Measurement should change decisions.
A dashboard is not a measurement strategy. The test is whether the information changes what the business does next.
Start with the commercial question
Before selecting metrics, decide what the business is trying to learn. Which channel produces the highest-quality customers? Where does the funnel lose intent? Which segment deserves more budget? Which lifecycle intervention changes retention?
Connect the funnel
Acquisition cost without conversion quality is incomplete. Lead volume without sales progression is incomplete. Retention without acquisition source can hide structural differences in customer quality.
Make metrics actionable
Each important metric should have an owner, a review cadence and an implied decision. If nobody knows what would change when the number moves, the metric is probably decorative.
Accept imperfect attribution
Attribution will never remove all uncertainty. The goal is not mathematical theatre. It is a sufficiently reliable view to make better investment decisions.