How To Write Objective and Key Results — Practical Examples

Everybody is talking about OKRs, how Google used them to grow, how powerful they are to keep the organization aligned and focus on what matters.

(If you missed this, you can read: Boost your growth with OKRs)

An issue still prevents many companies from successfully implement OKRs and reap rewards like all the big successful companies (Google, Intel, Netflix…). The fact is, defining good OKRs is very difficult. Sometimes we write key results as objectives, tasks as key results.

We really don’t know what to put in each part. But, writing OKRs should not be as complicated as a Rubik’s cube. Here is the right guidance with tips and examples, which can help you to easily set efficient OKRs without mistakes.

What do you have to accomplish?

The answer to this question is the objective. It must be ambitious and qualitative but precise and attainable too.

Strive to never set an irrealistic and imprecise objective.

A bad objective is “Make a lot of money” whereas you can say “Grow revenue by 15%”.

How are you going to get that done?

The answer to this question is the key results. The key results need to be quantifiable and measurable by a specific metric.

Key results usually start with verbs like launch, create, develop, deliver, build, make, implement, define, release, test, prepare and plan. [1]

Most times, your key results are going to be a specific metric and a value to reach. For example:

• Get 50 new paying users
• Increase user retention from 40% to 75%
• Reduce churn rate by 2%

Examples of OKRs

Company OKRs

Objective: Increase company revenue by 10%

Key results :

• Reduce churn rate to 5%
• Get 1 solution before the end of the first month to successfully onboard and discuss with clients
• Get 50 new customers by end of Q2

CEO OKRs

Objective: Improve our company reputation

Key results :

• Launch two new products that will impact our brand in Q3
• Interview 20 customers and get feedback
• Increase customer retention to 90%

Marketing team OKRs

Objective: Improve prospects acquisition
 
Key results:

1. Write 30 good articles to promote
2. Generate 75% of website traffic through organic search
3. Appear on the first page for each keyword
4. Exchange 10 links each month

Developer OKRs

Objective: Make the product ideal for the customer

Key results:

1. Achieve Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 9
2. 25% pre-registrations come from existing customers
3. Get 1 referral for 3 clients (viral coefficient)

Design Team OKRs

Objective: Improve the quality of design

Key Results:

1. Acquire new skills and trend design software every month
2. Increase the integration experience by 20%

Human Resources team OKRs

Objective 1: Improve the Performance Management Process

Key Results:

1. Organize training sessions on the implementation of the OKR methodology allowing at least 80% of employees to better understand their goal-setting processes
2. Promote the continuous feedback initiative allowing 75% of employees to participate in a regular feedback exchange
3. Increase 90% of positive feedback with anonymous surveys

Objective 2: Make the office a very attractive place to work

Key Results:

1. Collect feedback from 10 employees on ideas for improvement
2. Organizer 3 monthly office events
3. Find 01 food and beverage supplier in the office.

These were some examples of good OKRs. Now go make your own.

[1] http://leanperformance.com/en/okr/success-criteria-types-key-results/