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Principles of OKRs

What is Quantive's Principles of OKRs Certification?

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Learn the history of the OKR methodology, how to write outcome-focused OKRs, and how to embed them in your work.

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<a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning">OKRs</a> are&nbsp;a collaborative <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/goal-setting">goal-setting</a> methodology enabling teams and organizations to reach their goals using identifiable and measurable results. By design, <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the OKR framework</a> works across teams to create a standard the whole company can adopt.However, knowing how to write OKRs can make or break <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/how-to-implement-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR implementation</a>. Why? Because the quality of your OKRs can affect the achievement of your goals in the long run.&nbsp;In this article, we'll cover how to write OKRs and master the art of creating effective OKRs by discussing:<ul><li>Why clarity and transparency are fundamental to writing OKRs</li><li>How to write objectives</li><li>How to write key results</li><li>The winning formula for writing OKRs</li><li>Common OKR writing mistakes</li><li>5 steps to writing great OKRs</li></ul>Let's get started.

Well-written OKRs give you a sense of direction, enable you to focus on what’s truly important, and help you get your priorities straight. They also make it clear to everyone within the organization what a team or individual is working on at a given time — transparency check!&nbsp;And let’s be honest, it will be so much easier for your company to execute OKRs if they are set the right way. Well-written OKRs mean a well-outlined path to achieving them. You’ll feel confident about not only where you want to go but also how to get there. Moreover, you’ll be able to track the right metrics, enabling effective decision-making.&nbsp;On the other hand, writing OKRs poorly can undermine the hard work you put in to reap the benefits of OKRs. Writing unclear, difficult-to-grasp OKRs that are not in line with best practices can be a recipe for disaster. If your OKRs fail to convey your highest priorities clearly, you risk spending precious time on the wrong activities. Plus, it can be quite demotivating and costly to put your time and effort into something that doesn’t contribute to the bigger picture.&nbsp;<hr>Find out the <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-mistakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">20 Most Common OKR Mistakes</a> and how to avoid them<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-mistakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670611665/site-v5/common_OKR_mistakes_39f82a0196.png" alt="an exclamation point graphic representing common OKR mistakes.png"></a></figure><hr>

A good OKR structure comprises a clear, aspirational objective that sets the high-level direction of the goal. This is supported by two to four key results that are specific, time-bound, and quantifiable. Using this OKR structure, you create a sense of purpose while ensuring your team's efforts are focused and aligned with achieving the objective.

By nature, objectives should be inspiring, easy to remember, and qualitative. Objectives are what you will accomplish and should express your intent, ambition, and aspiration. When writing objectives, think about whether the objective evokes emotion. You want the team to look at that objective and say, “yeah, I want to help get that done.”&nbsp;Typically objectives are stated monthly or quarterly. We recommend having no more than one to three objectives per team, per quarter, but the exact quantity you have depends on the needs of your organization.&nbsp;The situation you want to avoid is having so many priorities that you actually have no priorities. And lastly, make sure it’s short, punchy, and concise so everyone can understand it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote>OKR writing tip: When stating objectives, push yourself to think about why achieving the objective matters.</blockquote>

To measure progress towards your objective, you need to set quantitative key results. When writing OKRs' key results, state these definitively using a metric. Defining key results using metrics with numbers makes it easy to communicate progress toward accomplishing your objective in a meaningful way.<blockquote>It’s not a KR unless it has a number.&nbsp;- Marissa Mayer&nbsp;</blockquote>Additionally, key results should be outcome-focused instead of task-based, describing the optimal outcome that needs to be accomplished to complete the objective — without constraints surrounding how it's achieved.&nbsp;Again, we don't recommend more than three to five key results be stated per objective, but the exact quantity depends on your business. The good news is that it’s easy to change your statements later, and it takes practice to get a rhythm for defining your objectives and key results.&nbsp;

When it comes to creating and writing good OKRs, consider the following formula:&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1681149760/site-v5/OKR_1_62c20da1c7.svg" alt="OKR formula illustration: We will (objective) as measured by (key results)"></figure><h3>Objective formula</h3>Objectives should be:<ul><li>Actionable</li><li>Time-bound</li><li>Ambitious</li></ul><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1681149827/site-v5/Objective_d50eb6273b.svg" alt="Objective = Verb + What you're going to do or achieve (business impact) diagram"></figure><h3>Examples of objectives</h3><ul><li>“We will accelerate sales growth in <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-in-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Small-to-Medium Enterprises</a> this quarter”</li><li>“Ship an amazing MVP!”</li><li>“Have super successful pilots with X and Y and Z”</li><li>“Solve our support ticket crisis”</li><li>“Move from monthly release to continuous release process”&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Key result formula</h3>Key results should be:&nbsp;<ul><li>Black and white</li><li>Quantifiable — whenever possible, use metrics instead of a binary result</li><li>two to four per objective</li></ul><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1681149882/site-v5/Key_Result_5b63c625a6.svg" alt="Key result = Verb + what you're going to track + from x to y diagram"></figure><h3>Examples of key results</h3><ul><li>100% of leads have an account rep assigned and a “plan to land”</li><li>Prove bottom-up “land and expand” within (2) two existing SME accounts</li><li>Close 6 new SME customers before the end of the quarter</li></ul>

Running into challenges along your OKR journey is inevitable, but there are a few mistakes you can try to avoid. Here are some common OKR writing mistakes:<ul><li>Too many priorities: Overloading your team with a multitude of objectives can lead to confusion and a lack of clarity on where to focus efforts</li><li>Tasks over outcomes: Focusing on tasks can lead to a checklist mentality rather than driving real progress</li><li>Unrealistic targets: Setting targets that are too ambitious or unattainable can demotivate teams and lead to frustration and burnout</li><li>Lack of ambition: On the flip side, setting objectives that are too easy to achieve can result in complacency and a lack of meaningful progress</li><li>Unclear language: Using vague or ambiguous wording when writing your OKRs can lead to misunderstandings and misalignment&nbsp;</li><li>Static goals:<span style="background-color:rgb(247,247,248);color:rgb(55,65,81);font-family:Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Noto Sans&quot;, sans-serif, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;;"> Not allowing flexibility in your OKRs to adapt to changing circumstances can lead to pursuing irrelevant or obsolete goals</li></ul>Avoiding these common OKR writing mistakes can help you craft out OKRs that drive you to success. Remember, the quality of your written OKRs can significantly impact your organization's ability to achieve its goals effectively.

Writing OKRs should be a collaborative team activity. Our step-by-step guide outlined below will empower you and your team with the knowledge of how to write effective OKRs to ensure clarity and success. The 5 steps of writing effective OKRs include talking to your team, drafting goals, brainstorming key results, debating key results, and aligning the goals of various teams through a bottom-up process.<h3>Step 1: Have the goal conversation, first</h3>The first step of OKR writing involves sitting down with your team and asking them, “What are the three most important things for us to accomplish in the next three months?” Drill down on why these are important — and do so again and again.By asking why continuously, leaders prompt their teams to share meaningful details regarding what specific objective they're trying to accomplish. If your team collectively understands the “why” on a deeper level, you're likely to end up with better active statements when you write OKRs, gaining greater commitment. &nbsp;For example, perhaps one objective is “We're going to ship an iOS App.” Fantastic. That’s a great objective — but it's not inspiring. &nbsp;So we ask the question, “Why does that matter?”&nbsp;The more profound answer is, “It matters because there’s been a drop-off in customer engagement and customer satisfaction, and our customers prefer mobile” Or, “it matters because to stay viable in the market, we need to have a mobile presence and a native app to meet our customers where they expect us to be.”&nbsp;So a new objective might be, “We're going to win back our customers by shipping an amazing iOS app.”&nbsp;<h3>Step 2: Prepare draft goals and share them with the team</h3>Once you're done writing OKRs, publish a draft of objectives ahead of time and then ask your team for feedback to get the conversation going. Sometimes, staring at a blank piece of paper is much harder than reviewing work in progress.&nbsp;During this sharing exercise, instead of asking, “Do you have any questions or comments?” consider asking your team to “please suggest one or more variations that would improve this objective.” Give your team the freedom to contribute and incorporate their perspective into the OKRs.&nbsp;<h3>Step 3: Conduct a team brainstorm to set key results</h3>When it comes to setting key results, it's a good idea to get the team involved. Conducting an OKR brainstorming session as part of your OKR writing process gives your team a level of ownership, drives accountability, and inspires them to care about the OKRs they set.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Step 4: Debate key result ideas collectively</h3>When writing key results for each objective, get the sticky notes or the virtual whiteboard. Have each team member jot down suggestions and take turns sharing and debating their metrics until you find the right level of difficulty to push the team.&nbsp;<h3>Step 5: Don’t “cascade” OKRs down the org chart</h3>It's tempting to cascade OKRs down through the organization. But if all your goals fit together into a pretty parent/child tree, teams aren’t thinking creatively, taking risks, or showing initiative. Plus, it hinders alignment and collective buy-in across the organization.&nbsp;Instead, consider aligning OKR development through a bottom-up process. Invite teams at every level to define their OKRs before bringing the organization together to understand and challenge their alignment with your overarching vision. Not all OKRs within the organization will align with the company level, and that's okay. &nbsp;Ultimately, you want to create an OKR <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/viva/solutions/viva-goals-healthy-okr-program/write-okrs-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">writing process</a> where <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-examples" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">teams feel empowered to create their OKRs</a> and then challenge teams across the business to ensure they’re focused on the right priorities at the right time. This process encourages creative thinking and informed risk-taking, pushing your business forward.&nbsp;<hr>Read expert advice on setting OKRs in our <a href="https://info.quantive.com/hubfs/Quantive_Guides/Global-State-of-OKRs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR Trends Report</a><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="https://info.quantive.com/hubfs/Quantive_Guides/Global-State-of-OKRs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1687424947/site-v5/Trends_report_6180d2be32.png" alt="the global state of OKRs ebook icon"></a></figure><hr>&nbsp;

