The objectives and key results (OKRs) strategy has gained popularity in numerous sectors as it enables organizations to align their working force towards common objectives.
This is not different in the engineering sector as the departmental and team level objectives play a significant role in helping engineers stay on track and be collaborative.
Besides, the OKRs framework sets a new high for the engineers and encourages the team members to aim higher and obtain greater results. However, the framework is easier said than done and hence the need to understand crucial fundamentals when you want to incorporate it in the engineering sector.
Read more to Better Understand OKRs Framework
OKRs stands for Objectives and Key Results. The objectives are the goals that you expect to achieve in every department and employee level at a given time. In most cases, the objectives align with the general organizational goals and should be specific, measurable, accurate and realistic.
Similarly, the key results are the medium on how to achieve the objective. Usually, an objective has about three key results. Every engineer and employee should have individual objectives and key results that can be monitored and improved with time.
In most cases, the OKRs framework is conducted on a quarterly basis, where the extent of the objective should be achieved. This breakdown enables the managers to monitor the progress and assess employee output. Besides, the tool helps manage to make the necessary improvements and changes to ensure that all the stakeholders are aligned and on the right track.
It is worth noting that engineering OKRs should be specific as poorly written frameworks erode the methodology’s power. Read more to find tips for an efficient and effective process.
Establish General Objectives
The objective element you seek to create should demonstrate an overarching idea that explains what you want to do or what you need to accomplish. Therefore, your objective should be simple and easily understandable.
A good objective example for the engineering field may include “Release flawless products” or “Increase data security.”
In the same way, the Key Results should be ambitious and measurable. In most cases, key results are strengthened by a number meaning that they should be quantitative. This aspect clarifies whether the objective has been achieved or not and will also make it easy to track progress in every department and employee level.
A good example of a key result is “Reduce load time by 33%.”
The fact that key results should be ambitious means that it is acceptable not to attain100% success. It would be best to consider it a success even when you only achieve 65% of the key results. This shows that the key results were not just a checklist and that there is room for improvement.
OKRs framework could prove effective when strategically incorporated in the engineering sector. Following these guidelines will help you align your teams and achieve most of your goals collaboratively. Ensure you choose the best framework that suits your work culture and structure.
