OKR method

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) is a management system for goal-oriented and modern employee leadership. It is a framework for setting goals (Objectives) and measuring outcome indicators (Key Results). (Source: Wikipedia)

In this screen, all Objectives are displayed as a list, including the responsible persons, status, progress, and due date.

Structure of an "OKR Project"

Each Objective is represented in smenso Cloud as an individual project. Within the Objective project, the respective Key Results are then created together with their concrete tasks.

The Objective is achieved when all assigned Key Results have been reached. To implement Key Results in smenso Cloud, you need the following components:

Your project folders: Key Results
(optional – we usually create a project folder named 🥇 OKR, in which we collect the OKR projects)

 

Create the following Flavors in any task:

🕵️ Metric: Text

• Here you define which metric is used to measure the initial and target value
• Examples:
  • Costs
  • Quantity
  • Followers
  • Savings
  • Features
  • Points
  • Stars (rating)
  • and more.

🕵️ Initial value: Text

• Here the starting value is defined

🕵️ Target value: Text

• Here the target value is defined

🕵️ Current status: Text

• Here the current goal achievement value is entered

🕵️ Goal achievement:

• For this, a Flavor of type Formula must be selected

• Formula content:

  format((flavor("🕵️ Current Size")-flavor("🕵️ Initial Size"))*100/(flavor("🕵️ Target Size")-flavor("🕵️ Initial Size")),""," %","")

• This formula can be copied 1:1 if the Flavors including emojis are used as described above. Otherwise, the names of the Flavors must be adjusted accordingly.

It is best to create a dedicated OKR view that contains all of the above Flavors as columns. To do this, add the Flavors as additional columns, for example like this:

 

In this example, the Key Results are recorded as tasks and the concrete tasks for the Key Results as subtasks. These can be assigned to specific people. By setting a start date and end date, you define by when the task must be completed. This allows Key Results to be planned in a concrete way.

Target values and metrics in the example screen

• Implementation of 4 new test scenarios
  • Metric: Number of tests
  • Initial: 0 tests
  • Target: 4 new tests
• Implement 5 customer requests
  • Metric: Number of features
  • Initial: 0 features
  • Target: 5 features
• Doubling the number of followers
  • Metric: Number of followers
  • Initial: 500 followers
  • Target: 1000 followers

Goal achievement is calculated for each Key Result based on the current status. By calculating the average at folder level, the overall goal achievement is then determined.

This should then be reported back at regular intervals via the status report so that the current status is always visible in the portfolio. The calculated current status is entered and some explanations about the status are added.

To assess the trend, a separate widget called "Status history" is available.

In the Overview of the Objective, you can explain the situation and what you want to achieve to the people involved. 

We recommend using a text widget for this. 

The following can be explained in it:

• Situation
  • Description of the situation and explanation of the need 
• Supporting projects (optional)
  • Linking additional projects in smenso Cloud (via 🔗) that support the Objective
• Image if possible
• Objective
  • Where do I want to go, or what do I want to achieve?
  • Preferably a short description
• Key Results
  • What do I need to do to get there, and how can I measure it?
  • List the concrete Key Results

Tips

Use an OKR backlog

Every three months, the company OKRs should be reformulated. First at company level, then each part of the company derives its OKRs, and finally each individual team derives theirs. The degree of goal achievement and the trend are reviewed weekly.

To plan this better, we recommend creating an OKR backlog in which all Objectives can be planned over a longer period of time.

Using Flavors of type "Relation", you can create the corresponding link to the OKR project.
Learn more about Flavors of type "Relation" ↗️.

Link projects/tasks with Objectives and/or Key Results

If you want to see in the respective OKRs (=OKR projects) or Key Results (=OKR tasks) which individual tasks from different projects, or which projects in general contribute to this Objective/Key Result, you can enable this via Relations. 

To do this, introduce a Flavor (e.g.) 🥇 OKR, which you use in the relevant places, for example in specific tasks or project metadata, to link them with existing Objectives.

You can then see the linked tasks and projects as so-called "backlinks" in the respective Objective (=OKR project):

Learn more about Flavors of type "Relation" ↗️.