This document provides an introduction to Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). It defines OKRs, discusses their benefits, and offers best practices for implementing them. OKRs help companies set clear goals and track progress towards objectives. The document outlines that OKRs have both qualitative objectives and quantitative key results, and should be bottom-up defined as well as top-down aligned. Common OKR cadences and some examples from successful companies like Google and Spotify are also presented. The document concludes by offering next steps for getting started with OKRs, such as scoping an OKR project and piloting the rollout.
2. Quick Survey
Why OKRs? What is your company’s top
most priority in the ongoing
quarter?
Not more than one line :)
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3. Quick Survey
Why OKRs?
If most of your team members
answered this question differently,
definitely there is a lack of direction.
This is where OKRs will provide clarity
to the entire company.
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5. Discussion Document your expectations from the OKR process adoption.
In fact, set OKRs for the OKR project & track their progress.
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6. What are
OKRs?
Andy Grove, Intel CEO, High Output Management
▪ Where do we want to go? (Objective)
▪ How will we pace ourselves to see if we are getting there (Key Results)
Objective is
▪ Aspirational
▪ Engaging
▪ Qualitative
Key Result is
▪ Quantitative
▪ Focused - not a to do list
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8. Some of the OKR features that are, at times, too much
talked about at the cost of others.
OKRs are
NOT ONLY
Top-Down Aligned
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Numbers Focused
9. OKR methodology tends to be ineffective if it does not
inherit these virtues.
OKRs are
ALSO
Bottom-Up Defined
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Inspiring Public
10. 2 types of
Key Results
VALUE BASED
Measure outcomes of activities, how
the activities are delivering value.
Example- Increase redemption % of
points to expire from 45 to 55
▪ Result focused culture, not task
focused
▪ Definition of success - improve
something, not ‘do something’
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ACTIVITY BASED
Measure completion of activities & tasks.
Example- Execute marketing campaigns
for APAC customers
Convert an activity into value
▪ What do we intend to achieve by
doing this activity
11. Benefits of OKRs 1. Less time spent on setting goals
2. Engagement due to participatory
nature of process
a. Autonomy & accountability
3. Focus due to less number of
OKRs
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The list of OKR benefits is a long one.
The one on the right is more with
regards to the JPPL context.
12. The RIGHT
OKR
Cadence?
Usual approach is to adopt dual cadence to separate strategic & tactical OKRs
▪ Company OKRs usually have a longer shelf life (since they are mostly
strategic in nature)
▪ Team & Individual OKRs are revisited at a higher frequency (from every
month to every six months)
- E.g. For a startup who is trying to achieve product-market fit,
monthly OKRs tend to be efficient
- E.g. For a company that is already serving a long list of customers,
quarterly cadence turns out well
Key questions to answer while deciding the cadence
▪ How frequently the strategy needs to change - this will be relevant to
the industry vertical
▪ How frequently the tactics need to change - relevant to the stage of the
company
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13. “
Teams tend to assume that things are
impossible, rather than figuring out
what is actually possible.
It’s why we’ve put so much energy
into hiring independent thinkers at
Google, & setting big goals.
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16. Possible
options
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OKR progress
shouldn’t factor in
compensation
If at all, use OKR
grades as inputs for
revisions
It may sound a bit
subjective, but the
comments/feedback
on OKRs at the time
of grading are a
great source of
input
Difficulty of OKRs &
their impact on the
business
OKR & Annual
Reviews
17. Common
Mistakes
Too many objectives or too
many key results
Setting up vague key results Only Top-down approach is
not OKRs
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Not making your day to day
workflow accommodate OKRs
Blindly copying someone else’s
methodology
Tasks are not key results
19. OKR
Flavours Google
Annual strategic cadence,
quarterly tactical cadence.
Larry & Sergey’s goals are
available for anyone to see
within the company.
Executives also own a bunch of
individual OKRs, not just
company OKRs.
Spotify
No individual OKRs. Corporate
level OKRs are set more
frequently & thus changing
everything up to the individual
level every time there is a
change in corporate OKR,
didn’t make much sense.
Company OKRs define the
WHY & Team OKRs identify
HOW.
Spotify Rhythm.
Sears
People can opt-in to use OKRs.
It is not mandatory for
everyone. And Q over Q, they
see about 60-75%
participation.
There is a Sears webinar on
youtube, if you are interested.
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20. OKRs for
Projects &
BAU Cases
Keep in mind that OKRs should
comprise of ‘Key’ Results.
Not every day to day activity is
supposed to be covered by OKRs.
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21. Next Steps
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- Create a publicly available documentation space
- Scope your OKR project
- Finalise OKRs for your OKR project
- Pilot Rollout
- Draft OKRs
O - Implement a goal setting process that helps employees become more productive
KR 1 - OKRs implemented org wide by end of Q3
KR 2 - Document at least 5 positive experiences by employees that are specifically related to increase in productivity
O - Increase platform engagement
KR 1 - Go-live 2 highest voted features
KR 2 - Track changes in metric - no of OKRs graded/quarter/user
KR 3 - Increase no of daily active users from 47% to 65%