Kill Criteria & Exit Ramps

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Upfront Kill Criteria (Before Launch)

When: Starting new project, experiment, or product

Process: (1) Define success metrics ("10% conversion"), (2) Set time horizon ("6 months"), (3) Establish kill criteria ("If <5% after 6 months, kill"), (4) Assign decision rights (specific person), (5) Document formally (signed PRD)

Example: New feature — Success: 20% adoption in 3 months, Kill: <10% adoption, Decision: Product VP makes call

Pattern 2: Go/No-Go Gates (Milestone-Based)

When: Multi-stage projects with increasing investment

Structure: Stage 1 (cheap, concept) → Go/No-Go → Stage 2 (moderate, MVP) → Go/No-Go → Stage 3 (expensive, launch) → Go/No-Go