When it comes to OKRs, most people find that starting is the hardest bit. But with the help of simple explanations and examples tailored to your industry, you’ll be writing your own OKRs in no time. So whether you’re an intern or executive, we’re here to equip you with the tools necessary to kick off the OKR framework process and kick on with your goals.
Jump down to see customisable samples for each industry.
What are OKRs?
OKR stands for many things, but this article isn’t about Overrated Kung-fu Resorts or Olympic Killer Rabbits — it’s about Objectives and Key Results. OKRs is a goal-setting methodology designed to help your team set and track measurable goals.
- Practical objectives are broad and define what you wish to achieve.
- Key results sit under objectives and are the metrics by which you measure success.
How to write good OKRs
First-timer? Writing effective OKRs is as simple as one, two, three.
- Identify your objectives
Good objectives are ambitious goals you want your organisation to achieve. They describe the outcomes you expect from the work completed during the quarter. Avoid numerical metrics and over-specifying. Remember, it shouldn’t be a task — it should be WHY you’re completing a task.
- Define your key results
Good key results are the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) metrics that will ultimately define the success of your objectives. Sound confusing? Try this simple equation for writing key results.
Increase/decrease [metric] from X to Y
- Add initiatives
Now comes the hard part — planning how to achieve your goals. Like a to-do list, keep your list of initiatives short to allow for creativity and growth.
What are some examples of OKRs?
Are you still unclear on how to create your OKRs? The following examples will give you a good idea of how this process plays out in a range of departments and businesses.
Marketing OKRs examples
Objective: Attract new visitors to the site
- KR1: Increase referral traffic from 1,200 to 2,000 monthly visitors
- KR2: Boost EDM open rate from 15% to 20%
- KR3: Improve Facebook ad leads from 500 to 1,000 a month
Explore more marketing OKRs goals examples →
Growth OKRs examples
Objective: Create a market-leading digital presence
- KR1: Increase Instagram followers from 20,000 to 40,000
- KR2: Improve Domain Authority score, increasing DA from 45 to 50
- KR3: Achieve #1 in Google rankings for 5 relevant keywords
Explore more company OKRs examples for growth →
Product OKRs examples
Objective: Improve customer retention
- KR1: Increase onboarding experience satisfaction from 3 stars to 5 stars
- KR2: Increase customers who repurchase monthly from 20% to 40%
- KR3: Improve referral rate, increasing from 10% to 15%
Explore more real OKRs examples for product →
Engineering OKRs examples
Objective: Improve the quality of the new-release product
- KR1: Reduce average bug reports from 34 to 10 a month
- KR2: Cut average defect rejections from 20% to 15%
- KR3: Increase code coverage from 65% to 80%
Explore more real engineering OKRs examples →
Design OKRs examples
Objective: Improve the UX/UI of the home page
- KR1: Test the home page with 50 new users
- KR2: Improve conversion on the first CTA from 20% CTR to 35%
- KR3: Decrease home page bounce rate from 45% to 25%
Explore more design and UX OKRs goals examples →
Sales OKRs examples
Objective: Boost monthly sales revenue
- KR1: Increase customer referral rate from 10% to 25%
- KR2: Improve on lead response time, from 24 hours to 12 hours
- KR3: Reduce 3% cancellations during the cooldown period to 1%
Explore more company OKRs examples for sales →
Customer success OKRs examples
Objective: Deliver an excellent customer support experience
- KR1: Expand automated support service from 5 languages to 20
- KR2: Decrease initial response averages from 15 minutes to <10 minutes
- KR3: Achieve a customer satisfaction score of 90% for all tickets
Explore more real customer success OKRs examples →
HR, People & culture OKRs examples
Objective: Strengthen the company culture
- KR1: Improve activity participation from 60% to 80% of staff
- KR2: Decrease monthly average turnover from 10% to 5%
- KR3: Increase exit interviews conducted from 80% to 100% of staff
Explore more people & culture goals OKRs examples →
Early-stage startup OKRs examples
Objective: Deliver a conversion-driving trial experience
- KR1: Collect feedback from 75% of users who trial
- KR2: 30% of those trialling refer a friend
- KR3: >70% of sign-ups subscribe at the end of the trial period
Explore more early startup company OKRs examples →
Growth stage startup OKRs examples
Objective: Build on brand recognition and reputation
- KR1: Increase Net Promoter Score from 30 to 40
- KR2: Reduce customer churn from 10% to <5%
- KR3: Reduce cart abandonment rate from 40% to <20%
Explore our startup company OKRs examples →
How to manage OKRs with Tability
Now that you’ve got an idea of how to create OKRs with a few examples under your belt, it’s time to start flexing your new skill!
Just remember, simply writing OKRs won’t get you anywhere. It’s the commitment to implementation and tracking that will drive results. So create, track and share your OKRs with your trusty sidekick, Tability. Tability prioritises outcomes over output, conversations over reporting and accountability over micromanagement, making it easier to get everyone on board.
So, why not take it for a spin? Try Tability for free today.
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