Quarterly OKR Playbook

Why does this matter

Breaking down annual OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) into quarterly OKRs allows your organization to maintain focus, prioritize key initiatives, and pivot quickly if necessary. Quarterly OKRs help align short-term goals with long-term objectives, ensuring teams stay focused and adapt to changing circumstances without losing sight of the big picture.

Instructions

Use this worksheet every quarter to develop OKRs that are aligned with your annual objectives. This ensures that your quarterly efforts are driving the broader organizational goals forward.

Who should be involved?

Leaders of the organization that the quarterly OKRs are for. This could be senior executives for organization-wide quarterly OKRs or a department leadership team for departmental quarterly OKRs. Engaging the right leadership ensures that the quarterly objectives reflect the focus and priorities of the relevant part of the organization.

Before You Begin

Take a few minutes to review your annual OKRs. Understand where you are in terms of progress, and consider how the next quarter can contribute toward hitting those targets.

Step 1

Review Annual OKRs

Revisit Your Annual OKRs: Start by reviewing your organization’s annual objectives and key results. Identify what has been achieved so far, what’s in progress, and what’s lagging.
Identify Priority Areas: Based on the annual OKRs, pinpoint 2-3 high-priority objectives that should be the focus for the upcoming quarter.

Step 2

Breakdown Annual OKRs

Quarterly Focus: For each high-priority annual objective, ask: “What can we realistically achieve in the next three months to make progress?” - these goals become your quarterly objectives.
Key Results for the Quarter: Identify measurable outcomes that reflect success for those quarterly objectives. These should be specific, time-bound, and achievable within the quarter.

Example 1

Annual Objective: Double internal referrals so more clients can use all of our services.
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Key Result 1: Deliver 500 new internal referrals
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Key Result 2: Train 100% of staff on new referral program

Q1 Objective: Launch the internal referral program and prepare staff for engagement.
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Key Result 1: Finalize and roll out the internal referral program by the end of Q1.
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Key Result 2: Trial training program with 20 team members
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Example 2

Annual Objective: Expand outcome measurement to improve our funder reporting.
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Key Result 1: Tracking long-term outcomes for 50% of clients.
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Key Result 2: Increase the number of programs with measurable outcomes from 3 to 6.

Q1 Objective: Establish tracking system as a foundation for outcome measurement.
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Key Result 1: Complete data migration for 75% of existing client data into the new system.

Key Result 2: Train 100% of program managers on how to use the tracking system for outcome measurement.
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Step 3

Prioritize and Finalize

Ensure Feasibility: Double-check that the OKRs set for the quarter are ambitious but achievable. Are the resources in place? Do the timelines make sense?
Set Ownership: Assign ownership for each Objective and Key Result, ensuring accountability.
Communicate: Once finalized, communicate the quarterly OKRs clearly to the entire organization to ensure alignment and buy-in.

Step 4

Review and Retrospective

Quarterly Reflection: At the end of each quarter, review what worked and what didn’t. How much progress did you make toward your annual OKRs?
Next Quarter Planning: Use this reflection to plan for the next quarter. What should you carry forward, and what needs to be adjusted?

Best Practices

Track Progress Regularly: Use dashboards, weekly check-ins, and review sessions to track progress on quarterly OKRs.
Stay Agile: If priorities shift during the quarter, don’t hesitate to adjust your OKRs, but keep focused on the broader annual goals.
Recognize Milestones: Celebrate small wins throughout the quarter to keep teams motivated.
Feedback Loop: At the end of the quarter, perform a retrospective session to refine your OKR process for future cycles.

By breaking down annual OKRs into quarterly steps, you keep your organization on track and adaptable, ensuring continuous progress toward larger strategic goals. If you need support or clarification during this process, feel free to contact us, we would love to hear from you.

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