Remember that it's crucial to celebrate wins and learn from failures. Celebrate when you win by providing public recognition to team leads and supporting players. Use the opportunity to connect the win to the bigger picture of why it matters, and be sure to have retrospectives with what went well, what didn't, and how you can improve the <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/goal-setting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">goal-setting process</a> the next time. To learn more, check out our <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR Guide for 2024</a>.<hr>Quantive empowers modern organizations to turn their ambitions into reality through strategic agility. It's where strategy, teams, and data come together to drive effective decision-making, streamline execution, and maximize performance.&nbsp;&nbsp;As your company navigates today’s competitive landscape, you need an Always-On Strategy to continuously bridge the gap between current and desired business outcomes. Quantive brings together the technology, expertise, and passion to transform your strategy from a static plan to a feedback-driven engine for growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you’re a visionary start-up, a mid-market business looking to conquer, or a large enterprise facing disruption, Quantive keeps you ahead — every step of the way. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.quantive.com/">www.quantive.com</a>.&nbsp;

How to Write OKRs: What Is a Good OKR Structure?

When working with <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKRs</a> for the first time, you may unknowingly make a lot of OKR mistakes in the adoption process. Although on the surface OKRs can seem simple, there are many&nbsp;nuances to consider when <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/how-to-implement-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">implementing OKRs</a> in your organization. &nbsp;Ever wonder why so many OKR books, consultants, and software vendors exist? It’s because OKRs are an ongoing discipline that require planning and management. Without careful consideration, OKR mistakes can become rife and plenty.Today, we’re sharing a few of the most common OKR mistakes so you can save time, avoid headaches, and quickly gain the benefits of OKRs.&nbsp;

By far one of the biggest OKR mistakes is not understanding how the components work together. If you don't clearly understand the key components and their differences, you won’t be able to follow the OKR method effectively. As a refresher, there are two parts of an OKR: the objective and the key results.How to overcome it: To grasp how OKR components work collectively, you must first understand them individually. Objectives need to be inspirational, qualitative, and declare your intent about what you want to achieve. Key results, on the other hand, should be quantitative and demonstrate how you will measure progress against your objectives. For each objective, you typically will have two to four key results. Tasks are the day-to-day activities that you complete to achieve your key results.&nbsp;<hr>Want to learn more about the basics of OKRs? Read <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What are OKRs?</a><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670611666/site-v5/what_are_OK_Rs_35bf212c5f.png" alt="what are OKRs.png"></a></figure><hr>

OKRs provide a framework for execution toward a goal. The point of having this framework is to align strategy and execution so you can do more of the right things in less time. If your goals are business as usual or being just above average, then you’re not getting the full value of OKRs.&nbsp;How to overcome it: You can easily overcome this OKR mistake by thinking big and pushing the limits of your capabilities with creating OKR goals. An example of a stretch goal would be to launch an app that reaches number one in your product category within three months. This would be considered a stretch goal as its ambitious and difficult, but still in the realm of possibility with sufficient creativity.&nbsp;

In contrast, setting goals that are too ambitious can easily become another OKR mistake. If your OKRs are unrealistic, your team can run into problems like:&nbsp;<ul><li>Instantly recognizing the goal as unachievable so they don’t put in the effort from the beginning</li><li>Becoming demoralized if goals are consistently unachieved</li><li>Bad behavior such as cutting corners, lying, or shifting responsibilities just to complete a goal</li></ul>How to overcome it: The answer is to <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/goal-setting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">set goals</a> that push your team’s limits, are realistic, and ideally backed in past performance data. This way, you can create goals that are challenging yet attainable.

Another key purpose of OKRs is to ensure you get your priorities right. Part of this process involves deciding what you need to focus on — the objectives that will make the biggest impact on your business.&nbsp;If you set too many objectives, then the OKR framework will start working against you, turning into a costly OKR mistake. Instead of radical progress, you will create stagnation as your team splits focus and resources across competing priorities.&nbsp;How to overcome it: OKRs work best when you take the time to identify the most critical objectives and align your team from there. This can involve ensuring alignment with the company vision and goals, ensuring a collaborative team approach, and regularly reviewing and adjusting your OKRs to make sure they're still relevant and focused on what matters.

Another OKR mistake is using KPIs and OKRs interchangeably. Your <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/what-are-kpis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">key performance indicators (KPIs)</a> and your objectives and key results (OKRs) are related but serve different purposes.&nbsp; Your KPIs, in many cases, will be the metrics used when defining what your key results are.&nbsp;For instance, if you have the objective to “create an unforgettable customer experience,” one of your key results may be to increase your net promoter score (a KPI) by two points.&nbsp;How to overcome it: Clearly distinguish the roles and purposes of OKRs and KPIs. Understand that KPIs measure ongoing performance, while OKRs are forward-looking goals. While you can align your KPIs with OKRs by using KPIs to define key results, it's important to acknowledge that not all KPIs can become key results.<hr>Learn more about <a href="/resources/articles/okrs-vs-kpis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKRs vs KPIs</a><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="/resources/articles/okrs-vs-kpis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670611666/site-v5/OK_Rs_and_KP_Is_58043d5709.png" alt="OKRs &amp; KPIs.png"></a></figure><hr>

Like with any change in your organization, the process of adopting OKRs must be thoroughly planned and executed correctly. There are several ways OKRs can go wrong (that’s the reason you’re reading this article), but adoption doesn’t have to be one of them.&nbsp;How to overcome it: It’s useful to have an OKR champion within your organization. Having someone responsible for OKR implementation means a greater likelihood of consistency and follow through, reducing OKR mistakes along the way.&nbsp;If you need help, <a href="https://quantive.com/consulting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR consultants</a> can also be a beneficial resource when you’re in the early stages of your OKR journey.

To get the <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-in-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">benefits of OKRs</a>, there is a level of work and management needed across your organization. But if your company makes the OKR mistake of not tracking achievement, the challenging "set it and forget it” syndrome can occur. In turn, OKRs can become another management gimmick.&nbsp;How to overcome it: There are several things you can do to improve your OKR management, including holding weekly check-ins to monitor progress, using a confidence-based scoring system to identify hurdles, and creating a habit of OKRs through language, software, and processes.

One of the great things about OKRs is they bridge the <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/strategy-execution-gap" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">strategy execution gap</a> in organizations. As a leader, you have the strongest grasp on <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/strategy-execution-gap" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">strategy</a>, but you might not be following all the finer details of the day-to-day execution. So, if you’re setting OKRs for your team and making the OKR mistake of not involving them in the process, it can cause some challenges. You might not have all the details on their work and you run the risk of setting unrealistic goals.&nbsp;In addition, you miss the easy opportunity to <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-for-employee-engagement" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">boost employee engagement</a> by having your team involved in defining what to work on. Setting top down or cascading OKRs has its uses in some environments, but the best practice is to set OKRs in collaboration with your team.&nbsp;&nbsp;How to overcome it: Involve your teams in the OKR planning process by engaging them, facilitating two-way communication, and empowering OKR ownership. This helps create collaborative OKRs that acknowledge the challenges and opportunities your teams face daily, while motivating them to be accountable and work toward their goals.

