Welcome to the second training session on OKRs. In this lesson, we'll focus on how to craft effective Objectives and Key Results that are meaningful and achievable for your project-based roles in graphic design, illustration, and programming.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Identify the characteristics of well-crafted Objectives and Key Results.

  • Develop clear and measurable OKRs relevant to your role.

  • Apply best practices in formulating OKRs.

  • Recognize common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

1. Characteristics of Good Objectives

Inspirational and Qualitative

  • Ambitious but Attainable: Objectives should push you to excel without being unrealistic.

  • Motivational: They should inspire enthusiasm and commitment.

  • Clear and Concise: Easily understood and communicated.

Aligned with Project and Organizational Goals

  • Relevance: Directly connected to your role and responsibilities.

  • Contribution: Support the broader goals of the team and organization.

2. Developing Key Results

Specific, Measurable, and Time-Bound

  • Specific: Clearly define what you aim to achieve.

  • Measurable: Quantifiable to track progress objectively.

  • Time-Bound: Include deadlines to maintain focus and urgency.

Challenging yet Achievable

  • Stretch Goals: Encourage you to go beyond your comfort zone.

  • Realistic: Feasible with available resources and time.

3. Best Practices in Crafting OKRs

Limit the Number of OKRs

  • Focus: Concentrate on 1-3 Objectives with 2-5 Key Results each.

  • Avoid Overload: Prevent spreading efforts too thin.

Ensure Clarity and Avoid Ambiguity

  • Use Clear Language: Be precise to prevent misunderstandings.

  • Outcome-Oriented: Focus on results rather than activities or tasks.

Align OKRs Across Levels

  • Consistency: Ensure your OKRs support team and organizational Objectives.

  • Collaboration: Work with peers and supervisors for alignment.

Regularly Review and Update

  • Flexibility: Adjust OKRs as projects evolve.

  • Continuous Improvement: Learn and adapt from feedback and progress tracking.

4. Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Setting Vague Objectives

  • Issue: Objectives that are too broad or unclear hinder focus.

  • Solution: Specify what you want to achieve in concrete terms.

Example of a Vague Objective: "Improve design skills."

Improved Objective: "Master advanced techniques in Adobe Illustrator to create complex vector graphics."

Creating Task-Oriented Key Results

  • Issue: Listing activities rather than measurable outcomes doesn't reflect progress.

  • Solution: Define Key Results that measure the impact of your actions.

Task-Oriented Key Result: "Work on the website redesign project."

Outcome-Oriented Key Result: "Increase website user engagement by 25% through a redesigned interface by Q3."

Setting Unmeasurable Key Results

  • Issue: Without quantifiable metrics, it's hard to assess progress.

  • Solution: Use numbers, percentages, or specific criteria.

Unmeasurable Key Result: "Make the app faster."

Measurable Key Result: "Reduce app load time from 5 seconds to 2 seconds by the end of the month."

Overloading with Too Many OKRs

  • Issue: Too many goals can dilute focus and hinder achievement.

  • Solution: Prioritize the most impactful Objectives and Key Results.

5. Activities

Step 1: Drafting Objectives

  • Brainstorm: Discuss potential Objectives relevant to a sample project.

  • Select One Objective: Ensure it's inspirational, aligned, and clear.

Step 2: Developing Key Results

  • Identify Outcomes: Determine 2-3 Key Results that indicate progress toward the Objective.

  • Ensure Measurability: Key Results should be specific, quantifiable, and time-bound.

Examples for Guidance

  • Graphic Design

    • Objective: Enhance the company's visual brand identity.

      • Key Result 1: Develop a new brand style guide by the end of the quarter.

      • Key Result 2: Redesign 5 core marketing materials to reflect the new branding by Q2.

  • Illustration

    • Objective: Increase audience engagement through compelling visuals.

      • Key Result 1: Create a series of 12 original illustrations for monthly newsletters, aiming for a 20% open rate increase.

      • Key Result 2: Collaborate on 3 infographic projects that achieve at least 1,000 shares on social media each.

  • Programming

    • Objective: Improve software performance and user satisfaction.

      • Key Result 1: Reduce software bugs by 50% through code optimization by the next release.

      • Key Result 2: Implement a new feature that increases user retention by 15% within six months.

Peer Review Session

Step 1: Present Your OKRs

  • Share: Drafted Objective and Key Results.

  • Explain: Provide context and reasoning behind your choices.

Step 2: Feedback Exchange

  • Listen and Discuss: Offer constructive feedback.

  • Consider: Is the Objective clear and inspirational? Are the Key Results measurable and outcome-focused?

Step 3: Refinement

  • Revise: Adjust your OKRs based on feedback to enhance clarity and effectiveness.

  • Finalize: Prepare the refined OKRs for implementation or further discussion.