The OKR

What is OKR

OKR (Object and Key Result) is a management methodology, an outcome-driven tracking framework.

Object: is a goal we want to achieve

Key Results: are a set of explaination for how will we know we are getting there.

For example

In Q1/2018 DF’s objective is want to build a strong backend team, so “build a strong backend team” is an object, to accomplish that, we will hire 2 senior backend developers and organize 1 training session per week, each of them is a key result to let us know whether we are getting to our objective or not. So our OKR in foundation level will look like this.

BUILD A STRONG BACKEND TEAM

• Hire 2 senior backend developer
• Organize 1 training session per week

After that, in team level, the HR team will know what they will do in the next 3 months (Hire 2 senior backend team), so it will be their objective.

HIRE 2 SENIOR BACKEND DEVELOPER

• Interview 30 candidates before 1/2
• Pick 20 of them for probations before 10/2
• Choose 2 of them before 1/3

Finally, in individual level, each staff from HR team will know their objective.

INTERVIEW 30 CANDIDATES before 1/2

• Post a job in ITViec before 10/1
• Go to 10 meet-up events to connect with potential candidates

Keys to OKR

• Set quarterly and annually
• Measurable

It is one of the most important thing in OKR, every key result of an object must be measurable because it is the only thing will let us know whether we a getting close to our objective or we just playing around

It’s not a key result unless it has a number - Marissa Mayer ( CEO of yahoo )

So we will say “i will launch this project in August” instead of say “i will launch this project as soon as i can”

• Set as personal and team level Like an example above, we set a ORK for both personal and team level as a top-down approach, but in every company individual is a must for development . As a CEO or board member of the company, they should collect their staff ORKs and build a foundation level OKR base on their staff’s (bottom-up).

• Share The entire company have a access to everyone ORK including team ORK, so everyone will know that they are working for the same goals and what everyone is working on

• Graded You will give a point in the scale from 0 to 1, the point will show the percentage of a given Key results. Let’s say “Hire 2 senior backend developer” but we only hired 1, so we will point this Key result 0.5 point. The objective point is an average of Key results.

The ideal point is 0.6 - 0.7 point . You may ask why it’s not 0.9 or 1, well if it seems easy either your objectives are not ambitious enough or you did it wrong

• Maximum 5 objective per quarter and 4 key results for each of them

Why is it better than normal KPI indicators?

• OKRs Increase Clarity

The main goal of OKRs is to connect company, team and personal objectives to measurable results, making people move together in right direction.

First, and most importantly, the company must have conviction around goal setting. This commitment needs to come from all levels: the CEO, the senior leadership team, and every team member within the company. That’s the best way to ensure success. - John Doerr

• OKRs Increase Focus

We’d only focus on the right result leads to our objectives, keep track of the progress and know that we are moving in the right direction

• OKRs Increase Collaboration

We’d simply get in touch with the people you’d need to work with on these projects and find a common ground with them so that the work ended up on each person’s OKR list.

How to apply OKR to team Foundation

The process

1. Brainstorm session: before the beginning of quarter, we will think the Quarter objectives
2. Company-wide communicate: let everyone know what the objectives for the next quarter
3. Draft personal okr

Use OKR with Hygger Board

• We use Sprint type board for each quarter
• Have a company OKR column, each card is a objective, use checklist as key results
• Each person will have different OKR column, each card is a objective, use checklist as key results

Hygger: https://dwarvesv.hygger.io/b/64499

Appendix: What else we should read?

1. https://blog.betterworks.com/keys-okr-success-qa-john-doerr/
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJB83EZtAjc