OKR methodology: What it is and how to implement it in our company – Part 2

In the previous post we saw what OKRs were and some tips for their application. Indicate, as a basic reminder, that it is a tool to establish business objectives and measure their progress in a transversal way with all the actors involved. Until now we had focused on knowing what they were and how to define them.
The next point that interests us is to know how to be able to track the defined OKRs and be able to manage them to achieve the fulfillment of the objectives set. We must bear in mind that this process must be iterative, that is, it will be almost impossible for us to get all our OKRs defined at the beginning, so we will have to evaluate and adapt them depending on our context, situation and information that we obtain.

OKR – Measuring Key Results

In order to carry out an effective measurement we must use a scale defined to criteria with different quantifiable levels for the measurement of the evolution of the key results. Normally we will use percentage values to carry out the evaluation, although we can use other types of values, yes, as we indicated in the previous post, there must be objective data. So, scale and segments will be determined by people, department or organization, taking into account their key results and objectives. Here’s an example of a scale:

While this example is for key results, for objectives the measurements will be obtained with the average obtained by the score of the key results. There are cases where the weighting of the key results is not equitable percentage and in those cases it may be taken into account to obtain the appropriate measurement for the monitoring of the objective.
A point on which it is important to keep in mind is that when setting objectives we will find two types, and it is important to be able to distinguish them so that there are no frustrations either with objectives that seem unattainable or too many “dreamers”, or on the contrary that there are only objectives related to what to do from day to day.

Types of OKRs

In general, both types are public and visible to everyone, require a clear communication strategy and there must be some leadership and culture flexible to change. The types of OKRs that we can identify are the following:

1. Assigned or Committed OKRs

They are those that the organization or team agrees to execute. The necessary plans and resources must be adapted to achieve them. The expectation of achievement is 1 (100%).

2. Demanding or Aspirational OKRs

They are those that take us out of our comfort zone and force organizations and teams to rethink new scenarios or situations. Although, it is clear that we do not have a clear idea of how to get them as well as the necessary resources. The expectation of achievement is never total (approximately 0.7 – 70%), but they are important.

Scales according to OKR Types

Based on the types defined above, it is necessary to establish scales to be able to measure the achievement of the objectives. While these scales change for each objective and each key outcome, we would expect to encounter scales similar to those defined below:

According to the results obtained, we must carry out corrective actions in:

• Planning and resources needed to implement OKRs.
• Review of the OKRs themselves, adjusting values.
• Review of the viability of the OKR itself.

Here you have a link to use templates for the creation of your OKRs, although there are dozens of online tools where you can establish them in a more dynamic way.

OKRs. Classic errors

Like any practice, it is common to introduce bad practices or errors that can make the results of the application of this technique unsatisfactory. We list them below:

1. Not knowing how to differentiate the type of OKR (Assigned/Demanding).
2. Immobile OKR. Teams or organizations believe that it can be achieved without changing anything, instead of adapting to what the client, team or organization needs.
3. Timidly demanding OKRs. With them we will not be able to leave our comfort zone and establish challenges that can transcend teams or organizations.
4. If the necessary resources are not used to achieve the objectives, they will hardly be met.
5. Objectives of little value, which contribute little to the organization or teams.
6. Key results insufficient for the assigned objectives. It will be difficult for us to be able to carry out a clear follow-up for its achievement.

Finally, it is important to bear in mind that for the writing of objectives and key results it will not be enough to sit for a few minutes to think about them, it is a process of discovery, maturation and adaptation. For this, training, dedication of time and people committed to the process are important.
In the next and last article, we can focus on how to implement OKRs in the organization.

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