Your OKRs need to align your entire organization toward your most critical objectives. The dynamic nature of modern business means individual departments often don’t have the capacity to achieve goals singlehandedly.&nbsp;Sales, for instance, requires a powerful marketing engine in addition to the legal team giving them enough flexibility to close deals. If your teams have competing priorities, objectives won’t be achieved.&nbsp;How to overcome it: You'll need to ensure your OKRs are defined and assigned in a way that each department is working harmoniously towards the same key objectives.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>Want to learn more about OKRs by team? <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/company-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read our article on OKR examples</a><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/company-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670611666/site-v5/OKR_examples_company_1013b44f1b.png" alt="OKR examples - company.png"></a></figure><hr>

If you’re running a quick experiment with OKRs, it’s okay to manage the process with common collaboration tools such as Google Sheets or Excel. But once you’ve fully bought into OKRs, you need OKR software to make the process run smoothly. Without software, this OKR mistake can affect your ability to:&nbsp;<ul><li>Access performance data to track progress against OKRs</li><li>Easily manage your OKR program to ensure adoption and use</li><li>Create transparency of OKRs — a lack of which causes misalignment</li></ul>How to overcome it: There are a lot of <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-software" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">great OKR software options</a> on the market that can fit your company size and budget. Read our <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-software-buyers-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR Software Buyer’s Guide</a> to learn more about what to look for in a technology partner, so you can choose the OKR software that best suits your organizational needs.

When looking at an OKR cadence, it represents the timeframe in which you aim to achieve your objectives. A common OKR mistake companies make is to work solely on an annual cadence.&nbsp;This is less effective than a quarterly cadence because:&nbsp;<ul><li>Your business environment is constantly changing which means the objective you initially set may become irrelevant as time goes on</li><li>Working on a faster cadence forces you to get more done in less time</li><li>A faster cadence allows your team to collect wins with greater regularity, boosting engagement</li></ul>Some companies opt for even shorter cadences such as six weeks, but this may not be effective for all companies.&nbsp;How to overcome it: As a best practice, aim for a quarterly cadence to start and iterate from there.

Although OKRs are an effective way to define and measure progress, it’s typically not a good idea to tie objective achievement to employee compensation. OKRs work best when you set stretch goals — it's about pushing the limits of your capabilities in a structured way to unlock more value.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you make the OKR mistake of tying OKRs to compensation, you end up with a culture of sandbagging. This is when teams and individuals deliberately set more achievable objectives in order to be compensated fully.&nbsp;How to overcome it: Leverage quarterly performance reviews in addition to OKRs. This will give you a separate way to handle compensation without creating perverse incentives.&nbsp;

Since OKRs can be part of a <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-performance-management" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">performance management</a> process, some companies will make the OKR mistake of delegating the management of <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/human-resources-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKRs to their HR department</a>. As we’ve discussed, OKRs need to encompass strategy and execution, in addition to performance management, so delegating to one department to handle just won’t work.&nbsp;How to overcome it: Create and manage your OKRs at all levels of the organization — from senior executives down to individuals in each department. Without doing so, you will not be able to identify the critical objectives, in addition to gaining an accurate sense of your company's capabilities.

Getting the most out of OKRs requires being both adaptable and committed, depending on the current circumstances. For instance, when introducing OKRs, there’s a good chance you won’t deploy the method correctly and set optimal OKRs.&nbsp;And in constantly changing business environments, your OKRs may need to evolve so your company can better maneuver against competitors. In these cases, not taking an adaptive approach to your OKRs could be a grave OKR mistake, where you risk working on the wrong things, demoralizing your team, and potentially losing market share.&nbsp;&nbsp;Conversely, at some point you will need to be committed to the OKRs you set. Changing OKRs too quickly and not being persistent enough toward an objective means you won’t fully unlock the value of working toward ambitious goals.How to overcome it: Make the most of your OKR goals by balancing short-term adaptability with long-term commitment. When first implementing OKRs, learn from and iterate them gradually. Moreover, take note of changing business environments and adjust OKRs when necessary. With each change, communicate the importance of being committed to your <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-for-business-alignment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKRs for alignment</a> and long-term success. Striking this balance can help you reach milestone while remaining flexible amidst market changes.&nbsp;

OKRs increase alignment and bridge the strategy to execution gap, but they can’t (alone) solve the deeper problems your business may have. Having the wrong strategy, lacking key personnel, and being disrupted by innovative upstarts aren’t things OKRs can solve — at least in a direct way.&nbsp;How to overcome it: To maximize the effectiveness of OKRs, use them alongside other business strategies (e.g., operational excellence, talent management and development). A holistic, integrated approach to business issues while striving for ambitious goals can help you overcome hurdles and drive positive outcomes.

OKRs aren’t a simple or easy method to get right — particularly for larger organizations with many moving parts. But that doesn’t mean you should overcomplicate and stall the adoption of OKRs.&nbsp;An OKR mistake some organizations make is to fall into a perfectionist mindset, bloating the OKR implementation with various layers of approvals, meetings, and over analysis.&nbsp;How to overcome it: Although there is depth to the OKR method, you don’t need to do everything all at once and you should accept that OKR adoption won’t be perfect in the beginning. For starters, keep the OKR process simple and straightforward, while providing training and support to those involved.

At the opposite end of perfectionism is adopting OKRs too quickly. Some companies make the OKR mistake of jumping in headfirst, but this may lead to unsatisfactory results — either in the form of failing to meet unrealistic expectations or simply using the method incorrectly. It then becomes easy to dismiss the OKR method as simply ineffective.&nbsp;How to overcome it: For starters, make sure you understand what the OKR method can do for you, including its principles and best practices. Apply these through a small-scale pilot involving a specific team or department. This can help you experiment, learn, and iterate the OKR method within your organization. If you're still struggling with OKR implementation, consider hiring a consultant or leveraging software to get the most out of the method.

OKRs thrive in organizations that are transparent. If there’s a lack of transparency in company-wide objectives and key data sources, it can lead to:&nbsp;<ul><li>Poor clarity about who’s working on what, potentially leading to duplicated effort</li><li>Low alignment between teams, reducing collaboration toward broader objectives</li><li>Losing the value of a data driven culture in terms of accountability and engagement</li></ul>How to overcome it: Revamp your culture, processes, and technology to become more transparent. This are essential components of an effective OKR strategy.

OKRs are often compared to a compass or GPS system for organizations. The framework helps clarify direction and accelerate momentum, but there will be detours and adaptations that need to be made along the way.&nbsp;Turning a blind eye to these changes can cause <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/strategy-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">strategy failure</a> for the OKRs within your organization.How to overcome it: To chart the correct course, your team will need to be constantly learning — both from weekly meetings and end of quarter reviews. The key learning takeaways then need to be used to adjust your OKRs for the next quarter so you can be even more effective.

The <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">purpose of OKRs</a> is to align your company toward a common goal; empowering teams and individuals to push the limit of their potential. If you're making the OKR mistake of using OKRs as a weapon to force productivity, then you’re misusing the method and will likely not gain its full benefits.&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, it’s unlikely you or the executive team will have enough insight into the details of each department's capabilities. If you set and manage all the OKRs from the top down, there’s a good chance your team will end up working on the wrong things or not working toward realistic goals.How to overcome it: Empower teams to set collaborative and aligned OKRs. Provide context on the company's vision and <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/business-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">strategy</a> and foster a culture of learning and adaptation. This helps you drive motivation and innovation while getting the most out of OKRs.&nbsp;

Like with any management method, implementing OKRs must be done in the right way to be effective. Managing change, choosing the right technology, and getting external help are a few ways you can make OKR adoption more seamless. &nbsp;Although there are many management approaches you can take to increase your team's efficiency, OKRs as a framework can truly give you an extra edge over competitors — especially when actively working to overcome the OKR mistakes mentioned above.&nbsp;When done properly, OKRs have the power to clarify focus, align organization and tap into the creative power of every member of your team.&nbsp;<hr>Quantive empowers modern organizations to turn their ambitions into reality through strategic agility. It's where strategy, teams, and data come together to drive effective decision-making, streamline execution, and maximize performance.&nbsp;&nbsp;As your company navigates today’s competitive landscape, you need an Always-On Strategy to continuously bridge the gap between current and desired business outcomes. Quantive brings together the technology, expertise, and passion to transform your strategy from a static plan to a feedback-driven engine for growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you’re a visionary start-up, a mid-market business looking to conquer, or a large enterprise facing disruption, Quantive keeps you ahead — every step of the way. From OKR software to <a href="https://quantive.com/okr-consulting-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR consulting</a>, we help you plan and meet your goals. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.quantive.com/">www.quantive.com</a>.&nbsp;

