Purpose
When strategic direction needs to become measurable, it connects ambition with checkable results. It makes goals connectable to focus and review.
Product Strategy Planning tool
OKRs
Connects a qualitative objective with measurable key results and a recurring review practice.
Connects a qualitative objective with measurable key results and a recurring review practice.
What measurable outcome will this team achieve in the cycle?
- Participants
- 2-20
- Time
- 1-2 h Setup
The steps are a practical sequence; adapt them to the method’s purpose and available evidence.
Cycle
Align cycle and direction
Set a bounded cycle and connect team focus to a higher-level priority.
Objective
Write outcome-led Objective
Write a focused qualitative statement of the desired state, not a feature or project list.
Key Results
Measure outcome Key Results
Define each KR with an observable metric, baseline, target and source; measure result rather than activity.
Review
Connect initiatives and reviews
Separate initiatives from KRs, assign ownership, set review cadence and close the cycle with learning.
Revisit the model when evidence, context or outcomes change. Record what changed and why.
A good fit when
Use it when: Team Alignment, Quarterly Planning. The group can provide the evidence and authority the method requires.
Ideal for
- Team alignment
- Quarterly planning
- Outcome tracking
Not good for
- Single tasks
- Vague goals without measurability
Outputs
OKR with initiatives
Outcome objective and measurable key results, separate from the work plan.
Reviewable OKR and initiatives
Recorded scope, date, participants, source version, owner, changed assumptions, and the reason for each revision.
OKR: objective and outcomes
Fictional worked example
Fictional quarterly OKR: Objective “Make follow-up appointments easy and reliable for patients.” KR1: raise share of follow-ups booked self-serve from 18% to 35%. KR2: reduce bookings requiring staff intervention from 22% to 10%. “Send an SMS link” is an initiative, not a Key Result. Agree metric definition, baseline and data owner before starting.
| Scenario | Objective | Key Result | Baseline → target | Initiative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective 1Record an observation or example for this row. | Make follow-ups easy and reliable | Increase self-serve bookings | 18% → 35% | Send SMS link |
1. Objective
- Objective 1
- Make follow-ups easy and reliable
2. Key Result
- Objective 1
- Increase self-serve bookings
3. Baseline → target
- Objective 1
- 18% → 35%
4. Initiative
- Objective 1
- Send SMS link
Fictional quarterly OKR: Objective “Make follow-up appointments easy and reliable for patients.” KR1: raise share of follow-ups booked self-serve from 18% to 35%. KR2: reduce bookings requiring staff intervention from 22% to 10%. “Send an SMS link” is an initiative, not a Key Result. Agree metric definition, baseline and data owner before starting.
First step
Set a bounded cycle and connect team focus to a higher-level priority.
Good to do first
Deep dive
How it works
It translates an intent into a few measurable results and keeps them checkable in a recurring rhythm. Objectives give direction, key results show progress, and reviews clarify whether focus or ambition needs adjusting.
In detail
OKRs follow a clear working logic: formulate the objective, define key results, set owners, establish cadence, and run review and adjustment. This turns the method into a visible thinking process rather than only a conversation. Participants move step by step from raw material, observations, or options toward a shared structure. The result is an OKR set, measurement plan, and review cadence that makes decisions, learning, and further planning actionable.
Facilitation
Introduce OKRs around a few central priorities and check every wording for whether it still leaves real freedom in the solution path. A good basis for decisions emerges when a key result is temptingly easy to measure but strategically irrelevant. Close with lean goals, a clear review practice, and a visible link to ongoing prioritization.
The method guide walks execution through 4 phases, timing, 4 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open method guideYour perspective
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Sources and topics
In playbooks
Artifact templates
OKRs: WorksheetPlan objective setting, ongoing check-ins and review.markdown
OKRs: WorksheetPlan objective setting, ongoing check-ins and review.
markdownokr-set-markdown.md
Plan objective setting, ongoing check-ins and review.
OKRs: Worksheet
Question
To be confirmed
Desired outcome
To be confirmed
Scope
Objective cycle Time: Set cycle length to the team cadence, usually several weeks; schedule the workshop and check-ins separately.
Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.
Preparation for this scope
Method setup
- Materials: Shared visual workspace, source evidence, and an agreed decision question.
- Roles: Team lead, team members, dependency owners, organizational sponsor.
- Advance information: Collect existing data, examples, constraints and relevant stakeholder perspectives.
- Overall time needed: 2–4 h to draft a team set; align dependencies and check-ins separately.
- Setup: Set a bounded cycle and connect team focus to organizational direction. Write a concise, meaningful Objective that states the desired change. Define measurable outcome Key Results with baselines, targets, units and data sources. Name owners and distinguish initiatives (work) from Key Results (outcomes). Review signals regularly; discuss confidence, blockers and learning, then close the cycle.
Prepare for the work steps
Cycle: Align cycle and direction
- Strategy, team mandate and cycle
Objective: Write outcome-led Objective
- Desired user or business condition
Key Results: Measure outcome Key Results
- Baseline, source, target and period
Review: Connect initiatives and reviews
- Owners, dependencies and metric cadence
OKR: objective and outcomes
| Scenario | Objective | Key Result | Baseline → target | Initiative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective 1 |
- Objective 1: Record an observation or example for this row.
Key Results describe outcomes; initiatives describe work.
Set goals with OKRs · Google re:Work
Cycle: Align cycle and direction
Expected artifact: Cycle and alignment
Cycle and alignment
Entry:
...
- Can the team explain its contribution?
Objective: Write outcome-led Objective
Expected artifact: Understandable Objective
Understandable Objective
Entry:
...
- Does it describe an intended impact?
Key Results: Measure outcome Key Results
Expected artifact: Measurable Key Results
Measurable Key Results
Entry:
...
- Could another person calculate progress consistently?
Review: Connect initiatives and reviews
Expected artifact: Reviewable OKR and initiatives
Reviewable OKR and initiatives
Entry:
...
- Can teams influence KRs and see shared dependencies?
Open questions and next steps
...
Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/okr/run-sheet
Alternatives and neighbors
Fitting alternatives with decision guidance, followed by other related methods.
Product Strategy
KPI Tree
Instead of OKRs, when you want to use KPI Tree to break target figures down into drivers, sub-metrics, and responsibilities.
Product Strategy
SMART Goals
Formulates goals precisely enough that measure, relevance, and deadline together form a clear basis for steering.
Product Strategy
GIST Planning
Connects goals, ideas, step projects, and tasks so product planning stays outcome-oriented and adaptive.
Product Strategy
Product Vision Board
Vision, target group, needs, value, and business goals fit onto one board that exposes assumptions for validation.
Product Strategy
DIBB
Links data, insights, beliefs, and bets so strategy and product decisions become traceable and reviewable.
Engineering
Goal Question Metric
Moves technical problems, hypotheses, and next steps toward a concrete result through "formulate the goal clearly", "derive probing questions for each goal", and "set the review cadence".
Constraints and origin
MediumWorkshop + async1-2 h Setup
Profile
- Method form
- Planning tool
- Participants
- 2-20
- Time
- 1-2 h Setup
- Maturity
- Canonical
- Origin
- Andy Grove and Intel
Next up: Impact Mapping