3 customisable OKR examples for Software Engineers
What are Software Engineers 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 Engineers 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 Engineers 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 Engineers OKRs examples
You will find in the next section many different Software Engineers Objectives and Key Results. We've included strategic initiatives in our templates to give you a better idea of the different between the key results (how we measure progress), and the initiatives (what we do to achieve the results).
Hope you'll find this helpful!
1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
Software Engineers 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
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.
![Tability Insights Dashboard](https://tability-templates-v2.vercel.app/_next/static/media/tability-insights-board.e70f9466.png)
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.
![Tability Insights Dashboard](https://tability-templates-v2.vercel.app/_next/static/media/checkins-graph.b2aec458.png)
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 turn your Software Engineers OKRs in a strategy map
Your quarterly OKRs should be tracked weekly in order to get all the benefits of the OKRs 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 Tability](https://tability-templates-v2.vercel.app/_next/static/media/tability_strategy_map.2ad25843.png)
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 Software Engineers OKR templates
We have more templates to help you draft your team goals and OKRs.
OKRs to expand Sales to a new region
OKRs to implement successful project tracking and KPI definition system
OKRs to assemble an outstanding professional team
OKRs to foster customer-centric culture through UX insights
OKRs to establish our simple AI startup using open-source tools
OKRs to enhance adaptability in changing scenarios
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
Create more examples in our app
You can use Tability to create OKRs with AI – and keep yourself accountable 👀
Tability is a unique goal-tracking platform built to save hours at work and help teams stay on top of their goals.
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