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10 OKR examples for Engineers

What are Engineers OKRs?

The OKR acronym stands for Objectives and Key Results. It's a goal-setting framework that was introduced at Intel by Andy Grove in the 70s, and it became popular after John Doerr introduced it to Google in the 90s. OKRs helps teams has a shared language to set ambitious goals and track progress towards them.

OKRs are quickly gaining popularity as a goal-setting framework. But, it's not always easy to know how to write your goals, especially if it's your first time using OKRs.

To aid you in setting your goals, we have compiled a collection of OKR examples customized for Engineers. Take a look at the templates below for inspiration and guidance.

If you want to learn more about the framework, you can read our OKR guide online.

Building your own Engineers OKRs with AI

How to create great OKRs for any scenario in seconds

While we have some examples available, it's likely that you'll have specific scenarios that aren't covered here.

You can use Tability's AI generator to create tailored OKRs based on your specific context. Tability can turn your objective description into a fully editable OKR template -- including tips to help you refine your goals.

  • 1. Go to Tability's plan editor
  • 2. Click on the "Generate goals using AI" button
  • 3. Use natural language to describe your goals

Tability will then use your prompt to generate a fully editable OKR template.

How to improve existing OKRs with AI feedback

If you already have existing goals, and you want to improve them. You can use Tability's AI feedback to help you.

  • 1. Go to Tability's plan editor
  • 2. Add your existing OKRs (you can import them from a spreadsheet)
  • 3. Click on "Generate analysis"

AI feedback for OKRs in TabilityTability's Strategy Map makes it easy to see all your org's OKRs

Tability will scan your OKRs and offer different suggestions to improve them. This can range from a small rewrite of a statement to make it clearer to a complete rewrite of the entire OKR.

You can then decide to accept the suggestions or dismiss them if you don't agree.

Using the free OKR generator to get a quick template

If you're just looking for some quick inspiration, you can also use our free OKR generator to get a template.

Unlike with Tability, you won't be able to iterate on the templates, but this is still a great way to get started.

Our Engineers OKRs examples

You'll find below a list of Objectives and Key Results templates for Engineers. We also included strategic projects for each template to make it easier to understand the difference between key results and projects.

Hope you'll find this helpful!

1OKRs to improve engineering performance and reliability

  • ObjectiveBuild a world-class infrastructure
  • KRIncrease Apdex above 0.95
  • TaskCache requests wherever possible
  • TaskIdentify and resolve to 5 application bottlenecks
  • KRReduce build time to be under 5 minutes
  • TaskAudit test suite to reduce duplicates
  • TaskSwitch to a more performing build infrastructure
  • KROur stress tests show that we can support 10,000 concurrent users
Tability

2OKRs to achieve promotion to software engineer 3

  • ObjectiveAchieve promotion to software engineer 3
  • KRComplete advanced software development certification
  • KRMentor and provide guidance to junior software engineers
  • TaskSchedule regular one-on-one meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and career goals
  • TaskOffer constructive feedback and actionable suggestions for improvement on their code
  • TaskActively involve them in meaningful projects to gain real-world experience and build confidence
  • TaskProvide resources and recommend learning opportunities to enhance their technical skills
  • KRReceive positive performance reviews from team members and supervisors
  • TaskRegularly check in with team members and supervisors to receive feedback and updates
  • TaskActively listen to team members and supervisors, and address any concerns or suggestions
  • TaskSet clear and measurable goals with team members and supervisors
  • TaskContinuously improve skills and knowledge through training and professional development opportunities
  • KRDeliver three high-impact software projects successfully
  • TaskImplement effective project management methodologies to ensure efficient coordination and communication
  • TaskDefine clear project goals, timelines, and deliverables for each software project
  • TaskAssemble a skilled and dedicated team with the necessary expertise for each project
  • TaskRegularly monitor and evaluate progress, making adjustments as needed to meet project objectives

3OKRs to improve the quality of the data

  • ObjectiveSignificantly improve the quality of the data
  • KRReduce the number of data capture errors by 30%
  • KRReduce delay for data availability from 24h to 4h
  • KRClose top 10 issues relating to data accuracy

4OKRs to establish a proficient AI team with skilled ML engineers and product manager

  • ObjectiveEstablish a proficient AI team with skilled ML engineers and product manager
  • KRRecruit an experienced AI product manager with a proven track record
  • TaskReach out to AI professionals on LinkedIn
  • TaskPost the job ad on AI and tech-focused job boards
  • TaskDraft a compelling job description for the AI product manager role
  • KRConduct an effective onboarding program to integrate new hires into the team
  • TaskArrange team building activities to promote camaraderie
  • TaskDevelop a comprehensive orientation package for new hires
  • TaskAssign mentors to guide newcomers in their roles
  • KRInterview and hire 5 qualified Machine Learning engineers
  • TaskConduct interviews and evaluate candidates based on benchmarks
  • TaskPromote job vacancies on recruitment platforms and LinkedIn
  • TaskDevelop detailed job descriptions for Machine Learning engineer positions

