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Objectives and key results

As explained in Think Like a Software Engineering Manager

Objectives and key results are a goal-setting framework that pairs qualitative objectives with measurable outcomes.

Objectives and key results (OKRs) pair a qualitative objective with measurable key results. They turn broad priorities into visible goals and specific evidence of progress. section 10.1.2

Use OKRs to make priorities concrete and shared:

  • State the objective in clear, outcome-focused language. section 10.1.2
  • Attach measurable results that show whether the objective is being achieved. section 10.1.2
  • Align team goals with company vision, stakeholders, leadership, and broader organizational objectives. section 2.5.2 section 10.1.2
  • Use the results to prioritize work and direct project execution toward tangible outcomes. section 10.1.2

E-commerce user experience

Objective: enhance user experience. Key results: raise customer satisfaction from 80% to 90% by quarter’s end, reduce page-load time from five seconds to three, and increase daily mobile-app users by 20%. section 10.1.2

How Think Like a Software Engineering Manager covers it

How deep it goes
Defines objectives, measurable key results, and alignment practices, then demonstrates them through an e-commerce example.
Examples
Uses an e-commerce user-experience OKR with satisfaction, page-load, and mobile-app adoption targets.
What you can do after
Apply OKRs to prioritize work, align teams, define success metrics, and guide projects toward tangible outcomes.
How it connects
Connects OKRs with project management, key performance indicators, company vision, stakeholder alignment, and SMART goals.

Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Think Like a Software Engineering Manager. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.