Managing OKRs in Jira Using Time in Status

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OKR (Objectives and Key Results) is a goal-setting framework that helps organizations define and track objectives and outcomes. Objectives are the ambitious, qualitative goals that an organization aims to achieve, while Key Results are specific, measurable outcomes that indicate progress toward the objectives.

What is OKR

The advantage of the OKR methodology is that it primarily focuses on achieving the desired result within a certain period (quarter, half-year, year). OKR also helps companies make significant breakthroughs, as it involves setting ambitious goals that may initially seem unattainable. 

With the help of OKR, Google has become a giant monopolist in the market. It all started back in 1999 when a small startup implemented OKRs. Since then, every quarter, every company employee has set goals based on this methodology. Netflix, Amazon, Adobe, Meta - and this is only part of the list of well-known and profitable companies that use Objective & Key Results. 

The essence of this methodology lies in the name.  

O = Objective is a global goal. It describes where we are going, what we are striving for, or what we want to change in a certain period. 

KR = Key Result - a fundamental result in relation to the Objective. It shows the stages of progress toward a goal, metric, or other assessment. 

Objectives answer the questions "What do we want to achieve?", "Why?". Key Result - "How will we achieve it?". 

The goal can be abstract, but the Key Result is as concrete as possible.

Example of a goal by OKR

Objective: to have a perfect body. 

Key Results (how I will achieve this and how I will realize that the goal has been achieved): 

KR1 - lose 15 kg;

KR2 - reduces the amount of fatty tissue in the body by 6%;

KR3 - positive dynamics in 8 points of the body checklist.

Thus, we not only set the primary goal but also control points that will indicate the achievement of this goal.

How to set OKR goals

First, you must decompose the Key Result (KR) into Key Tasks and Actions. It is necessary to make the goals work, not just be written on paper.  

Key Tasks (KT) are the tasks that must be completed to achieve the KR. Usually, KTs take more than one business day to complete. 

Key Actions (KA). A set of small tasks must be completed to close Key Tasks. Typically, KA are tasks that take less than 6 hours to complete. 

The main idea to focus on is the relationship between your overall goal and daily specific tasks. This is a crucial aspect of the effectiveness of the OKR methodology in business, where each global goal is transformed into a realized daily task. In addition, breaking down goals into components helps to objectively assess progress toward achieving the objectives.

Tracking the achievement of goals

After setting goals and formulating key results, we face two challenges. The first is, of course, the implementation of tasks to achieve the goals. The second challenge is to track the process of fulfillment through various metrics. Let's distinguish the concepts of OKRs and KPIs, but they are related. 

It's good when tasks are completed according to plan - on time, efficiently, and without delays. But when certain obstacles or blockers are avoided, how do we monitor this to resolve the issues in time? How do we track the productivity of a team or its members? 

This is where the Time in Status for Jira app comes in handy. Let's take a closer look at the examples of use and how it can be helpful to us if the company uses the OKR methodology.

Time in status report 

Select the Time in the status report, a selection of tasks by a specific attribute (Project, Filter, Label, Sprint, Epic, Assignee, Reporter, JQL), choose an issue range and time range, and get precise analytics on the time tasks are in different statuses. 

Here, you can identify bottlenecks, where Key Tasks and Key Actions are paused, etc. For example:

• Understand the blockers. Why do tasks move and stay in the On Hold status for a long time?
• Is the team working productively if tasks have been in a To-do status for a long? The goal decomposition was incorrect and needed to be corrected.

Transition count report

Transition count - counts how many times the issue moved between different statuses. This report will help you find bottlenecks in the issue process. Why was the issue frequently sent back for revision? Could there be a problem with developer productivity if a task is often returned from the testing stage for review?

Reporter/Assignee time report 

Is the team coping with the tasks, but there are nuances for individual team members? Time reports will help you analyze the situation in detail.

For example, we can analyze how much time employees spend on tasks when a specific individual sets the task.

What is this for? If this individual is a PM, Team Lead, etc., they must set SMART tasks. They must be clear and understandable. We can only expect the tasks to be fulfilled efficiently if they are clear.

Therefore, with the help of this report, we can consider another hypothesis - perhaps Key Tasks and Key Actions need to be clearly defined in the Jira issue. Therefore, there are obstacles to their implementation.

Sprint report

If we set goals, for example, for a quarter, it does not mean we will only evaluate whether we succeeded at the end of this period. We need to do periodic reviews. Sprint Performance Report offers a Time in Status app for this purpose.

Try grouping your Key Tasks and Key Actions into sprints and then use this report every two weeks to evaluate and analyze your progress with informative charts. Use the power of visualization to the fullest!

Takeaway 

Setting and working on OKR goals throughout the quarter will help you achieve the desired result that you will be satisfied with and expected to perform. This, in turn, will ensure your financial development and scaling of the company in various areas.

To track the fulfillment of goals, quality management, and find bottlenecks, here's a 30-day free trial of the Time in Status for Jira app.

May incredible results and goal achievement come with you! ☺️