Key Result
A Key Result is a quantitative, measurable outcome that indicates progress toward an Objective. Each Key Result has a clear metric, a starting value, and a target value, answering the question: "How do we know we're on the right track?"
What is a Key Result?
A Key Result makes an Objective measurable. Without Key Results, an Objective is just a nice wish without accountability. Key Results are the quantitative counterpart to the qualitative vision of the Objective and together form the OKR pair.
Criteria for Good Key Results
- Measurable: Each Key Result contains a specific number or metric
- Outcome-oriented: Describes a result (outcome), not a task (output)
- Challenging: Ambitious enough to qualify as a stretch goal
- Within influence: The team can directly impact the result
- Time-bound: Evaluated within the OKR cycle
The most common Key Result mistake: writing tasks instead of outcomes. "Launch new feature" is an initiative – "Increase feature adoption to 40%" is a Key Result.
Example: From Objective to Key Results
Objective: Become the most trusted OKR platform in Europe
- KR1: Increase Net Promoter Score from 42 to 65
- KR2: Grow monthly active users from 2,000 to 5,000
- KR3: Achieve 4.5+ star rating on G2 with at least 50 reviews
Scoring Key Results
At the end of the cycle, each Key Result is evaluated through OKR Scoring. The common scale ranges from 0.0 to 1.0, where 0.7 counts as success for Moonshot OKRs.
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0.0–0.3 | No meaningful progress |
| 0.4–0.6 | Progress made, but significantly below target |
| 0.7–1.0 | Strong results delivered |
Key Results vs. KPIs
While KPIs monitor ongoing operations, Key Results drive targeted change. A KPI becomes a Key Result when you pursue a significant improvement, not just maintain the status quo.
Managing Key Results in Northly
With Northly, you track Key Result progress through regular check-ins. The platform automatically calculates achievement rates and visualizes trends, so you can identify early whether your Key Results are on track.
Related Terms
Objective
An Objective is a qualitative, inspirational goal within the OKR framework. It describes what an organization or team wants to achieve in a given time period and serves as the north star for all stakeholders.
OKR (Objectives and Key Results)
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results – an agile goal-setting framework that helps organizations define ambitious goals and track measurable outcomes. Developed in the 1970s at Intel by Andy Grove and later popularized worldwide by Google.
OKR Scoring
OKR Scoring is the structured process of evaluating Key Result achievement at the end of an OKR cycle. Typically a 0.0 to 1.0 scale is used, where a score of 0.7 (70%) is considered successful for stretch goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Key Results should an Objective have?
Ideally 2 to 5 Key Results per Objective. Fewer than 2 don't make the Objective sufficiently measurable, more than 5 lead to loss of focus.
What is the difference between a Key Result and an Initiative?
Key Results are measurable outcomes, Initiatives are concrete actions (outputs). A Key Result would be "Increase conversion rate from 2% to 4%", the corresponding initiative could be "Redesign landing page."
Must Key Results always contain numbers?
Yes. Key Results are quantitative by definition. Each Key Result should have a clear metric, a starting value, and a target value to make progress objectively measurable.
What happens if a Key Result isn't achieved?
For Moonshot OKRs, 70% already counts as success. A missed Key Result is not failure but a learning opportunity. The OKR retrospective analyzes why the target wasn't reached and what insights can be derived.