Writing a solid objective is hard enough.
But choosing the right metrics to track it? That’s where most teams get stuck.
Too vague, and OKRs become wishful thinking.
Too narrow, and they feel like just another to-do list.
That’s why getting your OKR metrics right is where strategy turns into traction. The right metrics don’t just measure performance - they guide execution, force prioritization, and make progress visible.
So let’s break down what makes a great OKR metric, how to choose them, and a few real examples that show what good (and bad) looks like.
What Are OKR Metrics, Really?
In OKRs, metrics live in the Key Results. Your Objective defines the direction - your Key Results define the evidence that you're moving.
Objective: Improve customer onboarding experience
Key Result (Metric): Increase Day 7 activation from 45% → 65%
The metric isn’t the work - it’s the signal. It tells you, week by week, whether your team’s effort is translating into actual results.
If you can’t measure it, it’s not a Key Result. And if your team can’t affect it, it’s not a useful one.
The 5 Traits of a Strong OKR Metric
1. It’s outcome-based, not activity-based
Great OKRs focus on what changes, not what gets done.
For example, “Launch a new onboarding flow” sounds good - but what’s the goal? A better Key Result would be “Increase activation rate from 40% to 60%.”
Focusing on outcomes forces teams to connect effort to impact. It also helps shift the team’s mindset away from measuring progress by effort alone.
Ask: What are we trying to cause by doing this? That’s your real metric.
2. It’s specific and time-bound
Vague metrics create vague execution. “Improve user experience” is too fuzzy to guide weekly decision-making. Instead, try “Increase onboarding completion rate from 55% to 75% by end of Q2.”
That time-bound structure creates urgency and helps teams check their pace throughout the cycle.
Ask: What’s the finish line - and when will we cross it?
3. It’s measurable (and visible)
If your team can’t pull a stat, graph, or simple number to represent the Key Result, it’s not trackable - and probably not useful.
Avoid phrases like “make it better” or “optimize.” Ask: What would we look at to know that improved? Then write the KR around that metric.
The best OKRs can be updated weekly, ideally with a quick dashboard or snapshot.
4. It’s influenced by the team writing it
Key Results need ownership - and that means the team should have the ability to move them.
For example, “Increase total company revenue” might sound impressive, but if the product team doesn’t own the sales motion, it’s a setup for frustration. A better option would be “Increase product-qualified leads from X to Y.”
Always ask: Can this team move the needle? If not, adjust the metric.
5. It’s not a vanity metric
Pageviews, likes, and traffic spikes might feel good - but they don’t always mean your product is succeeding.
Choose metrics that reflect meaningful behavior change, satisfaction, or impact. For example: “Reach 50% activation on Feature X” is better than “Announce Feature X launch.”
Ask: If this number goes up, do we know things are getting better? If not, dig deeper.
Types of OKR Metrics You Can Use
Not all metrics are created equal - and not all OKRs use the same kind. Here are a few categories to help you frame your thinking.
You don’t need to use them all - just the ones most aligned to the objective you're pursuing.
How to Track OKR Metrics (Without Spreadsheet Fatigue)
Once you’ve picked the right metrics, the next challenge is tracking them in a way that’s easy and consistent.
Here’s what strong teams do:
- Use a shared dashboard (Notion, OKR software, or doc)
- Assign one owner per Key Result to update progress
- Update weekly using: % complete, green/yellow/red, or short notes
- Use weekly check-ins to focus not just on the numbers - but what’s causing them
If a metric is stuck, your review isn’t just "are we behind" - it’s "what should we try next?"
What to Do When a Metric Stalls
You’ve set a clear OKR. You’ve aligned the team.
But halfway through the cycle… one of your key results isn’t moving.
Don’t panic. Stalled metrics are normal - especially in startups where goals are ambitious by design. The trick is to treat stuck metrics as signals, not failures.
Here’s how to troubleshoot:
1. Check the initiatives
Ask: Are we actually doing anything that could move this metric?
It’s surprisingly common to set a goal, get busy, and then realize no one has owned the execution. If a KR is stuck, the first diagnostic is your initiative list. Are there 2–4 active bets tied to that metric? If not, create them. If there are, are they high-leverage enough to matter?
A metric without initiatives is just a wish.
2. Reevaluate the metric
Some metrics stall because they weren’t well-formed in the first place.
Maybe the target was unrealistic. Maybe the metric doesn’t respond on a short time horizon. Or maybe it’s a lagging indicator - and you should be tracking a leading one instead.
Ask: Is this the right metric for this cycle?
If the answer is “not quite,” adjust. OKRs are meant to drive learning, not punish guesswork.
3. Ask what’s blocking progress
If the OKR initiative is sound and the metric is reasonable, the bottleneck might be elsewhere.
Look for friction:
- Is someone spread too thin to own it?
- Are we dependent on another team?
- Did priorities shift mid-cycle?
Stalled progress is often an operations problem disguised as a strategy issue. The earlier you name the real blocker, the faster you can fix it.
4. Pivot or persist
Sometimes a metric stalls because your tactic isn’t working. Other times, it’s just taking longer than expected. The key is to decide: Do we double down or change course?
There’s no shame in replacing a weak initiative or even reframing the KR. OKRs aren’t contracts - they’re bets. And smart teams update their bets based on evidence.
Bottom line: A stalled metric isn’t failure - it’s feedback. It tells you what’s unclear, what’s missing, or what needs to shift. The best OKR teams treat that signal as a moment to realign - not a reason to retreat.
Metrics Make the OKR
OKRs are only as strong as the metrics they’re built on.
Clear objectives get people aligned. But clear metrics get them moving in the same direction - and give them a way to know if they’re winning.
So next time you write a KR, pause. Ask:
- Is this measurable?
- Is this meaningful?
- Is this in our control?
Because a great OKR isn’t just about writing goals. It’s about tracking change.
Want to track OKR metrics without spreadsheet chaos?
OKRs Tool helps you connect every objective to a measurable key result - and track them in one shared, simple view. Try it for free and build an OKR system that runs on outcomes, not just outputs.
