OKRs help teams pick a goal and know if they are getting closer. Think of OKRs like a treasure map: the Objective is the treasure you want, and the Key Results are the steps that tell you if you’re getting closer.
Table of Contents
- What are OKRs?
- Why use OKRs?
- How to write good OKRs
- Examples you can copy
- How to track OKRs
- OKRs vs KPIs
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Starter templates
What are OKRs?
- Objective: a short, inspiring goal you want to reach.
- Key Results: 2–5 numbers that show if you’re getting closer to the goal.
From Atlassian’s OKR guide, Objectives should be memorable and Key Results should be measurable. Keep them few so everyone remembers them. Learn more at Atlassian’s OKR guide link.
Why use OKRs?
OKRs help you:
- Focus on what matters most
- Say “no” to distractions
- Work together as one team
- Celebrate progress, even if you aren’t perfect
Leaders like John Doerr and many startups use OKRs to aim high and learn fast. For a great intro talk, watch this video link.
How to write good OKRs
Simple rules (from real operators and coaches):
- Start with one company Objective for the quarter
- Give each team 1–2 Objectives that support the company goal
- Write 2–5 Key Results for each Objective (all numbers)
- Make them a stretch, but possible
- Review progress every week; score at the end of the quarter
First Round Review explains how startups make OKRs work day-to-day: keep it simple, connect to real work, and review often. See their guide link. O’Reilly’s introduction shares the basics and common pitfalls link. The Art of the OKR adds practical patterns for better goals link.
Examples you can copy
Company Objective: "Delight new users"
Key Results:
- Increase week-1 activation rate from 25% to 45%
- Cut signup time from 4 minutes to 2 minutes
- Raise NPS from 20 to 35
Team Objective (Product): "Make onboarding fast and friendly"
Key Results:
- Reduce steps in onboarding from 7 to 4
- Increase trial-to-paid from 8% to 12%
- Lower support tickets about onboarding by 30%
How to track OKRs
Use a simple weekly rhythm:
- Monday: teams share a short update (what changed for each Key Result)
- Midweek: fix blockers; adjust plans
- Friday: score KRs (0.0–1.0). 0.7 is success for stretch goals
Atlassian suggests small, measurable KRs and regular reviews. See the guide link.
OKRs vs KPIs
- OKRs: goals to change something big this quarter (like “grow activation”).
- KPIs: the always-on numbers that tell you how the business is doing (like uptime, churn).
Think of KPIs as the dashboard of your car, and OKRs as the destination for this trip. For mapping team metrics to the org, see the KPI Org Chart idea link and its write-up link.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too many Objectives (pick 1–3, not 10)
- Key Results that are tasks, not outcomes
- No weekly updates (you forget until the end)
- No owner (every OKR needs one DRI)
- Hidden goals (OKRs should be visible to everyone)
Starter templates
One-page OKR plan
- Company Objective (this quarter):
- Why it matters:
- 3–5 Key Results (numbers):
- Teams and their Objectives:
- Risks and assumptions:
Weekly OKR update (per team)
- Objective:
- KR1: target → current → change this week
- KR2: target → current → change this week
- KR3: target → current → change this week
- Risks/blockers:
- Decisions needed:
Learn more:
- Atlassian OKR guide:
https://www.atlassian.com/agile/agile-at-scale/okr - John Doerr talk (video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJB83EZtAjc - First Round Review on making OKRs work:
https://review.firstround.com/how-to-make-okrs-actually-work-at-your-startup/ - KPI Org Chart:
https://seekingwisdom.io/the-kpi-org-chart-1c6c22565d4bandhttps://medium.com/@sjmoody/the-kpi-org-chart-1c6c22565d4b - O’Reilly OKR introduction:
https://www.oreilly.com/content/introduction-to-okrs/ - The Art of the OKR:
https://eleganthack.com/the-art-of-the-okr-redux/