What are OKRs? The Ultimate Guide to the Objectives and Key Results Framework

The 20 Most Common OKR Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them) 

Time plays an important role in goal setting and achievement. Goals, unlike dreams, have deadlines. This means that realistic yet ambitious timelines are part of successful goal setting and execution. This is especially true for <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">objectives and key results (OKRs)</a>.When creating OKRs, simply deciding on a date for goal attainment is insufficient — you need to consider the entire OKR cycle. The OKR cycle gives you an in-depth understanding of the different phases of goal achievement while encouraging you to consider the intervals at which you monitor and optimize performance. As such, an in-depth knowledge of the OKR cycle is essential.&nbsp;To help you gain a better understanding of the OKR cycle, this article will discuss:<ul><li>What is an OKR cycle?</li><li>How to choose an OKR cycle</li><li>OKR cycle example</li><li>The OKR timeline before and during quarterly OKRs&nbsp;</li><li>Top tips for the OKR cycle</li></ul>

The OKR timeline is represented through the OKR cycle —&nbsp;the period in which OKRs are set, communicated, executed, monitored, and optimized. The OKR cycle is a core component of the <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR methodology</a>. Without it, you lose the benefits of proper OKR planning, ongoing optimization, and the performance-enhancing pressure that deadlines create.&nbsp;This OKR cycle typically looks like this:&nbsp;<ul><li>Pre-quarter: Preparing the OKR rollout&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Start of the quarter: Developing OKRs, communicating them, and cultivating alignment&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>During the quarter: Reviews, monitoring, confidence assessments, adjustments, optimization&nbsp;</li><li>End of the quarter: Reviewing OKRs, learnings, and crafting upcoming quarterly OKRs</li></ul>The above example refers to an OKR cycle with quarterly OKRs, but alternative (e.g., annual) OKR cycles are common as well. As the OKR cycle is flexible, companies can create OKR timelines that are highly tailored to their workflows.&nbsp;

The best practice that most companies use when creating their OKR cycle is adopting a dual cadence strategy. This means they use a combination of quarterly OKRs and annual OKRs, allowing them to unlock both benefits.&nbsp;As you might imagine, quarterly OKR cycles are created in line with each business quarter. This OKR cycle can be used alongside an annual OKR cycle to break down a bigger goal into more measurable milestones. In addition, quarterly OKR cycles can also be used for more ad-hoc goals, such as fundraising or a hiring push. &nbsp;<h3>The benefits of quarterly OKRs&nbsp;include:&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Increased agility through a less committed timeframe&nbsp;</li><li>More efficiency and creativity due to time constraints&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Quicker feedback loops to create faster learning&nbsp;</li><li>Reduced opportunities for “set it and forget syndrome” &nbsp;</li></ul>Unlike quarterly OKRs, annual OKR cycles function every year. This type of OKR cycle is better for bigger goals and goals that could be seen as a core, consistent part of the business. For instance, building annual OKR cycles around growth objectives is a common practice. &nbsp;<h3>The benefits of annual OKRs&nbsp;include:&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Ability to set more ambitious OKRs&nbsp;</li><li>More flexibility to optimize toward the goal&nbsp;</li><li>Less pressure due to more time&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Less overhead in terms of managing the OKR process&nbsp;</li></ul>In addition to quarterly and annual OKR cycles, you can set alternative OKR cycles. This could run on a monthly or six-week basis, for instance. Alternative OKR cycles offer benefits such as being more customizable to specific departments, industries, and ways of working, such as sprint or project-based workflows.&nbsp;&nbsp;As part of OKR planning process, you must determine which goals fit into which OKR cycles. In some cases, recurring goals will have both annual and quarterly OKR cycles (e.g., revenue targets). When deciding on your OKR cycles, you must first flesh out your goals fully. Here are a few things to think about:&nbsp;<ul><li>What are your goals, and how many do you have?&nbsp;</li><li>Why did you choose these goals?&nbsp;</li><li>Do you have the capabilities to reach your goals?&nbsp;</li><li>How long will it take to reach them?&nbsp;</li><li>What factors could inhibit reaching them?&nbsp;</li><li>What factors could accelerate the process?&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>What data and evidence do you have that you can achieve your goals in this OKR cycle?&nbsp;</li><li>Are the goals you are setting ambitious yet achievable?&nbsp;</li></ul>A rigorous understanding of your goals will give you the first indicator of what type of OKR cycle you should adopt. You will likely find some goals will lead themselves into a shorter timeframe, whereas others will be longer. So, there isn’t a strict need to choose one OKR timeline completely over another, as a mixed or dual cadence strategy can be helpful in some instances.&nbsp;Once you understand your goals, you should consider other factors, such as:&nbsp;<ul><li>Industry and departments: Industries will vary in terms of operations and sales cycles, meaning setting goals around certain business functions will involve varied timelines</li><li>Company size and nature: As startups, scale-ups, and enterprise companies have different needs, cycles may vary</li><li>Macro influences: While macro factors such as the economy and geopolitics can’t be easily predicted, it’s worth assessing potential changes in the broader business environment that could affect your timelines&nbsp;</li><li>Micro influences: At the local business level, factors like competitive disruption, supply chain risks, and internal issues can affect execution (for instance, weak company culture or the inability to bridge the <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/strategy-execution-gap" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">strategy execution gap</a>)</li></ul>

To better understand how an OKR cycle works, it’s useful to walk through an example. As quarterly OKR cycles are the most common, we will use it in this case.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670601568/site-v5/The_Quarterly_OKR_Cycle_730a35ad63.svg" alt="An image of a timeline overview of the quarterly OKR cycle">

To set your company up for success, the first thing you need to do is learn the OKR method and organize your capabilities regarding OKR execution with a solid OKR process. This involves a few things:&nbsp;<ul><li>Have key stakeholders (executives, managers, etc.) undergo OKR training covering best practices, key terminology, <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-mistakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">common mistakes,</a> and <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/company-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR examples</a> to get a good sense of how they work in action</li><li>If it’s your first rollout or a previous rollout didn’t go smoothly, consider using an OKR consultant or coach&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>If your organization is complex (size, priorities, interdependencies) or you want to power the OKR process with data, investigate <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-software" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR software solutions</a></li></ul>Then, you will need to determine your OKR timeline:&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670864187/site-v5/OKR_Cycle_session_6_7a522763fd.svg" alt="An image of a table showing the various stages of the OKR cycle and questions surrounding its outline"></figure>As you perfect your OKR process, you will need to consider factors such as:&nbsp;<ul><li>Which goals would you like to prioritize?&nbsp;</li><li>What are your organization's capabilities? If you have greater bandwidth and past evidence of performance, you can set more numerous and difficult OKRs</li><li>What challenges will you encounter regarding each variable? For instance, if you decide on aspirational OKRs, would the potential of failure demoralize or energize your team?</li></ul>

To make the most out of a quarterly OKRs, you need to perfect your OKR planning before the beginning of the quarter.As a best practice, you'll want to start as high up as you can. This involves getting the senior leadership team together to build those top level OKRs. These OKRs will then be used to set the overall direction of the organization, in addition to being used by lower levels of the organization to align their own OKRs.&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s also recommended that you identify possible OKR champions in your organization. These are the people who have fully bought into the OKR method and have more knowledge about it than others. These OKR champions can be useful to make the case to more skeptical team members, in addition to ensuring consistency and optimization of the rollout process.<h3>Common mistakes before the quarter:&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Underestimating OKRs: Given the nuances of the OKR method. you need to set the right goals, generate alignment, and optimize the process using data</li><li>Overcomplicating OKRs: Some organizations may delay OKR rollout and bloat the process with extra check-ins and bureaucracy — the goal is to improve the process as you move forward</li><li>Not making a case for OKRs: All levels of the organization need to buy into the OKR method for there to be real alignment&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><hr>Learn about the most <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-mistakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">common OKR mistakes</a><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-mistakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670611665/site-v5/common_OKR_mistakes_39f82a0196.png" alt="An image of a diagram with an exclamation mark symbolizing OKR mistakes"></a></figure><hr>

