Objectives and key results
Definition
Objectives and key results (OKRs) are a goal-setting method where a team writes one qualitative Objective — something inspiring and directional — and two to five Key Results — quantitative outcomes that prove the Objective is being achieved.
The framework was created by Andy Grove at Intel in the 1970s and became mainstream after John Doerr brought it to Google and later described it in the book Measure What Matters.
Objectives are qualitative and motivating. They should answer the question: "What does success feel like this quarter?" They are not tasks and don't include numbers.
Key Results are quantitative. They should answer: "How will we prove the Objective was reached?" Good KRs describe a change in user behavior or a business metric. Bad KRs describe deliverables: "Launch the new settings page" is a task, not a result.
Grading is typically on a 0.0–1.0 scale. Google and many tech companies target a 0.6–0.7 average — consistently hitting 1.0 means the OKRs were too easy. Consistent 0.0 means they were aspirational to the point of being fiction.
OKRs are typically set quarterly at the team level, aligned to annual company objectives. The cascade works: company OKRs → product OKRs → team OKRs → individual OKRs. Each level should be derivable from the level above.
The whiteboard is where OKRs get stress-tested. Teams sketch the objective tree, debate whether a Key Result is actually outcome-based, and identify which OKRs are in conflict. BoardSnap captures those sessions so the reasoning behind each number is preserved alongside the final output.
Examples
- O: Make the trial experience undeniably valuable. KR: 40% of trial users complete first full workflow.
- O: Ship a retro tool teams actually use. KR: Average team runs 2+ retros per sprint within 30 days of onboarding.
- An OKR tree drawn on a whiteboard mapping company → product → engineering objectives
Related terms
Snap a objectives and key results. Ship its actions.
BoardSnap turns any whiteboard — including this one — into a summary and action plan.