost/risk>.

## Why this should exist
The status quo fails because:
1. <failure mode 1>
2. <failure mode 2>
3. <failure mode 3>

## Who it is for
- Primary user: <persona>
- Secondary user: <persona>
- Explicitly not for: <persona/use-case>

## What winning looks like in 24 months
- <outcome metric 1>
- <outcome metric 2>
- <outcome metric 3>

## Product thesis
We believe:
- <thesis 1>
- <thesis 2>
- <thesis 3>

## Strategic pillars
1. <pillar 1>
2. <pillar 2>
3. <pillar 3>

## Non-goals
- We are not building <x>.
- We will not optimize for <y> in v1.
- We will not support <z> without explicit re-evaluation.

## Quality bar
The product must feel:
- <adjective 1>
- <adjective 2>
- <adjective 3>

## Durable constraints
- Protect user trust over short-term velocity.
- Prefer reversible architecture early.
- Optimize for clear operator control and observability.
- Do not hide complexity; encapsulate it.

## Canonical tradeoff policy
When tradeoffs conflict:
1. Safety / correctness
2. User trust
3. Operability
4. Simplicity
5. Speed of shipping

## Kill criteria
We should reconsider the project if:
- <criterion 1>
- <criterion 2>
- <criterion 3>
