OKRs and Product Teams

Using OKRs (objectives and key results) can be a superb way to gain alignment across an organization if done correctly. I've been a proponent of OKRs for a while, and have helped implement them at several organizations. I've also seen organizations where we haven't implemented them, and it has left an enormous gap to not have strategic alignment.

Good OKRs and a good OKR strategy are about aligning the business and pushing us further. As John Doerr points out in his book Measure What Matters, the four OKR superpowers are to help us focus, align, track and stretch. It is important to narrow what we're doing to a few key items (I like three, but even fewer are better). 

For product teams, ensuring we are focused and aligned is critical. Giving this transparency to our organizations, and showing how it aligns with our strategic roadmaps and the work we're doing, adds another tool to the arsenal. 

OKRs are not perfect - no tool is. They work best when teams are empowered to work on important goals, have good strategic direction, and are supported by good leaders. That may sound simple but it's not. As Marty Cagan points out, many organizations aren't built to get the most out of OKRs. Still, that doesn't mean we can't find success and help move our teams and companies in the right direction through their use.

How to combine Objectives and Key Results (OKR) and Agile Product Management? (article) - This is a comprehensive article that dives into many of the nuances around OKRs and applying them to product development. A delightful read. 

Goals Like Google (podcast) - Just discovered this podcast, but really liked this episode and the insight Cole has on setting OKRs, both personally and within an organization. She lays out the basics of OKRs, how to set them, how to think about them properly, and how to be successful. 

​Beyond the OKR Methodology (podcast) - Another good podcast talking about OKRs and how other teams and companies have implemented them. I enjoy having a diverse perspective, and even conflicting views, because there is no cut-and-paste way to do it right. So understanding the principles and then understanding how others have applied those principles is the best way to find success.​