OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. An objective states what a person or team wants to accomplish; key results set measurable, verifiable evidence for whether it is happening. The framework helps connect goals to progress rather than leaving an intention as a statement on a planning document.
What does OKR mean?
An OKR has two parts: an objective and its key results. What Matters describes OKRs as a collaborative goal-setting method for individuals and teams. The objective gives the direction; its key results show whether meaningful progress has been made.
Objective: the outcome you want
An objective should express a worthwhile goal in clear terms. Google’s OKR playbook says objectives should be tangible, objective, unambiguous, and valuable when achieved. It is the “what,” not a list of tasks.
Key results: evidence of progress
Key results translate the objective into measurable evidence. Google’s playbook calls them the “Hows” and says they “must describe outcomes, not activities.” They should identify milestones that advance the objective and rely on credible evidence that can establish completion. A common structure described by What Matters is one objective with three to five key results; it is a typical approach, not a universal rule.
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OKR examples
Healthcare.gov example
What Matters presents the following illustrative OKR for Healthcare.gov:
Objective: Fix Healthcare.gov for the vast majority of people.
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- 70% of people get through.
- One-second response time.
- 1% error rate.
- 99% uptime.
These figures are targets in What Matters’ example, not claims about current Healthcare.gov performance or independently verified results. The example shows how one broad objective can be assessed through access, speed, errors, and reliability.
Planning model for Google example
In a separate FAQ example, What Matters attributes this objective to John Doerr’s presentation to Google:
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Objective: Build a planning model for the company.
- Finish the presentation on time.
- Create a sample set of quarterly Google OKRs.
- Obtain management agreement to a three-month OKR trial.
The list illustrates milestones attached to a larger objective. “Finish the presentation on time” describes an action, however, rather than an outcome—a distinction that matters when applying Google’s later guidance.
How to write a useful OKR
- Choose a meaningful priority. Start with what matters for the current planning period, rather than trying to make every task an objective.
- Write a clear objective. State the desired accomplishment in a short, unambiguous way. Ask whether achieving it would be valuable.
- Choose a small set of key results. Define measurable changes or milestones that would demonstrate progress toward the objective.
- Check that each result is an outcome. Ask what will be different if the key result is met. “Analyze customer wait times” names an activity; a result showing a measurable reduction in wait times names a change.
- Make the evidence verifiable. Identify what credible information will show whether the result was achieved. Google’s playbook, as reproduced by What Matters, recommends describing end-use impact; its example favors publishing latency measurements over merely assessing latency.
Common OKR pitfalls and variations
- Using tasks as key results: Consulting, helping, analyzing, or participating does not by itself show what changed. State the outcome those actions are meant to produce.
- Leaving measures vague: If nobody can tell what evidence would count as completion, the key result is difficult to evaluate.
- Treating one method as mandatory: Organizations vary in how they handle committed versus aspirational OKRs, grading, cycle length, and stretch. What Matters discusses these as common questions, while Google’s playbook presents Google’s own guidance—not a rulebook every organization must adopt.
For a longer treatment of the framework and examples, John Doerr’s book Measure What Matters is an optional further reading choice.
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