Just before the OKR cycle begins, you will need to share your top-level OKRs with your company. There are two important reasons for this:&nbsp;<ol><li>The OKR method works best when there is transparency — for alignment, all members of the organization should be able to view each other's OKRs</li><li>You need to solicit feedback from the operational level of your organization to ensure realistic goals are maintained — this includes feedback from individual contributors responsible for day-to-day goal execution&nbsp;</li></ol>Based on the timeline of the OKR rollout, the next phase will be departments, teams, and individuals creating their own OKRs. This is where you need your entire organization to start thinking about alignment. Things that should be top of mind during this process include:&nbsp;<ul><li>What interdependencies exist? For instance, if the sales team has a quarterly OKR for pipeline generated, how much of that is dependent on the marketing team? The two departments would need to collaborate to find out what’s realistic — commonly known as <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/organizational-alignment#the-need-for-horizontal-alignment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">horizontal alignment</a></li><li>How do OKRs set by teams and individuals align with strategic OKRs? This is referred to as <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/organizational-alignment#starting-with-vertical-alignment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">vertical alignment</a></li></ul>Once your entire organization has set quarterly OKRs and there is <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/organizational-alignment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">organizational alignment</a>, you’re ready to move into the execution phase of the quarter. &nbsp;<h3>Common mistakes just before the start of the quarter:&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Setting tasks as key results: As key results are quantitative outcomes, while tasks are actions taken to achieve key results, it's important to clearly define and separate the two</li><li>Not knowing baseline metrics for KRs: It’s necessary to have a realistic idea of what numbers you can achieve for each key result, and this should ideally be based on historic data &nbsp;</li><li>Lack of transparency on “Why OKRs”: The benefits of the OKR method must be communicated to increase engagement and alignment.</li></ul>

Once quarterly OKRs have been set, there is an ongoing OKR process that you and your team need to engage in. Unlike more traditional goal-setting methods, the OKR method has mechanisms that overcome the common “set and forget” syndrome or creating goals and completely forgetting about them. &nbsp;Throughout the quarter, your team members should be measuring their progress. In addition, they will be checking in with managers and other team members to boost accountability and solve problems. Some OKR practices that occur throughout the quarter include:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Weekly check-ins: Each week, teams will come together to discuss progress toward key results, fostering a culture of feedback and learning</li><li>Confidence assessments: OKR owners will provide a score in relation to how likely they think they are on track to meeting key results</li><li>Recalibration: Depending on confidence levels and group analysis, teams and OKR owners may adjust their strategy and execution to increase the likelihood of meeting key results&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Common mistakes during the quarter:&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Changing OKRs: Generally, OKRs should remain the same throughout the quarter, but there are a few exceptions, like sudden changes to the market or strategy or a loss of key personnel, where it might make sense to change quarterly OKRs</li><li>Shifting focus: Roadblocks and challenges can be used as excuses not to “do OKRs” when OKRs are, in actuality, the solution to better execution</li><li>Not leveraging data: The OKR process needs to be data-driven in order to track progress and make more informed decisions about adjustments</li></ul>

As you approach the end of the quarter, you will have three things to complete:&nbsp;<ul><li>Analyze OKR achievement for the current quarter &nbsp;</li><li>Reflect on the key learnings from the OKR cycle &nbsp;</li><li>Set the upcoming quarterly OKRs</li></ul>To do this, you will need to conduct what is known as the OKR retrospective. &nbsp;<h3>The OKR retrospective&nbsp;</h3>At the end of each quarter, you'll need to assemble your entire team and conduct a review regarding what was accomplished during the previous OKR cycle, what was learned, and where you go from here. This is known as the OKR retrospective and occurs at the individual, team, and company levels.&nbsp;The purpose of this is to zoom out and look at the bigger picture of the OKR process and your OKR cycle. You want to see if what you’re doing is working or if there are things that need to be changed. These retrospectives are part of the continuous OKR planning process and serve as valuable tools to collaboratively problem solve and solicit feedback from the organization.&nbsp;Through this, you can <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/how-to-implement-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">improve your OKR implementation</a> in addition to setting more effective goals for the next OKR cycle. Retrospectives also help to maintain alignment across the organization and maintain focus on the crucial priorities. &nbsp;During the retrospective meeting, your team should be considering questions such as:&nbsp;<ul><li>What were the overall scores for each OKR?&nbsp;</li><li>What were the causes of underperformance?&nbsp;</li><li>What problems did we focus on?&nbsp;</li><li>What did we learn?&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>What went well?&nbsp;</li><li>Does it make sense to carry on the same OKRs to the next quarter?&nbsp;</li><li>Are there any ways to improve the OKR process and the upcoming OKR cycle?&nbsp;</li></ul>Fundamentally, the end of the quarter period should be used to synthesize your learnings and adjust for the next quarter. This will include what you need to do to better achieve your OKRs next quarter, in addition to improvements to the OKR process. &nbsp;Once you have completed this analysis, you can then set more informed quarterly OKRs, improve OKR planning, and create a better OKR implementation plan. &nbsp;<h3>Common mistakes at the end of the quarter:&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Trying to “boil the ocean”: OKRs are meant to optimize over time, so you shouldn’t be disheartened if initial rollouts don’t go smoothly — setting the foundation, creating the habit, and finding rhythm takes time</li><li>Not adjusting for next quarter: Evolution through learning and adapting is fundamental to OKRs — as business conditions change, both your OKRs and the OKR process will need constant work</li></ul>

To make sure your OKR cycle runs as smoothly as possible, use the following OKR best practices:<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Emphasize the why: Keeping your organization's values and purpose top-of-mind can help you get buy-in from stakeholders and create unified team efforts throughout the OKR cycle</li><li>Establish a cadence of communication: Discussing OKRs regularly ensures employees are aligned on <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/business-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">business strategy</a> and aware of progress, goals, and next steps</li><li>Keep OKRs flexible: Flexible OKRs allow you to respond and adapt to changing circumstances while ensuring teams can tailor goals based on their unique needs and challenges</li></ol>Read expert advice on perfecting your OKR cycle in our <a href="https://info.quantive.com/hubfs/Quantive_Guides/Global-State-of-OKRs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR Trends Report</a>.

As outlined, there are different phases of the OKR cycle, each with many different variables that you need to optimize. As such, many companies fall for the common pitfalls of the OKR cycle and fail to realize the complete benefits of OKRs.To get the nuances of the OKR cycle correct, consider expert counsel in the form of <a href="https://quantive.com/okr-consulting-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR consultants</a> who can help create an OKR rollout plan tailored to your organization. You can also read our <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR guide</a>.If you need better ways to leverage data to improve your decision-making and execution, or if you operate in larger, more complex organizations, <a href="https://quantive.com/solutions/results/okr-software" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Quantive's</a> OKR software can also be a potential solution.<hr>Quantive empowers modern organizations to turn their ambitions into reality through strategic agility. It's where strategy, teams, and data come together to drive effective decision-making, streamline execution, and maximize performance.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;As your company navigates today’s competitive landscape, you need an Always-On Strategy to continuously bridge the gap between current and desired business outcomes. Quantive brings together the technology, expertise, and passion to transform your strategy and playbooks from a static formulation to a feedback-driven engine for growth.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you’re a fast-growing scale-up, a mid-market business looking to conquer, or a large enterprise looking for innovation, Quantive keeps you ahead – every step of the way. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.quantive.com/">www.quantive.com</a>.&nbsp;

The 20 Most Common OKR Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

The OKR Cycle: A Step-by-Step Guide  

For companies implementing <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">objectives and key results (OKRs)</a>, simple, free tools like Google Docs or Sheets may only be sufficient in the short term.In the long-term, as you scale OKRs across the organization — requiring more visibility, alignment, and integrations — a more robust OKR software may be more fitting.&nbsp;Besides catering to company needs, the right OKR software can also power a company through external business challenges, making it more <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/agile-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">agile</a>, flexible, and capable of executing strategic priorities.&nbsp;To help you understand the benefits of OKR software — and pick an OKR management tool that's best suited for your business — this article will cover:<ul><li>What is OKR software?</li><li>The main features of OKR software&nbsp;</li><li>The benefits of OKR software</li><li>How to choose the best OKR software</li><li>8 best OKR software solutions</li></ul>

Objectives and key results software is technology that helps your organization implement, manage, and update OKRs at the company, team, and individual levels.&nbsp;Such OKR tools enable your organization to assign OKRs, align efforts, and ensure progress transparency throughout the <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-cycle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR cycle</a>, making the adoption of OKRs for any-sized business simple, straightforward, and hassle-free.&nbsp;

