OKR (Objectives and Key Results)
A goal-setting framework pairing a qualitative Objective with measurable Key Results, often used alongside Scrum to connect Sprint work to strategy.
What it means
OKRs are not part of Scrum; they originate from Intel and were popularized by Google as a way to align organizational, team, and individual goals around measurable outcomes rather than output.
Many organizations set quarterly OKRs and then use the Product Goal and successive Sprint Goals to translate those OKRs into concrete Scrum Team work, connecting strategy to delivery.
Common mistakes
A common pitfall is treating OKRs as a rigid checklist rather than an aspirational, outcome-oriented target; unlike a Sprint commitment, hitting 70 percent of an ambitious OKR is often considered a success.
Example
An OKR to 'increase activation rate by 15 percent' shapes the Product Goal for the next two months of Sprints.