15 customisable OKR examples for Software Engineer
What are Software Engineer OKRs?
The Objective and Key Results (OKR) framework is a simple goal-setting methodology that was introduced at Intel by Andy Grove in the 70s. It became popular after John Doerr introduced it to Google in the 90s, and it's now used by teams of all sizes to set and track ambitious goals at scale.
Creating impactful OKRs can be a daunting task, especially for newcomers. Shifting your focus from projects to outcomes is key to successful planning.
We have curated a selection of OKR examples specifically for Software Engineer to assist you. Feel free to explore the templates below for inspiration in setting your own goals.
If you want to learn more about the framework, you can read our OKR guide online.
Building your own Software Engineer OKRs with AI
While we have some examples available, it's likely that you'll have specific scenarios that aren't covered here. You can use our free AI generator below or our more complete goal-setting system to generate your own OKRs.
Feel free to explore our tools:
- Use our free OKR generator
- Use Tability, a complete platform to set and track OKRs and initiatives, including a GPT-4 powered goal generator
Our customisable Software Engineer OKRs examples
You'll find below a list of Objectives and Key Results templates for Software Engineer. 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!
1. OKRs to implement a new CI/CD platform for seamless software deployment and delivery
Implement a new CI/CD platform for seamless software deployment and delivery
Configure and successfully integrate the chosen CI/CD platform with the existing development toolchain
Integrate the CI/CD platform with version control systems and build automation tools- Test the integration to ensure a seamless workflow within the existing development toolchain
- Set up and configure the chosen CI/CD platform to align with the development toolchain
- Research and select an appropriate CI/CD platform for the existing development toolchain
- Identify and evaluate at least three potential CI/CD platforms based on specific criteria
- Improve the average deployment time by 30% through automation and optimization efforts
- Optimize server and network configurations to speed up deployment and improve efficiency
- Automate manual tasks during deployment process to reduce time and human errors
- Implement continuous integration system to streamline software deployment process
- Identify and remove bottlenecks in the current deployment workflow
- Increase deployment frequency by 50% compared to the previous quarter, with zero critical production incidents
2. OKRs to enhance data engineering capabilities to drive software innovation
- Enhance data engineering capabilities to drive software innovation
- Improve data quality by implementing automated data validation and monitoring processes
- Implement chosen data validation tool
- Research various automated data validation tools
- Regularly monitor and assess data quality
- Enhance software scalability by optimizing data storage and retrieval mechanisms for large datasets
- Optimize SQL queries for faster data retrieval
- Adopt a scalable distributed storage system
- Implement a more efficient database indexing system
- Increase data processing efficiency by optimizing data ingestion pipelines and reducing processing time
- Develop optimization strategies for lagging pipelines
- Implement solutions to reduce data processing time
- Analyze current data ingestion pipelines for efficiency gaps
3. OKRs to mitigate the risk associated with software maintenance
- Mitigate the risk associated with software maintenance
- Implement efficient risk management model for 90% of maintenance projects
- Develop a comprehensive risk management model for maintenance projects
- Apply the model to current maintenance projects for evaluation
- Train project managers in risk management implementation
- Achieve zero unresolved critical issues for all maintained software
- Train staff in proactive problem identification and resolution
- Implement regular system checks for software performance
- Establish efficient issue reporting and resolution procedures
- Provide tailored training for all software engineers on identified critical areas
- Schedule and conduct tailored training sessions for engineers
- Develop customized training programs focusing on these critical areas
- Identify critical areas needing tailored training for software engineers
4. OKRs to enhance the efficiency of our software testing suite
- Enhance the efficiency of our software testing suite
- Increase the speed of test execution by 25%
- Optimize code base to reduce unnecessary testing steps
- Utilize faster test automation tools and frameworks
- Implement parallel testing to distribute tests across different machines
- Reduce software test suite setup time by 15%
- Implement automated test setup protocols
- Optimize code for greater setup efficiency
- Reduce redundant or unnecessary tests
- Decrease bug identification time by 20%
- Implement automated testing tools for routine bug discovery
- Use dedicated bug tracking systems to report issues
- Conduct regular training for staff in debugging techniques
5. OKRs to achieve promotion to software engineer 3
- Achieve promotion to software engineer 3
- Complete advanced software development certification
- Mentor and provide guidance to junior software engineers
- Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and career goals
- Offer constructive feedback and actionable suggestions for improvement on their code
- Actively involve them in meaningful projects to gain real-world experience and build confidence
- Provide resources and recommend learning opportunities to enhance their technical skills
- Receive positive performance reviews from team members and supervisors
- Regularly check in with team members and supervisors to receive feedback and updates
- Actively listen to team members and supervisors, and address any concerns or suggestions
- Set clear and measurable goals with team members and supervisors
- Continuously improve skills and knowledge through training and professional development opportunities