With plenty of OKR management software on the market, you may find it hard to <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-software-buyers-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">choose the right OKR tool for your organization</a>. Yet, there are some key features that all OKR management tools should offer to yield the best results as you track progress for your company's goals. These include:&nbsp;<ul><li>An intuitive user interface&nbsp;</li><li>Cascading, bottom-up, and bidirectional OKRs&nbsp;</li><li>Visualization of real-time progress&nbsp;</li><li>Performance and progress reports&nbsp;</li><li>Customizability&nbsp;</li><li>Feedback&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Integrations&nbsp;</li><li>Dashboards &nbsp;</li></ul><h3>An intuitive user interface</h3>The biggest priority for your OKR software is ensuring your company will use it. OKR tracking software should be easy to use for all employees, with streamlined navigation, operational efficiency, and accessibility making it easy for employees to get OKRs up and running. An optimized user interface allows your employees to concentrate on <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/how-to-implement-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR implementation</a>, management, and oversight instead of figuring out the ins and outs of the OKR platform. It makes it easy to track individual and team goals in one place.<h3>Cascading, bottom-up, and bidirectional OKRs&nbsp;</h3>The right OKR tool should provide flexibility when creating OKR templates, enabling you to set cascading, top-down, and bidirectional OKRs. This way, upper management can set OKRs, teams can establish <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-for-business-alignment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKRs for alignment with company goals</a>, and leaders can collaborate with employees to create OKRs based on mutual goals and individual capabilities. This flexibility ensures everyone is involved with OKRs and can contribute to the company’s success.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h3>OKR dashboards</h3>Having a bird’s eye view of your data can help you better understand how, for example, your <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-vs-kpis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKRs and KPIs</a> work together. Your OKR tool should have an OKR dashboard feature consolidating all data in one place, acting as a one-stop shop for actionable OKR insights. This OKR dashboard should provide an overview of your data, allowing you to compare metrics and filter these based on chosen characteristics.&nbsp;<h3>Visualize real-time progress</h3><a href="https://quantive.com/resources/case-studies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Companies using OKRs</a> tend to interlink their goals, using multiple data sources to update OKRs. This makes it difficult to measure progress. Good OKR management software uses real-time, visual data (e.g., Gantt charts, Kanban boards) to update OKRs (usually on an OKR dashboard), allowing you to see how they link together and get a clear breakdown of your efforts.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Performance and progress reports</h3>An OKR platform that generates performance and progress reports can help you anticipate bottlenecks, allowing you to overcome hurdles and improve results. For a complete overview of OKR performance, these reports should showcase previous performance, progress over time, and (un)healthy OKRs — with the possibility of filtering these based on departments, teams, or individuals within your organization.&nbsp;<h3>Customizability</h3>As flexibility is ingrained into the OKR framework — and different organizations have distinct OKR needs — your OKR tool must be adaptable. It should enable the creation of dynamic OKRs and adjustable OKR cycles, while adding customizability to OKR dashboards. Moreover, it must be scalable enough to support your organization as it grows, allowing OKRs to match the ever-changing needs of a thriving company.&nbsp;<h3>Feedback</h3>The success of OKRs lies in your ability to sustain OKR progress and address issues. An OKR management software that enables feedback encourages managers to keep an eye on employees’ OKR performance, guiding them toward successful OKR attainment. Therefore, making feedback tools vital to the functionality and utility of OKR software.&nbsp;<h3>Integrations</h3>Companies' tech stacks are growing yearly, with the SaaS market projected to reach <a href="https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/software-as-a-service-saas-market-A14951" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$702.19 billion by 2030</a>. With such a wide array of tools being used, <a href="https://quantive.com/products/results/integrations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">integrations</a> are essential to OKR management software. They enable everyday tech tools (e.g., Slack, Teams, Salesforce) to complement and update OKRs on the go, dramatically simplifying OKR management.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If your company is looking to engrain OKRs into the organization, look no further than an OKR management tool. Beyond simplifying the OKR process, OKR tools can help you:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Improve data-driven decision-making with OKR dashboards</li><li>Simplify OKR management as you scale&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Align employees toward organizational priorities&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Enhance goal transparency and accessibility&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Clarify OKR ownership to ensure accountability&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Encourage agile resource deployment&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Boost employee engagement&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>Objectives and key results software facilitates insights into measurable, accurate, and actionable data with minimal manual input. If key results have tasks attached to them, OKR progress can automatically indicate what’s working and what isn’t. This is particularly useful for organizations with large datasets and cascading OKRs. With automated OKR progress, you can connect multiple data sources to understand how low-level OKRs impact broader company objectives clearly.&nbsp;<h3>Improve data-driven decision-making with OKR dashboards</h3>Using OKR software data can improve decision-making across your organization. OKR tools’ automated, real-time data tracking capabilities and all-encompassing OKR dashboards allow users to factor in accurate, up-to-date OKR information when calculating their next steps. This reduces the risk of poor decision-making based on inaccurate data, ensuring your business continuously uses current data to improve its strategy and operations.<h3>Simplify OKR management as you scale</h3>OKR management and scalability become significantly easier with an OKR platform. As OKR management tools can help you stay consistent with OKRs as your company grows — with changes visible at every level of your organization — they help embed OKRs into the core of your organization hassle-free.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>See <a href="https://quantive.com/solutions/results/okrs-for-small-business">how Quantive's OKR platform can help you manage business growth</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="https://quantive.com/solutions/results/okrs-for-small-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670716387/site-v5/hero_sol_OKR_software_d604623238.png" alt="Quantive OKR Software"></a></figure><hr><h3>Align employees toward organizational priorities&nbsp;</h3>&nbsp;OKR software tools help you coordinate employees’ efforts toward primary organizational priorities. As these tools place overarching company goals at the forefront of strategic objectives, they enable employees to focus on the bigger picture. This strengthens alignment, ensuring individual and team OKRs contribute to the goals that matter most for your organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Enhance goal transparency and accessibility&nbsp;</h3>As OKR software can help create and distribute visual depictions of OKR data, they improve OKR accessibility and make it easy for employees to understand goal progress. This transparency and visibility around real-time data can help you detect and anticipate inefficiencies, allowing you to make the necessary changes and achieve desired results.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h3>Clarify OKR ownership to ensure accountability</h3>You can quickly establish the ownership of OKR goals using OKR tools, improving accountability and responsibility for their success. With OKR ownership visible throughout the business, employees are motivated to stay productive when working toward their OKRs. This ensures consistent progress is being achieved throughout your company.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Encourage agile resource deployment&nbsp;</h3>As OKR management tools ensure visibility into the latest OKR data, they create an <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/agile-meaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">agile</a> working environment where everyone can assess opportunities and challenges as they emerge. Moreover, as the OKR framework is flexible and encourages you to update OKRs at any point, your OKR management tool can act as a hub containing the most up-to-date data. This way, you can direct resources to suit the most recent OKR changes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Boost employee engagement</h3><a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-for-employee-engagement" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKRs enhance employee engagement</a>, nurturing an active workforce that's more critical than ever given the increase in remote and <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/hybrid-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hybrid employees</a>. As OKR platforms improve goal transparency and accountability, <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/12/use-okrs-to-set-goals-for-teams-not-individuals" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">teams are more involved</a> with their OKRs, seeing how their work contributes to organizational progress.&nbsp;Not only does this keep employees in the loop, but it also improves their performance. According to the <a href="https://info.quantive.com/hubfs/Quantive_Guides/Global-State-of-OKRs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Global State of OKRs Trends Report</a>, “High performers have diverse approaches to managing and tracking OKRs…the primary distinction is their higher usage of OKR tools and software compared to other groups.”Moreover, OKR platforms enabling bottom-up and bidirectional <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/goal-setting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">goal setting</a> empower employees to take charge of their goals. This responsibility can strengthen their connection to your company, which is especially crucial for widespread teams in large organizations.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>Read more on <a href="https://quantive.com/solutions/results/okrs-for-enterprise">how Quantive's OKR platform can support enterprises</a><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><a href="https://quantive.com/solutions/results/okrs-for-enterprise" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/gtmhub/image/upload/v1670607023/site-v5/hero_sol_enterprise_1_8e6b930526.png" alt="OKRs for enterprise"></a></figure><hr>