5OKRs to improve interoperability between data engineering teams

  • ObjectiveImprove interoperability between data engineering teams
  • KROffer biweekly data interoperability training to 90% of data engineering teams
  • TaskIdentify 90% of data engineering teams for training
  • TaskDevelop a biweekly interoperability training schedule
  • TaskImplement and monitor the data interoperability training
  • KRReduce cross-team data discrepancies by 50%, ensuring increased data consistency
  • TaskRegularly audit and correct data discrepancies across all teams
  • TaskImplement a standardized data entry and management process for all teams
  • TaskUtilize data synchronization tools for seamless data integration
  • KRImplement standardized data protocols across all teams increasing cross-collaboration by 30%
  • TaskTrain teams on new standardized protocols
  • TaskIdentify current data protocols in each team
  • TaskDraft and propose unified data protocols

6OKRs to reduce the cost of integrating data sources

  • ObjectiveReduce the cost of data integration
  • KRDecrease the time to integrate new data sources from 2 days to 4h
  • TaskMigrate data sources to Segment
  • TaskCreate a shared library to streamline integrations
  • KRReduce the time to create new dashboards from 4 days to <1h
  • TaskAdopt BI tool to allow users to create their own dashboards
  • KR10 teams have used successfully a self-serve dashboard creation system

7OKRs to mitigate the risk associated with software maintenance

  • ObjectiveMitigate the risk associated with software maintenance
  • KRImplement efficient risk management model for 90% of maintenance projects
  • TaskDevelop a comprehensive risk management model for maintenance projects
  • TaskApply the model to current maintenance projects for evaluation
  • TaskTrain project managers in risk management implementation
  • KRAchieve zero unresolved critical issues for all maintained software
  • TaskTrain staff in proactive problem identification and resolution
  • TaskImplement regular system checks for software performance
  • TaskEstablish efficient issue reporting and resolution procedures
  • KRProvide tailored training for all software engineers on identified critical areas
  • TaskSchedule and conduct tailored training sessions for engineers
  • TaskDevelop customized training programs focusing on these critical areas
  • TaskIdentify critical areas needing tailored training for software engineers

8OKRs to tackle technical debt

  • ObjectiveTackle technical debt generated by feature rush
  • KRMigrate 80% of projects to new UI library to reduce UI debt
  • KRReduce percentage of issues tagged as debt by 30%
  • KRReduce debt-related contact rate by 50%
Tability

9OKRs to accelerate development via automation

  • ObjectiveAccelerate development through automation
  • KR100% of repos have a Continuous Delivery pipeline
  • TaskUse Github Actions/Bitbucket Pipelines to automate deployments on every commit
  • TaskCreate automated deployment scripts for all repos
  • KRIncrease code coverage from 30% to 60%
  • KRReduce cycle time from 8 days to 8h
  • KRReduce build time from 20min to 5min
  • TaskAudit tests to find areas of improvements
  • TaskSplit tests to run in parallel when possible

10OKRs to improve engineering release cycles

  • ObjectiveSignificantly increase the speed of our development cycle
  • KRImprove developer NPS from 20 to 60
  • KRReduce build times from 25 to under 5 mins
  • KRReduce cycle time from 28 days to 6 days
  • TaskImplement CD pipeline for the staging environment
  • TaskAutomate all deployment steps

Engineers OKR best practices

Generally speaking, your objectives should be ambitious yet achievable, and your key results should be measurable and time-bound (using the SMART framework can be helpful). It is also recommended to list strategic initiatives under your key results, as it'll help you avoid the common mistake of listing projects in your KRs.

Here are a couple of best practices extracted from our OKR implementation guide 👇

Tip #1: Limit the number of key results

The #1 role of OKRs is to help you and your team focus on what really matters. Business-as-usual activities will still be happening, but you do not need to track your entire roadmap in the OKRs.

We recommend having 3-4 objectives, and 3-4 key results per objective. A platform like Tability can run audits on your data to help you identify the plans that have too many goals.

Tip #2: Commit to weekly OKR check-ins

Don't fall into the set-and-forget trap. It is important to adopt a weekly check-in process to get the full value of your OKRs and make your strategy agile – otherwise this is nothing more than a reporting exercise.

Being able to see trends for your key results will also keep yourself honest.

Tip #3: No more than 2 yellow statuses in a row

Yes, this is another tip for goal-tracking instead of goal-setting (but you'll get plenty of OKR examples above). But, once you have your goals defined, it will be your ability to keep the right sense of urgency that will make the difference.

As a rule of thumb, it's best to avoid having more than 2 yellow/at risk statuses in a row.

Make a call on the 3rd update. You should be either back on track, or off track. This sounds harsh but it's the best way to signal risks early enough to fix things.

How to track your Engineers OKRs

OKRs without regular progress updates are just KPIs. You'll need to update progress on your OKRs every week to get the full benefits from the framework. Reviewing progress periodically has several advantages:

  • It brings the goals back to the top of the mind
  • It will highlight poorly set OKRs
  • It will surface execution risks
  • It improves transparency and accountability

We recommend using a spreadsheet for your first OKRs cycle. You'll need to get familiar with the scoring and tracking first. Then, you can scale your OKRs process by using a proper OKR-tracking tool for it.

A strategy map in TabilityTability's Strategy Map makes it easy to see all your org's OKRs

If you're not yet set on a tool, you can check out the 5 best OKR tracking templates guide to find the best way to monitor progress during the quarter.

More Engineers OKR templates

We have more templates to help you draft your team goals and OKRs.