- Deliver three high-impact software projects successfully
- Implement effective project management methodologies to ensure efficient coordination and communication
- Define clear project goals, timelines, and deliverables for each software project
- Assemble a skilled and dedicated team with the necessary expertise for each project
- Regularly monitor and evaluate progress, making adjustments as needed to meet project objectives
6. OKRs to implement efficient test automation processes
- Implement efficient test automation processes
- Reduce manual testing work by 40% through customized automated scripts
- Implement and monitor the automated scripts’ efficacy regularly
- Develop customized automated scripts for these processes
- Identify repeated manual testing processes suitable for automation
- Successfully automate 70% of all repetitive tests while maintaining accuracy
- Research suitable automation tools or software
- Implement, monitor, and adjust automated processes accordingly
- Identify and catalog all existing repetitive tests
- Achieve a 30% decrease in software bugs and glitches through automated testing enhancement
- Regularly evaluate and refine our testing processes
- Train developers in advanced automated testing
- Implement enhanced and rigorous automated testing protocols
7. OKRs to improve software system design and logging framework expertise
- Improve software system design and logging framework expertise
- Collaborate with senior engineers on at least two software design reviews and provide valuable insights
- Prepare for software design reviews by doing research and gathering relevant information
- Actively participate in software design reviews by asking questions and offering suggestions
- Schedule meetings with senior engineers to discuss software design reviews
- Document and share valuable insights and suggestions with senior engineers after the reviews
- Conduct research on best practices and emerging trends in software system design
- Engage in discussions with industry experts and peers to gather insights on software system design best practices
- Review industry publications and online resources for current best practices in software system design
- Attend relevant conferences and webinars to stay updated on emerging trends in software system design
- Set up alerts and notifications for research papers and articles on software system design
- Implement logging framework in one project and analyze its effectiveness
- Define and implement the desired log messages and their respective levels
- Integrate the chosen logging framework into the project's codebase
- Research and choose a suitable logging framework for the project
- Analyze and measure the impact of the logging framework on project performance and debugging processes
- Successfully complete online course on software system design with a passing grade
8. OKRs to enhance quality control testing effectiveness
- Enhance quality control testing effectiveness
- Decrease defects found post-release by 20%
- Incorporate more rigorous beta testing phases
- Improve training for software developers
- Implement thorough quality assurance procedures
- Initiate 100% of staff into new quality-control training program
- Create an informative and engaging training schedule
- Identify and list all staff requiring the new training
- Begin rollout of quality-control training to all staff
- Increase test coverage rate to 90%
- Identify areas of the code lacking sufficient testing
- Implement and regularly update tests to maintain coverage
- Develop comprehensive, relevant tests for those areas
9. OKRs to elevate overall test coverage across all features
- Elevate overall test coverage across all features
- Implement a process for monitoring and increasing test coverage on an ongoing basis
- Implement a continuous test coverage monitoring system
- Develop strategies to continuously improve test coverage
- Identify existing areas lacking sufficient test coverage
- Identify and address 30% of areas with low test coverage across existing features
- Prioritize these features based on importance
- Identify features with less than 70% test coverage
- Develop and implement tests to increase coverage
- Achieve 70% code coverage for all new features developed in the next quarter
- Conduct reviews and refactoring sessions to improve coverage
- Implement mandatory unit tests for all newly developed features
- Monitor code coverage regularly using suitable tools
10. OKRs to improve software engineering skills through effective time management
- Improve software engineering skills through effective time management
- Increase the number of completed coding tasks by 20% each week
- Identify and address any obstacles or challenges that may hinder coding task completion
- Enhance collaboration and communication among team members for efficient task completion
- Provide regular feedback and support to assist in completing coding tasks
- Set clear and achievable coding task goals for each team member
- Improve adherence to project deadlines by delivering work on time in 90% of cases
- Implement effective communication strategies to address obstacles and ensure timely completion
- Set clear and realistic deadlines for each project task
- Prioritize tasks and create a detailed schedule to ensure timely delivery
- Regularly track progress and provide updates to stakeholders to maintain accountability
- Reduce time spent on non-essential activities by 15% during work hours
- Set specific time limits for non-essential tasks to ensure efficient completion
- Prioritize and eliminate non-essential activities based on their impact and importance
- Identify non-essential activities taking up significant time during work hours
- Regularly assess and adjust the allocation of time to non-essential activities as needed
- Attend and actively participate in at least 2 time management workshops or webinars
- Research and identify 2 time management workshops or webinars
- Apply the learned time management techniques in daily activities for improved efficiency
- Take thorough notes during the workshops or webinars for future reference
- Register for the selected workshops or webinars to secure a spot