While the features we’ve discussed are essential to any OKR tool, you’ll need to consider your business’s unique needs, capabilities, and resources when considering a specific performance management software. This requires asking a few key questions to ensure you make the best decision for your organization. So before taking the plunge, consider reflecting on the following questions:&nbsp;<ul><li>What is our business looking to achieve with OKR tracking software?&nbsp;</li><li>What issues are we looking to solve with an OKR tool?&nbsp;</li><li>How user-friendly do we need our OKR platform to be?&nbsp;</li><li>What should OKR software fulfill for a company of our size?&nbsp;</li><li>What is our budget for an OKR tool?&nbsp;</li><li>How scalable do we need our OKR management software to be?&nbsp;</li><li>How easy is it to integrate this OKR software into our existing systems?&nbsp;</li><li>What kind of support and maintenance are we looking to receive from our OKR management tool?&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>What is our business looking to achieve with OKR software?</h3>Depending on your organization’s specific needs, you may prioritize different OKR software functionalities. For instance, if you’re looking to set simple, independent goals, a more affordable solution with fewer features might do the trick. Conversely, suppose you’re looking to roll out cascading, <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/cross-functional-collaboration" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cross-functional</a> goals that are meant to be visible throughout your business. In that case, you may need a more sophisticated and customizable OKR software. Figuring out what you need can help you identify the essential OKR platform features to look for.&nbsp;<h3>What issues are we looking to solve with an OKR tool?</h3>Your organization’s issues can further help you identify what features to look out for when choosing an OKR management tool. For example, if you’re struggling with overall <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/organizational-alignment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">business alignment</a>, you may want to prioritize an OKR tool that enables cascading OKRs. Alternatively, say your company’s goal communication is the issue. In this case, OKR software that facilitates goal transparency and real-time progress (using dashboards, reports, and alerts) can create opportunities for employees to discuss goal updates and ask questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>How user-friendly do we need our OKR platform to be?&nbsp;</h3>Choosing the ideal OKR management tool for your business requires evaluating both its capabilities and your organization’s abilities. Considering an OKR software's user-friendliness — and matching it to your workforce’s know-how — is essential. It can significantly impact the extent to which the software is embraced and utilized within your company. If your staff isn’t tech-savvy, using non-intuitive OKR management software may result in a steep learning curve, leading to reduced productivity, frustration, and usability issues. In such cases, opting for a more user-friendly OKR tool that doesn’t require extensive training and resources is best.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>What should OKR software fulfill for a company of our size?</h3>Company size matters when it comes to the perfect OKR platform for your business. If you’re operating in a big company, you’ll likely need a robust OKR tool equipped to handle complex needs. On the other hand, a simpler OKR software should do the trick for a smaller company. Beyond this, the size of your company plays a role in determining how many users will need access to the OKR software — directly affecting the price tag. So, as you decide on the right OKR management platform, consider your company’s size to ensure it fits your needs.&nbsp;<h3>What is our budget for an OKR tool?</h3>When sifting through your OKR tool options, a key factor is your budget — including the costs and resources you’ll need to deploy and maintain the OKR software effectively. This initial cost of acquiring the OKR platform is just the tip of the iceberg. The actual cost of implementing the software is reflected in the ongoing expenses that come with it, including the time and cost of customer support and employee training initiatives. By accounting for these costs, you can better decide which OKR tool provides the most bang for its buck. &nbsp;<h3>How scalable do we need our OKR management software to be?&nbsp;</h3>It’s not wise to solely think of your current business needs when choosing an OKR management tool — long-term considerations are also important. As your company grows and evolves, so may the complexity and scale of your goals. This means you’ll need an OKR tool that can keep up. As such, you want to make sure your OKR software can adapt and grow with your company, so you won’t have to switch to a different OKR tool later on (entailing additional time spent on evaluating new options, training teams, and migrating data).&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>How easy is it to integrate this OKR software into our existing systems?&nbsp;</h3>Understanding an OKR software's integrative capabilities is crucial, as this can affect its usability within your organization. How well your OKR tool integrates with your existing tech stack can affect its ease of use and ability to leverage data from multiple sources. Employees will be more likely to use and adopt OKR software that doesn’t create additional work for them (i.e., manual data entry, switching between multiple systems). They’ll likely stay consistent with the OKR management software if it can fit seamlessly into their daily workflows.&nbsp;<h3>What kind of support and maintenance are we looking to receive from our OKR management tool?</h3>It’s also important to consider the kind of <a href="https://quantive.com/products/services-and-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">services and support</a> you’ll receive from the OKR software provider. This can give you a good idea of how much time and effort you’ll need to invest in getting the OKR tool up and running smoothly. When considering an OKR management tool, you’ll want to ask the provider about their support and maintenance options. This may include onboarding support, training support, troubleshooting, bug fixing, upgrades, and maintenance.&nbsp;

