What Are Key Results?

Setting haphazard goals yields exactly the kind of business results you'd expect: At best, you may get short-term wins without a clear path to sustainable growth.

That's where OKRs (objectives and key results) can really make a difference—they can change the trajectory of your organization. OKRs help you create a clear, actionable roadmap to success. At the heart of this approach are key results that help teams make progress and achieve organizational objectives. In this post, we'll explore key results (KRs) to understand their importance and discover how you can effectively create and measure them to drive success within your organization.

What exactly are key results?

Within the OKR framework, a key result is a specific, measurable outcome that indicates progress toward an objective. While the objective sets the direction and defines what you want to achieve, key results are how you get to that objective.

For example, if your objective is to "expand our presence in the cloud services market by 15% by Q1 of next year," corresponding key results might include:

• Acquire 50 new enterprise clients for our cloud services product by the end of Q4.
• Increase conversion rates of product trials to paid subscriptions by 20% by the end of Q3.
• Launch a targeted marketing campaign in three new geographic regions by the end of Q2 to generate 1,000 new leads.

Key results are directly linked to the objective. KRs help you decide if certain efforts contribute meaningfully to achieving your goal. Each key result should challenge you or your team to achieve specific outcomes, not merely describe business-as-usual activities.

Outcome-based key results focus on measurable achievements, not just activities. Using verbs such as "participate" and "analyze" are dead giveaways that your KR is not outcome-focused. When crafting your KRs, aim to use words like "increase," "reduce," "achieve," or "deliver" to clearly define the impact and guarantee that the result is both quantifiable and aligned with your objective. Following this approach keeps your team focused on the end goal rather than getting caught up in the process.

Characteristics of effective key results

Your key results should meet the following criteria to be actionable, measurable, and aligned with your broader objectives, ensuring real progress.

Specific 

Key results should be clear and precise. Vague statements like "improve sales" are not helpful. Instead, aim for something specific like:

• Increase Q4 sales revenue by 10% to reach $500,000.
• Launch three targeted marketing campaigns by the end of Q3, focusing on mid-sized tech companies in the Northeast region.
• Improve lead conversion rates by 15% by optimizing our sales funnel by Q3.

Time-bound

Deadlines are built into the structure of the OKR cycle. Every KR should have a clear timeframe, which creates a sense of urgency and helps maintain focus. For example, if your objective is to "increase market share in the Midwest by 10% within the next fiscal year," a well-structured key result could be "open five new stores in the Midwest region by the end of Q4."

Measurable 

A KR must have a measurable outcome to track progress objectively and determine whether or not the result has been achieved. If you can't measure, you can't manage it. Include specific numbers, percentages, ratios, frequency, quality, or financial metrics.

Verifiable

Since OKRs are tied to organizational goals, anyone in your company should be able to quickly verify whether or not you've actually reached the intended outcome. OKR tracking software helps make results transparent across the business. Make the results of your progress clear by including links to documents or published metrics reports that demonstrate the outcomes.

Achievable

Key results should push your team to excel, but they must remain realistic. Setting overly ambitious targets can lead to frustration and burnout. Instead, aim for goals that challenge the team without being out of reach. The key is finding a balance that drives performance while maintaining high morale.

Relevant

Key results need to have a clear connection to your objective and should directly contribute to achieving the bigger picture. Keeping your key results relevant ensures that your team is channeling their efforts into the areas that matter most for hitting the overall goal.

Common mistakes when developing key results

Creating key results might seem straightforward, but it's easy to fall into common traps that undermine their effectiveness. The following are some pitfalls to avoid.

Too many key results: While covering all bases is tempting, having too many key results can dilute focus and make tracking progress cumbersome. Limiting key results to three to five per objective helps maintain focus.

Confusing tasks with key results: Tasks are actions you take to achieve key results, but they are not results themselves. For example, "launching a new marketing campaign" is a task, while "increasing brand awareness by 20% through the new campaign" is a key result.

Key results that don't complete the objective: Another common issue is setting key results that are needed but don't add up to the full achievement of the objective. Teams sometimes focus on easier steps, avoiding the tougher work that drives real impact, which can lead to missed deadlines or overlooked resource needs. To fix this, refine your key results so that achieving them guarantees the objective is fully completed.

Measuring and tracking key results

Crafting clear key results is just the start; measuring and tracking them is what keeps you on the path to meeting your objectives. This process helps turn your goals into real, measurable progress and lets you make adjustments as needed along the way.

First, establish a cadence for reviewing your key results. Regular check-ins—whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly—are essential. These meetings should be focused and data-driven, not just a box to tick off. The goal is to assess whether you or your team is on track, identify roadblocks, and make necessary adjustments. But it's more than just monitoring; it's about creating a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Consider using a "traffic light" system to add structure to these check-ins. Label each key result as green (on track), yellow (at risk), or red (off track). This simple visual can quickly convey status and prompt necessary actions. For example, if a KR is marked yellow, it's a signal that—whether you're a team lead or tackling your own KRs—you'll need to give this one some attention. You might need to allocate more resources, tweak your strategy, or even redefine the KR if external circumstances have shifted.

But how do you make sure your measurements are accurate and meaningful? Software tools with robust OKR tracking features can automate much of the heavy lifting. These tools allow you to set up dashboards, track progress in real time, and even integrate with other systems to pull in relevant data automatically. The benefit? You get a holistic view of your OKRs, making it easier to spot trends, make data-driven decisions, and keep your team aligned.

Tracking key results also helps you spot patterns and learn how to better write and manage key results in the future. Look at your historical data: What's working? What's consistently falling short? Use these insights to refine your approach in the next OKR cycle. 

For instance, if you notice that certain types of key results are underperforming regularly, it might be time to revisit how you define them or the strategies you're using to achieve them.

Finally, remember that tracking isn't just a leadership task; it's a team effort. Encourage transparency and open communication within your teams. When everyone understands how their work contributes to the broader objectives and has a clear line of sight to the key results, they're more likely to stay engaged and motivated.

Crafting effective key results at your organization

Understanding how to craft effective key results is important for any organization looking to leverage the power of the OKR system. By ensuring your key results are specific, time-bound, measurable, verifiable, achievable, and relevant, you set a strong foundation for success.

Remember, the journey doesn't stop at setting key results. Regular tracking, review, and adjustment throughout the OKR cycle are key to maintaining momentum and achieving your objectives.

If you're ready to deepen your understanding of OKRs, consider exploring Scrum Alliance's Agile OKRs microcredential course. It's an excellent way to enhance your skills and earn a digital badge that showcases your expertise.

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