If your Objective is your "North Star," then your Key Results are the concrete steps and measurable indicators that tell you if you're actually moving towards that star. Key Results are how you will measure success; they are the quantifiable metrics that prove an Objective has been achieved.

Characteristics of Effective Key Results

Key Results demand precision and measurability. They adhere closely to the SMART principles, though with a slight OKR twist:

• Specific: KRs must clearly define what is being measured. Avoid vague language.
• Measurable: KRs must be quantifiable. You need a starting point (baseline) and a target number. Can you track progress with a clear metric?
• Ambitious (but Achievable): Like Objectives, KRs should be challenging. They should require effort and focus to achieve, often pushing beyond business as usual. While achievable, they shouldn't be "easy wins." Aim for roughly a 70-80% completion rate for stretch KRs.
• Relevant: Each KR must directly contribute to the achievement of its associated Objective. If a KR doesn't clearly support the Objective, it doesn't belong there.
• Time-bound: Like Objectives, KRs are set for a specific time frame (e.g., quarterly) and have a clear end date for their measurement.
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Example of Effective Key Results for Objective: "Delight our customers with an incredibly seamless onboarding experience."

• Strong KR 1: "Increase the percentage of users completing onboarding within 24 hours from 40% to 75%." (Specific, Measurable, Ambitious, Relevant, Time-bound)
• Strong KR 2: "Reduce customer support tickets related to onboarding issues by 50% (from 200 to 100 per week)." (Specific, Measurable, Ambitious, Relevant, Time-bound)
• Strong KR 3: "Achieve an average 'Time to First Value' for new users of less than 15 minutes." (Specific, Measurable, Ambitious, Relevant, Time-bound)
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Example of Weak Key Results:

• "Work on improving onboarding." (Not measurable, not specific)
• "Launch new welcome email series." (This is an activity or an initiative, not a Key Result. The KR should be the outcome of launching the series.)

Types of Key Results

Understanding different types of Key Results can help you choose the most effective metrics for your Objectives:

• Baseline to Target: This is the most common type. You identify a current state (baseline) and set a specific target to reach.
  
  • Example: "Increase website conversion rate from 2.5% to 4%."
    
• Positive/Negative Indicators: Some KRs measure reduction or elimination of something undesirable, or the increase of something desirable.
  
  • Positive: "Increase positive social media mentions by 30%."
  • Negative: "Reduce customer churn rate from 10% to 5%."
    
    
• Activity vs. Value (Output vs. Outcome): This is a crucial distinction.
  
  
  • Activity/Output KRs measure tasks or things you produce. While sometimes necessary (especially early in a process), they are generally weaker as they don't guarantee impact.
    
    • Weak Example: "Publish 10 blog posts."
      
  • Value/Outcome KRs measure the actual impact or change you create. These are far more powerful as they reflect true progress towards your Objective.
    
    • Strong Example: "Increase organic traffic to our blog by 25%." (The outcome of publishing blog posts)

Always strive for Outcome-based Key Results over Activity-based ones. Activities are what you do, Key Results are the results of those activities.