Now that you know the criteria you should consider when assessing your OKR software options, let’s look at eight of the best OKR tools on the market. This section will categorize these eight OKR tools into two separate groups: OKR software (solely focused on OKRs) and performance management platforms that offer an OKR component. Then, for each OKR management software, we’ll discuss an overview of its features, pros, cons, and price.&nbsp;<h3>OKR software tools</h3><h4>Quantive&nbsp;</h4>Quantive is a software tool that uses OKRs to bridge strategy and execution. Their flagship product <a href="https://quantive.com/products/results" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Quantive Results</a> enables organizations to plan, align and active, execute, and assess and adapt strategy based on robust data and strategic insights.&nbsp;&nbsp;This OKR software tool helps you plan strategy through collaborative whiteboards, real-time (KPI) dashboards, confidence level metrics, and OKR lists. These can help your organization figure out what’s working and what’s falling behind. Additional features such as voting, customizable permissions, and unlimited view-only users ensure the right people are always involved.&nbsp;To align and activate your team, Quantive helps you create multi-level OKRs, view dynamic OKR dashboard insights, assign (shared) OKR ownership, and create custom Insightboards that pool personalized data together. These can be tracked and kept visible throughout your organization using over 170 integrations.&nbsp;Next, Quantive facilitates effective strategy execution through progress reports and visible confidence level metrics. These ensure everyone’s aware of how well they’re progressing toward their goals. Moreover, Quantive’s real-time feed helps you quickly recognize wins and opportunities for improvement.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lastly, assessing and adapting your strategy has never been easier with Quantive. Quantive Results helps your organization stay updated with its goal progress using custom dashboards and feedback loops powered by third-party tools, integrations, process automations, and whiteboard retrospectives that enable structured feedback, open discussions, and voting.&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>Highly configurable&nbsp;</li><li>Very responsive support team&nbsp;</li><li>Plenty of learning resources for OKRs and Quantive’s product&nbsp;</li><li>Robust integrations&nbsp;</li><li>Track interlinked OKRs across teams, departments, and the overall company&nbsp;</li><li>Gamified approach to goal setting&nbsp;</li><li>Artificial intelligence capabilities to assist the OKR setting and updating process &nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>Over-simplified UX&nbsp;</li><li>Setting up cascading OKRs requires some getting used to&nbsp;</li><li>Primarily focuses on company goals as opposed to day-to-day tasks&nbsp;</li></ul>Price&nbsp;Quantive offers three <a href="https://quantive.com/products/results/pricing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pricing plans</a>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>A free forever Essentials plan for small teams and organizations&nbsp;</li><li>Scale for small to medium-sized companies ($18/user/month)&nbsp;</li><li>Enterprise for larger teams and organizations (custom quote).&nbsp;</li></ul><h4>Weekdone&nbsp;</h4>Weekdone is a specialized software tool for OKR management, enabling you to structure, set, align, and oversee OKRs throughout your company. With Weekdone, your teams can establish a hierarchy of interconnected OKRs at the company, department, team, and individual levels. Users can then track the progress and performance of these goals using weekly reports, planning forms, and task dependencies. Moreover, Weekdone provides a live OKR dashboard highlighting real-time data and an overview of the company’s goal progress.&nbsp;&nbsp;To facilitate these functions, Weekdone offers a range of features, such as KPI monitoring, regular progress updates, hierarchical OKR goal-setting, <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okrs-and-cfrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CFRs</a>, automated status reports, coordinated OKRs, resources on OKRs, weekly updates, and peer acknowledgment.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>Easy OKR visualization with OKR dashboards</li><li>Robust reporting and analytics&nbsp;</li><li>Has private notes for private reminders&nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>Lack of KPI and executive dashboards&nbsp;</li><li>Expensive&nbsp;</li><li>Integration struggles&nbsp;</li><li>Poor customer support&nbsp;</li><li>No whiteboards or collaborative functionalities &nbsp;</li></ul>Price&nbsp;Weekdone is free for up to 3 users. After that, prices go up based on the number of people using the platform.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h4>Profit</h4><a href="https://quantive.com/lp/quantive-vs-profit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Profit</a> is a results management software that allows companies to drive strategy using OKRs. This software enables organizations to set, plan, and align OKRs at the start of each quarter, with weekly check-ins, reviews, and updates used to improve employee engagement.&nbsp;&nbsp;Regarding OKRs, Profit helps your company reach its goals using OKRs and task management. With OKR management, you can align goals, use different types of key results to track objectives, visualize company dashboards, and engage teams using rewards. With the complementary use of task management, you can create and prioritize supporting tasks, collaborate in custom workspaces, link tasks with key results, and access a dashboard dedicated to tasks.&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>Online resources and training&nbsp;</li><li>Good support team&nbsp;</li><li>Numerous reporting options&nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>UI/UX complications from too many customizations&nbsp;</li><li>Not intuitive, so it can be overwhelming&nbsp;</li><li>Difficult to manage OKRs&nbsp;</li><li>Data dashboard needs improvement&nbsp;</li></ul>Price&nbsp;Free for up to 5 users, then it’s $9/user/month billed monthly for the Growth plan. The Enterprise plan entails custom pricing. &nbsp;<h3>Performance management platforms with OKR functionality</h3><h4>Leapsome</h4>Leapsome is an all-around performance management app that integrates employee engagement, <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-performance-management" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">performance management</a>, and employee development into a single tool. Mainly utilized by HR, this platform helps organizations set goals, evaluate performance, and promote learning, while providing an opportunity to receive valuable employee feedback.&nbsp;&nbsp;Regarding Leapsome’s OKR functionality, organizations can create cascading OKR goals supported by one-on-ones, team meetings, shared agendas, and assigned action items to enhance goal collaboration, accountability, and transparency. Additional complementary features include performance reviews, feedback, and peer recognition powered by OKR dashboards, reports, and historical data.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>Lots of features, including modules for onboarding, learning management, engagement, performance management, goal tracking&nbsp;</li><li>Easy to provide peer feedback&nbsp;</li><li>Vast integration options&nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>There’s a learning curve that can be overwhelming&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>No mobile app&nbsp;</li><li>No free version&nbsp;</li><li>Limited features for goal setting&nbsp;</li></ul>PriceModular pricing starts at $8/user/month. Large enterprises can request a quote from Leapsome’s sales team.&nbsp;<h4>Lattice&nbsp;</h4>Lattice is a people success platform that fosters a positive work environment by leveraging continuous performance management, real-time feedback, and employee engagement insights. Its all-encompassing approach to promoting people’s success enables teams and individuals to set and track goals, leave employee reviews, and evaluate performance throughout the company.&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, Lattice offers goal-setting capabilities that enable your organization to set company OKRs that integrate into teams’ daily routines. These goals can be sustained through one-on-ones, goal status updates, and performance check-ins, with data integrations allowing for accessible updates across the organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>Easy to set, track, and evaluate performance&nbsp;</li><li>Notifies you of tasks that need to be done&nbsp;</li><li>Simplified performance reviews for large companies&nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>No individual goal options&nbsp;</li><li>Mobile app can be improved&nbsp;</li><li>Non-intuitive user interface&nbsp;</li><li>Limited project management abilities&nbsp;</li><li>Cascading goal management can be confusing&nbsp;</li></ul>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;The prices fluctuate depending on the functionalities you choose. Access to Lattice’s performance management and OKR goals starts at $11/user/month, depending on company size. Adding Lattice’s additional Engagement, Grow, and Compensation options entails extra costs.&nbsp;<h4>Asana</h4>Asana is a collaborative project management tool that helps teams achieve their strategic initiatives using task, workflow, and project management. Using its features, you can create and assign task interdependencies, plan and execute project maps, and monitor progress using custom dashboards.&nbsp;&nbsp;When looking at its dedicated goal and OKR features, Asana allows you to create OKR goals at every level of the organization, assigning owners, deadlines, and progress methods that link to projects or tasks.&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>Simple to set up&nbsp;</li><li>Various project views and templates to choose from&nbsp;</li><li>Facilitates adaptable project management&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Easy to ensure tasks are organized and on track&nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>Some necessary integrations are missing or only available with expensive business plans&nbsp;</li><li>The mobile app can be troublesome&nbsp;</li><li>Enterprise solution is more expensive than competitors&nbsp;</li><li>Can't assign tasks to multiple individuals, complicating collaboration&nbsp;</li></ul>Price&nbsp;Asana has four pricing plans:&nbsp;<ul><li>Basic (free)</li><li>Premium ($13.49/user/month when billed monthly)</li><li>Business ($30.49/user/month when billed monthly)</li><li>Enterprise (custom quote)</li></ul><h4>15five</h4>15five is a performance management software focusing on driving performing and strengthening work cultures. It allows <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/human-resources-okrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HR teams</a> to improve their managerial capabilities, drive engagement, and increase retention by taking a holistic approach to performance management. This involves 360 performance reviews, employee engagement surveys, <a href="https://quantive.com/resources/articles/okr-tracking" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OKR tracking</a>, and manager-employee feedback tools.&nbsp;When it comes to OKR functionality, 15five can help align your business toward primary goals and engage with activities that serve these. It encourages you to create, monitor, and manage OKRs in line with daily responsibilities. Some of 15five’s supporting OKR features include real-time feedback, weekly check-ins, and self-reviews.&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>User-friendly interface&nbsp;</li><li>Facilitates one-on-ones and 360-feedback&nbsp;</li><li>Employee appreciation tools&nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>The mobile app needs improvement&nbsp;</li><li>Poor support&nbsp;</li><li>OKR features require a specialized plan&nbsp;</li><li>Lack of precise progress data&nbsp;</li><li>Can’t prioritize tasks&nbsp;</li></ul>Price15five has four pricing plans:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Engage ($4/user/month billed annually)&nbsp;</li><li>Perform ($9/user/month billed annually)&nbsp;</li><li>Focus ($8/user/month billed annually)&nbsp;</li><li>Total Platform ($14/user/month billed annually)&nbsp;</li></ul><h4>BetterWorks&nbsp;</h4>BetterWorks is a performance enablement solution for businesses looking to merge people, strategy, and results to facilitate efficient goal alignment, feedback, and employee performance. Its five main products focus on conversations, feedback, calibration, goals, and employee engagement.&nbsp;This software’s goals component helps businesses align OKRs to strategy, provides visibility into goals, embeds flexibility into their goal-setting system, and integrates with commonly used applications. Moreover, it promotes engagement using direct report progress, comment features, and cheering wins.&nbsp;Pros&nbsp;<ul><li>Real-time collaborative goal setting and measuring&nbsp;</li><li>Data-driven feedback&nbsp;</li><li>Easy to personalize&nbsp;</li><li>OKR coaching sessions&nbsp;</li></ul>Cons&nbsp;<ul><li>Buggy&nbsp;</li><li>Poor technical support&nbsp;</li><li>No free trial&nbsp;</li><li>Requires training&nbsp;</li><li>Limited reporting capabilities&nbsp;</li></ul>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;You need to request a custom quote for both Commercial (starting at 500 employees) and Enterprise plans (starting at 3,000 employees).&nbsp;

As business needs grow in complexity, a good performance management platform becomes increasingly fundamental to successful OKR deployment. However, simply adopting an OKR software tool may not be enough: your business must ensure it chooses the right one.The right OKR platforms for your business — chosen based on characteristics such as company size, needs, issues, and budget — can simplify OKR adoption, ensure flexibility, and direct joint efforts with insightful data and progress breakdowns. As such, they’re vital to implementing and scaling OKRs in your business, empowering you to achieve superior outcomes across the board.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>Quantive empowers modern organizations to turn their ambitions into reality through strategic agility. It's where strategy, teams, and data come together to drive effective decision-making, streamline execution, and maximize performance.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;As your company navigates today’s competitive landscape, you need an Always-On Strategy to continuously bridge the gap between current and desired business outcomes. Quantive brings together the technology, expertise, and passion to transform your strategy and playbooks from a static formulation to a feedback-driven engine for growth.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you’re a fast-growing scale-up, a mid-market business looking to conquer, or a large enterprise looking for innovation, Quantive keeps you ahead – every step of the way. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.quantive.com/">www.quantive.com</a>.&nbsp;

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