Introduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYAnz1PwpRA

Doppler uses OKRs to introduce rigor into our organization. They are our way of focusing the company and team on ambitious goals and then measuring progress toward them. They are designed to leap the business forward not monitor business-as-usual metrics. An OKR is an Objective and Key Result.

An Objective is a highly impactful goal that hopefully creates an inflection point in the business. It should be inspiring, aspirational, and time-bounded. Let’s look at a good and bad example:

• Good: Achieve record 3rd quarter revenue growth
  • ✅  Inspiring and aspirational → “Achieve record revenue”
  • ✅  Time-bounded → “3rd quarter”
• Bad: Keep making revenue
  • ❌  Inspiring and aspirational → Doesn’t move the business forward
  • ❌  Time-bounded → No defined time range

The Key Result is the way you measure the objective. They are specific, quantifiable as a number (not binary), and lead to objective grading. They should be difficult but not impossible. Let’s look at a couple of examples:

• Good: Generate $100k in new revenue
  • ✅  Specific and numeric → “$100k in new revenue”
  • ✅  Objectively graded → Revenue is a well-defined and accessible metric
• Good: Reduce customer churn from 15% to 10%
  • ✅  Specific and numeric → 5% reduction in churn
  • ✅  Objectively graded → Churn is a well-defined and accessible metric
• Bad: Launch a new business line
  • ❌  Specific and numeric → There isn’t a numeric metric
  • ❌  Objectively graded → “Launch” is open to interpretation

Example OKR

The OKR should be composed of an objective, a timeframe, and a couple of key results. You should have no more than 5 key results.

Objective: Create a scalable top-of-funnel motion

Timeframe: Quarter 1 (Jan → March)