Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a goal-setting framework that pairs ambitious, qualitative objectives with specific, measurable key results. Popularized by Intel and Google, OKRs help teams focus on what matters most and track progress in a transparent, aligned way.
Why It Matters for Product Managers
OKRs give product managers a structured way to connect daily work to strategic priorities. By setting clear objectives (the "what") and key results (the "how we measure success"), PMs ensure their team is working on high-impact initiatives rather than just shipping features for the sake of it.
OKRs also create alignment across functions. When product, engineering, design, and marketing share OKRs, everyone understands the intended outcome and can make better tradeoff decisions independently.
How OKRs Work
An objective is a qualitative, inspiring goal. Each objective has 2-5 key results that are specific, measurable, and time-bound. OKRs are typically set quarterly and scored at the end of the period. A score of 0.7 out of 1.0 is generally considered a healthy target, since objectives should be ambitious enough that achieving 100% means they were not stretch goals.
Practical Example
Objective: Make our onboarding experience world-class.
KR1: Increase 7-day activation rate from 35% to 50%.
KR2: Reduce time-to-first-value from 8 minutes to 3 minutes.
KR3: Achieve an onboarding NPS of 60+.
Related prompt: Strategic OKR Development