I’ve experimented with different timeframes for setting OKRs.
I’ve tried annual OKRs, where we aimed for long-term goals, and bi-annual OKRs, where we set objectives for six months. But I quickly realized that quarterly OKRs were the sweet spot for driving real, tangible impact.
Quarterly OKRs are long enough to allow your team to make meaningful progress, but short enough to remain flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances.
They keep the momentum going without overwhelming the team with distant or less actionable goals.
(This is why OKRs Tool uses quarterly OKRs as the default setup - though it can be edited - they’re the most effective at driving results).
Now, I’ll show you how you can set quarterly OKRs in just 15 minutes - with the help of AI and a simple, easy-to-use platform that ensures your team stays aligned and focused. It’s fast, simple, and, most importantly, effective.
Step 1: Define Your Objectives
The first step in setting your quarterly OKRs is to define the objectives you want to achieve.
These are your big-picture goals for the next quarter. They should be clear, ambitious, and aligned with your company’s most important priorities.
Take a moment to think about what’s most important for your team in the coming months.
Are you focused on driving revenue? Launching a new product? Improving customer retention?
Your objective should be specific and actionable, so your team knows exactly where to focus.
Example Objective:
- Weak Objective: Increase revenue.
- Strong Objective: Increase revenue from existing customers by 25% this quarter through improved retention and upselling.
This revised objective is clear and provides direction for the team. It’s something your team can act on immediately.
Step 2: Use AI Assist to Craft Key Results
Now that you have your objective, it’s time to break it down into key results - the measurable actions you’ll take to achieve the objective.
Instead of spending time brainstorming key results, OKRs Tool’s AI assist can suggest key results based on your objective.
The AI will analyze your goal and provide key results that are actionable and aligned with your objective. It’s a quick and easy way to get started, saving you time and effort.
For example, if your objective is to “Increase revenue from existing customers by 25%,” the AI might suggest key results like:
- Complete customer retention analysis by end of the month.
- Achieve a 15% increase in upsell conversion rate.
- Launch a referral program and onboard 100 new customers.
These key results are measurable and give you clear steps to focus on, making it easy to track your progress.
Step 3: Customize and Fine-Tune Your OKRs
While AI provides great suggestions, it’s always a good idea to review and customize your key results to make sure they reflect your team’s capabilities. Ask yourself:
- Are these key results challenging but achievable?
- Do they focus on the right actions that will drive the objective forward?
- Are they realistic given your team’s resources and timeline?
For example:
- If one of the key results is too vague (e.g., “Increase revenue”), you can make it more specific: “Increase average revenue per user (ARPU) by 20% by the end of the quarter.”
Adjusting your key results ensures they are actionable and focused on delivering the right outcomes.
Step 4: Assign Ownership and Accountability
To make your OKRs truly effective, it’s important to assign ownership for each key result. This ensures that everyone knows exactly what they’re responsible for and can take accountability for their part in achieving the objective.
For example:
- Objective: Increase revenue from existing customers by 25%.
- Key Result 1: Complete customer retention analysis by the end of the month. (Assigned to: Kevin)
- Key Result 2: Achieve a 15% increase in upsell conversion rate. (Assigned to: Emily)
- Key Result 3: Launch a referral program and onboard 100 new customers. (Assigned to: Roberto)
- Key Result 1: Complete customer retention analysis by the end of the month. (Assigned to: Kevin)
By assigning clear ownership, you help your team stay aligned and accountable, ensuring everyone knows their role in achieving the objective.
Step 5: Set Your Review Cadence and Track Progress
OKRs are not set-and-forget goals.
To stay aligned and make sure you’re on track, you need to regularly review progress. OKRs Tool allows you to easily set review cadences - whether you want to check in weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
With OKRs Tool, you can:
- Track progress in real-time: Monitor key results as your team works toward them.
- Update status: Mark key results as on track, at risk, or completed.
- Adjust when necessary: Make tweaks if you need to shift priorities or change key results.
By setting a regular review cadence, you can ensure that your OKRs stay top of mind and that you’re on track to hit your goals.
Conclusion
Setting quarterly OKRs doesn’t have to take hours.
You can quickly move from defining high-level objectives to setting actionable key results. And with AI, you can generate key results tailored to your objective, making the process faster and easier.
Spending just a few minutes crafting your OKRs ensures your team stays aligned, focused, and on track with the most important goals for the quarter. The process is streamlined, allowing you to get started quickly and efficiently.
15 Minutes Too Long? Do It in 30 Seconds with OKRs Tool!
If you think 15 minutes is too long to spend setting your quarterly OKRs, OKRs Tool can help you do it in 30 seconds.
With AI-assisted personalized OKRs, the platform automatically suggests tailored objectives and key results that are aligned with your team’s goals and ready to implement.
Set your OKRs faster than ever before and get your team moving toward success in no time. Try OKRs Tool today and set up your personalized OKRs in seconds!
