OKRs

Which sentence is true about Objectives?

• They’re the most important things you’re trying to accomplish.

• They must include a number or measurement.

• They are another way to state your mission.

• They tell a team how to make a goal a reality.

Answer explanation

An Objective is the first element of an OKR. Objectives are the “what” you’re trying to accomplish and, as a group, make up the most important priorities you’re trying to accomplish in a cycle.

What statement is true about Key Results?

• There are often 3-5 Key Results for each Objective

• Key Results describe how an Objective will be achieved

• Key Results need to be measurable and verifiable

• A, B & C are true

Answer explanation

Key Results are the how of the OKR. When you add them together, they spell success for the Objective. In order to direct a team’s actions, and stay on track, Key Results need to be written as measurable, verifiable milestones.​

How do OKRs differ from KPIs?

• • KPIs are measurements. OKRs are not.

• KPIs are measurements. OKRs apply context and direction to the measurements

• KPIs lead our strategy. OKRs do not

• OKRs remain the same from one quarter to another. KPIs do not

Answer explanation

OKRs include a direction, whereas a KPI is more of a standalone measurement that an organization looks to in order to check the health of something. The downtime of a website may be a KPI. It elevates to the level of being an OKR when a direction is added or a desired change is expressed such as, “Eliminate all website downtime.”​

Isabela is brainstorming her OKRs for the next cycle. She has written, “Keep our sales on track.” What best describes the statement she has written?

• Objective

• • Key Result​

• • Business as Usual​ (BAU)

• KPI

Answer explanation

Isabela has written a statement that represents Business as Usual. Maintaining sales is necessary for the business she’s in, but a better use of OKRs is to describe the things you want to change.

How should you prepare for an OKR setting meeting?

• Write an analysis of what went wrong with the previous cycle’s OKRs

• Arrive with potential Key Results that can be paired with Objectives later

• Arrive with potential Objectives in mind, paired with samples of Key Results

• No preparation is necessary. You’ll want to start fresh with your colleagues

Answer explanation

The “Generate” portion of the meeting is actually the homework you’ve done coming in. You should arrive with potential Objectives in mind, paired with samples of Key Results. This structure will make your identified priorities clear to other participants.​

How is an OKR owner assigned?​

• The highest-ranking member of the team

• The executive leadership selects the owner

• The team votes and the person must accept

• The team decides the best person, and that person accepts

Answer explanation

OKR ownership is assigned right at the top of a cycle, as soon as the OKRs are locked and ready to go. The team should convene, take a look at what they’re responsible for, and decide who is the best person to lead the charge on each one.​

This quarter, a customer success team has an objective to “Ensure 100% of our new customers are using our product successfully.”​

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KR2 of this objective is “Our email response time to accounts less than 30 days old is within 12 hours.” ​

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Whose responsibility is it to achieve KR2?

• The OKR Owner

• The KR Owner

• The OKR Ambassador

• The entire team

Answer explanation

Achieving success with a team’s OKR or KR is the responsibility of the entire team, regardless of who owns it.​

For the same customer success team in the previous question, it’s six weeks into the quarter. They have been tracking their response time for KR2 and it is currently 36 hours.​

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Whose responsibility is it to convene all the people who can help address it to come up with a plan to get it back on track?

• The OKR Owner

• The KR Owner

• The OKR Ambassador

• The entire team

Answer explanation

When a KR is off-track, it’s the responsibility of the OKR owner to know that it is falling behind and then create a plan with the appropriate people to try and get it back on track before the end of the cycle.​

Good OKRs _______________.

• are always met by the end of the quarter. 

• represent what you want to change or improve. 

• indicate the health of your organization. 

• track how work and activities are done.

Answer explanation

OKRs are meant to capture your organization’s ambitions - what you want to change or improve. They’re not a project management or performance evaluation tool.

How do OKRs differ from Project Management?

• OKRs describe the “to-do’s” for the quarter. Project management does not.

• OKRs do not measure success. Project management does.

• OKRs provide direction and measures of success. Project management focuses on the activities and deliverables needed to reach an OKR.

• OKRs are not transparent to the entire organization. Project management is.

Answer explanation

OKRs have a focus on the key results to measure performance, but also focus on the future. Project Management can have short-term goals, but usually have a series of tasks to complete. OKRs ask for stretch and are not just Business as Usual. We “collectively” commit to own the goals (O) and the measures of success (KR).