OKR fundamentals: the formula
- Objective: Ambitious, inspiring, qualitative. Answers "What do we want to achieve?" Example: "Become the go-to partner for accessible civic technology in Latin America."
- Key Result: Specific, time-bound, measurable. Answers "How will we know we got there?" Example: "Launch in 3 new countries by Q3," "Achieve NPS of 60+ from civic partners," "Reduce onboarding time to under 2 days."
- Key rule: If you can't score a Key Result (0.0 to 1.0), it's a task, not a Key Result. If the Objective doesn't feel slightly uncomfortable to say out loud, it's not ambitious enough.
Preparation
01 · Share strategic context before the session
- Send participants the organizational strategy, last cycle's OKR scores, and any key learnings at least 48 hours before the workshop.
- If this is the first OKR cycle, provide a brief explainer document and 3–4 examples of good OKRs from your sector.
02 · Define the OKR scope
- Clarify which level you're setting OKRs for (organization, department, team, or individual).
- Clarify the time horizon (annual = 3–5 OKRs; quarterly = 1–3 OKRs per team).
- If setting team OKRs, ensure the organizational OKRs are already defined so teams can align to them.
03 · Prepare the canvas
- Create a shared workspace (physical or digital) with an OKR template: one column per Objective, rows for Key Results, and a scoring column.
- Prepare sticky notes for the objective brainstorm phase.
Step-by-step instructions
1
Context setting (20–30 min)
- Review the previous cycle: What did we commit to? What did we score? What did we learn?
- Review the organizational strategy and any top-level OKRs that this team's OKRs should support.
- Surface the most important strategic opportunities and challenges for the coming cycle.
2
Objective brainstorm (30–45 min)
- Individual: each participant writes on sticky notes: "If we're wildly successful this quarter, what will be true?" (3–5 ideas per person, silent writing, 10 min).
- Share and cluster: read out ideas, group similar themes.
- Draft 3–6 candidate Objective statements from the clusters — make them inspiring and qualitative.
- Vote: each person dots their top 3 Objectives. Select the top 1–3 by votes and strategic fit.
3
Key Results definition (45–60 min per Objective)
- For each selected Objective, ask: "What would have to be measurably true to prove we achieved this?"
- Brainstorm possible Key Results in pairs or small groups (10–15 min).
- Apply the SMART test to each candidate: Specific? Measurable? Achievable (at stretch)? Relevant? Time-bound?
- Debate and select 3–5 Key Results that together fully define success for the Objective.
- Set a target value and a baseline for each Key Result.
4
Alignment check (20–30 min)
- Present the draft OKRs to the full group.
- Check: Do our team OKRs clearly support organizational OKRs? Are there conflicts between team OKRs and other teams' priorities?
- Adjust as needed to resolve conflicts and strengthen alignment.
5
Confidence scoring (15 min)
- Each participant privately scores their confidence in achieving each OKR (0–10 scale).
- Share and discuss: scores below 4 suggest the OKR is too ambitious or lacks a clear path; scores above 8 suggest it's not ambitious enough.
- Aim for a team confidence average of 5–7 — a "stretch but achievable" zone.
6
Commit and publish (15 min)
- Finalize the OKR set and publish it where the whole organization can see it.
- Define the check-in cadence (weekly or bi-weekly) and who will facilitate progress updates.
- Schedule the end-of-cycle retrospective.
Materials
Shared OKR canvas (physical or digital)
Sticky notes and markers
Organizational strategy document or top-level OKRs
Previous cycle scores and retrospective notes
OKR tracking tool (spreadsheet, Notion, or dedicated OKR software)
Practical recommendations
Don't confuse OKRs with tasks
The most common mistake is writing tasks as Key Results ("launch the website" instead of "achieve 1,000 active users"). Key Results measure outcomes, not activities.
Limit the number of OKRs
1–3 Objectives per team per quarter. More than 5 OKRs signals that the team hasn't made real strategic choices.
Make OKRs public within the organization
Transparency creates alignment and healthy peer accountability. Teams should see each other's OKRs to identify collaboration opportunities and conflicts early.
Score honestly
A score of 0.7 is a success in the OKR system — it means you were ambitious and mostly delivered. Consistently scoring 1.0 means your OKRs aren't ambitious enough.
Separate performance evaluation from OKR scoring
If OKRs are tied to individual bonuses, people will set safe, easily achievable targets. Keep performance management and OKR ambition in separate conversations.
Inspiration
OKR examples by sector:
- Nonprofit: Objective: Ensure no child in our community goes hungry this winter. KR1: Serve 500 meals per week by December. KR2: Partner with 3 new food banks. KR3: Reduce meal distribution cost by 15%.
- Education: Objective: Make our school a place where every student feels they belong. KR1: Raise belonging index score from 62 to 80. KR2: Reduce disciplinary incidents by 30%. KR3: Launch peer mentorship program with 100 participants.
- Tech startup: Objective: Become the most loved product in our category. KR1: Reach NPS of 55. KR2: Grow weekly active users from 2,000 to 8,000. KR3: Reduce churn to below 3% monthly.
- Public sector: Objective: Make our permit process the fastest in the region. KR1: Reduce average permit processing time from 45 to 15 days. KR2: Achieve 85% digital submission rate. KR3: Score 4.2/5 on citizen satisfaction survey.
