Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

Improving Focus and Alignment by Organizing around OKRs and managing OKR Flow

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
WhatsApp

Today, I wanted to share two quick observations about OKRs.

Too many teams working on each strategic OKR

OKRs Matrix vs Organizing around OKRs

I encounter many organizations that use OKRs. Too many of them have this crazy matrix where the high-level OKRs – those that aim to achieve the organization’s strategy – map to too many teams/functions in the organization. This creates a need to cascade the OKRs, create sub-OKRs, or other techniques which eventually create a larger and larger distance between the OKRs at the team level and the strategic OKRs. While this at least creates transparency of who’s involved in executing each aspect of the strategy, we can and should do better.

One key thing that unlocks agility and value is to “Organize around Value”. Scrum talks about each team having ONE Product Goal they focus on. SAFe has a specific principle of “Organizing around value”.

If you’re using OKRs One question to ask yourself is what is the relationship between OKRs and teams/teams of teams? If most OKRs require a multitude of teams across the organization/portfolio to achieve them, this will require a lot of coordination.

Try reorganizing into a value stream network/topology/team structure that aligns with your OKRs – where each team/team of teams can focus, and where there is clearer accountability around which team/group owns a specific high-level OKR.

Yes, you can find OKR and Agile management tools that will let you deal with complex networks of cascading OKRs, but Simplicity FTW…

Too many OKRs

Another symptom I’m seeing way too often is too many OKRs. Some of that is related to the OKR matrix I mentioned above. Some of it is just plain old push vs pull and classic wishful thinking at all levels. What could we do about that? Do we have a proven approach that can help? mmm…

Maybe we should visualize the FLOW of OKRs through the funnel of considering them, prioritizing/refining, committing to them, working on them, reviewing, achieving…
How about LIMITING and REDUCING the amount of OKRs in progress across the organization at any point in time – the alignment that OKRs promise relies on focus rather than trying to boil the ocean
Next, let’s manage the flow of OKRs proactively. Maybe even use some metrics like OKR cycle time, throughput, WIP, and aging.
Let’s inspect the flow from time to time. We might learn a few things. Maybe we should adopt the definition of how these OKRs flow and how we’re managing them.

How many of you ARE leveraging Kanban/Flow practices to improve how your organization uses OKRs to align strategy and execution?

PS do you see how similar this would be to a portfolio Kanban? Could it be the next generation of portfolio Kanbans? 🙂

Subscribe for Email Updates:

Categories:

Tags:

Jira admin
What Is Kanban
The Kanban Method
Agile Release Management
WIP
Retrospectives
Continuous Improvement
Slides
Jira Plans
Agile Mindset
Introduction to Test Driven Development
Releases Using Lean
Lean and Agile Principles and Practices
Continuous Delivery
Systems Thinking
Agile Marketing
Lean-Agile Budgeting
Atlassian
Code
Kanban Basics
ROI
Reading List
Continuous Integration
BDD
Kaizen Workshop
AI Artificial Intelligence
Agile Community
Program Increment
Development Value Streams
Agile India
Certification
Daily Scrum
Scrum With Kanban
ScrumMaster Tales
Software Development Estimation
Tools
Agile Games
Test Driven Development
Lean and Agile Techniques
Atlaassian
Engineering Practices
predictability
Value Streams
Built-In Quality
Lean Agile Organization
Scrum Master Role
Webinar
Tips
AgileSparks
Lean Startup
Continuous Planning
Acceptance Test-Driven Development
Agile Israel Events
Lean-Agile Software Development
Agile Risk Management
User stories
Amdocs
Scaled Agile Framework
Implementation of Lean and Agile
Pomodoro Technique
Agile for Embedded Systems
Software Development
An Appreciative Retrospective
EOS®
Kanban Game
Self-organization
Agile Outsourcing
Sprint Iteration
Product Management
agileisrael
Managing Risk on Agile Projects
Kanban 101
System Integration Environments
Applying Agile Methodology
Nexus Integration Team
Rapid RTC
Professional Scrum Product Owner
Release Train Engineer
Lean Agile Management
Limiting Work in Progress
Scrum Primer
Video
Keith Sawyer
Professional Scrum Master
Business Agility
Legacy Enterprise
Achieve Business Agility
System Archetypes
Nexus and Kanban
System Team
Artificial Intelligence
Agile
Agile Release Planning
Process Improvement
QA
Games and Exercises
RSA
Accelerate Value Delivery At Scale
Certified SAFe
Agile Basics
Operational Value Stream
Agile Assembly Architecture
Agile in the Enterprise
Perfection Game
Risk-aware Product Development
Lean Risk Management
Agile Exercises
Agile Contracts Best Practices
Elastic Leadership
Lean Agile Leadership
Agile and DevOps Journey
Portfolio for Jira
Introduction to ATDD
Scrum Guide
LeSS
Agile Product Ownership
Managing Projects
GanttBan
Advanced Roadmaps
Large Scale Scrum
Planning
TDD
Agile Delivery
Agile Techniques
SAFe DevOps
lean agile change management
Presentation
Nexus vs SAFe
Spotify
IT Operations
Scrum.org
ARTs
Agility
Agile Development
ALM Tools
Jira
Principles of Lean-Agile Leadership
ATDD
Sprint Planning
chatgpt
speed at scale
Agile Product Development
SAFe
Agile Games and Exercises
Nexus and SAFe
Kaizen
Agile Project Management
Enterprise DevOps
Agile Project
ATDD vs. BDD
Product Ownership
Hybrid Work
speed @ scale
Frameworks
Scrum Master
RTE
Agile Program
Entrepreneurial Operating System®
SPC
Sprint Retrospectives
Risk Management in Kanban
NIT
Scrum and XP
LPM
POPM
Covid19
Manage Budget Creation
AI
A Kanban System for Software Engineering
Jira Cloud
Change Management
LAB
Agile Testing Practices
PI Objectives
Legacy Code
Kanban Kickstart Example
Lean Agile Basics
Quality Assurance
Coaching Agile Teams
Story Slicing
Lean Software Development
RTE Role
Risk Management on Agile Projects
Iterative Incremental Development
SAFe Release Planning
SA
Continuous Deployment
ART Success
transformation
Professional Scrum with Kanban
Nexus
Kanban
Scrum
Lean Budgeting
DevOps
Scrum Values
Lean Agile
Agile Israel
Team Flow
The Agile Coach
PI Planning
Implementing SAFe
AgileSparks
Logo
Enable registration in settings - general

Contact Us

Request for additional information and prices

AgileSparks Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter, and stay updated on the latest Agile news and events

This website uses Cookies to provide a better experience
Shopping cart