11. OKRs to implement unit-testing in Mid-Office
- Implement unit-testing in Mid-Office
- Develop a comprehensive unit testing plan within 4 weeks
- Schedule and delegate testing tasks
- Identify all functionalities for testing
- Draft a detailed unit testing procedure
- Train the team on unit-testing best practices and tools by 6 weeks
- Schedule and conduct weekly team training sessions for 6 weeks
- Develop a comprehensive training program on unit-testing practices
- Identify appropriate unit-testing software and tools for training
- Achieve 80% code coverage with unit tests by the end of the quarter
- Write effective tests for identified sections
- Identify sections of code lacking unit tests
- Regularly run and adjust tests for improvement
12. OKRs to improve organizational DevOps practices with DORA
- Improve organizational DevOps practices with DORA
- Reduce mean time to recovery (MTTR) for critical incidents to X minutes through improved incident response processes
- Increase deployment frequency by X% through continuous integration and delivery
- Implement automated testing to identify and fix issues early in the development process
- Streamline the build and release process to minimize manual intervention
- Invest in continuous integration and delivery tools for seamless and frequent deployments
- Establish a robust version control system for efficient code management
- Achieve X% increase in test automation coverage for application releases
- Improve employee satisfaction by X% through promoting a culture of collaboration and learning
13. OKRs to accelerate product scalability for multi-tenant utilization
- Accelerate product scalability for multi-tenant utilization
- Increase software load capacity by at least 20% to handle increased users
- Optimize software code to enhance efficiency
- Evaluate current server capabilities and identify limitations
- Upgrade or add additional servers to bolster capacity
- Develop and test five new multi-tenant friendly features for our product
- Design and develop five new features based on the research
- Conduct market research to identify potential multi-tenant friendly features
- Execute thorough testing of these features before release
- Achieve 100% bug-free certification for our multi-tenant product construction
- Conduct thorough and regular product performance testing
- Implement quick, effective bug-fixing procedures
- Invest in quality assurance training for the team
14. OKRs to implement cutting-edge bot detection technologies for website data
- Implement cutting-edge bot detection technologies for website data
- Achieve 95% accuracy rate in detecting bots using newly implemented technologies
- Continuously refine and update the models deployed
- Test algorithms with diverse sets of data
- Implement new machine learning algorithms for bot detection
- Integrate and test 3 selected bot detection technologies on our website
- Choose three suitable bot detection technologies for our website
- Conduct thorough testing to ensure effectiveness
- Implement these technologies into our site's backend
- Identify and study 10 new bot detection methods from industry research
- Analyze each method's pros, cons, and applicability
- Select 10 recent industry research on bot detection methods
- Prepare a report summarizing findings
15. OKRs to achieve quicker releases of the real estate application through automation
- Achieve quicker releases of the real estate application through automation
- Reduce bugs by 30% using automated testing tools and practices
- Train the team on effective automated testing practices
- Regularly review and improve testing procedures
- Implement automated testing tools in the development process
- Increase deployment frequency by 50% by optimizing the CI/CD pipeline
- Implement performance monitoring for continuous optimization
- Review and streamline the existing CI/CD pipeline
- Automate tests to reduce bottleneck issues
- Implement an automated roll-back system to minimize downtime by 40%
- Select and purchase appropriate roll-back system software
- Research available automated roll-back system platforms
- Train staff on roll-back system operations and procedures
Software Engineer OKR best practices to boost success
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
Focus can only be achieve by limiting the number of competing priorities. It is crucial that you take the time to identify where you need to move the needle, and avoid adding business-as-usual activities to your 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.
Tability's audit dashboard will highlight opportunities to improve OKRsTip #2: Commit to weekly OKR check-ins
Having good goals is only half the effort. You'll get significant more value from your OKRs if you commit to a weekly check-in process.
Being able to see trends for your key results will also keep yourself honest.
Tability's check-ins will save you hours and increase transparencyTip #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 turn your Software Engineer OKRs in a strategy map
Quarterly OKRs should have weekly updates to get all the 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
Spreadsheets are enough to get started. Then, once you need to scale you can use a proper OKR platform to make things easier.
Tability's Strategy Map makes it easy to see all your org's OKRsIf 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 Software Engineer OKR templates
We have more templates to help you draft your team goals and OKRs.
- OKRs to enhance product functionality by adding three new features based on user feedback
- OKRs to successfully onboard an enterprise data catalog tool
- OKRs to successfully migrate and train Sales Team on the new CRM
- OKRs to implement effective Data Governance Framework Agency-wide
- OKRs to successfully manage strategic partnership
- OKRs to drive successful implementation of relevant alliance principles
OKRs resources
Here are a list of resources to help you adopt the Objectives and Key Results framework.
- To learn: What is the meaning of OKRs
- Blog posts: ODT Blog
- Success metrics: KPIs examples
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