OKR Management
The OKR (Objectives and Key Results) module provides a full lifecycle for defining strategic objectives, measurable key results, and their linkage to PPM projects and programs. It supports hierarchical OKR trees, automated progress computation, confidence scoring, and strategic alignment analysis.
Overview
OKRs bridge the gap between strategic intent and project execution. Without explicit linkage, it is difficult to answer whether the portfolio of projects actually drives the organization's strategic goals. ProBeya's OKR module makes this connection visible and measurable by linking objectives and key results to concrete projects and programs, then automatically computing progress from project completion data.
The module supports period-based OKR cycles (e.g., Q1-2026, H1-2026) and provides both a tree view for hierarchical navigation and an alignment matrix for heatmap visualization of strategic coverage.
Getting Started
- Navigate to Portfolio > OKRs in the sidebar.
- Click New Objective to define a top-level strategic objective for the current period.
- Under the objective, click Add Key Result to define measurable outcomes with target values and units.
- Link projects or programs to key results using the Link Project action.
- Update key result progress by editing the current value as work progresses.
- Review the OKR tree view for a hierarchical progress overview.
Key Concepts
Objectives and Key Results
OKRs follow the standard two-level hierarchy:
- Objectives: qualitative statements of what the organization wants to achieve (e.g., "Improve time-to-market for new products")
- Key Results: quantitative metrics that measure progress toward the objective (e.g., "Reduce average Phase 3 trial duration from 24 to 18 months")
Each OKR record stores:
- Type: objective or key_result
- Title and description
- Target value and current value (numeric, for key results)
- Unit: the measurement unit (%, days, EUR, count, etc.)
- Period: the OKR cycle (e.g., "Q1-2026", "H1-2026", "FY-2026")
- Start date and end date: the time window for achievement
- Owner: the individual accountable for delivery
- Status: on_track, at_risk, behind, or achieved
- Confidence: auto-computed score reflecting likelihood of achievement
- Strategic objective link: optional connection to a portfolio-level strategic objective
- Tags: free-form labels for filtering and grouping
Key results must have an objective as their parent. Orphan key results are not allowed.
Progress Computation
Progress is computed differently depending on the OKR type:
- Key results:
progress = currentValue / targetValue(capped at 100%) - Objectives:
progress = average of all child key result progresses
This means objective progress automatically updates whenever any of its key results are updated. The computation cascades upward: updating a KR recomputes its parent objective.
Confidence Scoring
Confidence is auto-computed based on progress relative to the time elapsed in the OKR period. If progress is tracking ahead of the time-based trajectory, confidence is high. If progress is falling behind the expected pace, confidence drops. This provides an early warning signal before an OKR formally moves to "at_risk" or "behind" status.
Project and Program Links
Key results can be linked to specific projects or programs with:
- Contribution weight: how much the project contributes to the KR (for weighted rollups)
- Notes: context about the relationship
When a project's completion percentage changes, the linked KR's current value can be updated to reflect the new state using the computeOkrValueFromProjectCompletion helper.
How It Works
Creating the OKR Hierarchy
Create objectives first, then add key results underneath. When creating a key result, the system validates that the specified parent exists and is an objective (not another key result). If a strategic objective is linked, it must belong to the same organization.
Updating Values and Status
Editing a key result's currentValue or targetValue triggers an automatic recomputation of progress and confidence. The recomputation cascades to the parent objective, ensuring the entire tree stays in sync.
Status can be set manually (on_track, at_risk, behind, achieved) or derived from confidence thresholds. Manual overrides are preserved until the next explicit update.
Deleting OKRs
Deleting an objective cascades to all its child key results via database FK constraints. Project links are explicitly cleaned up before deletion for audit trail completeness. Deleting a key result triggers a recomputation of the parent objective's progress.
OKR Tree View
The getOkrTree procedure returns a hierarchical structure for a given period: objectives at the root level, each with nested key results, computed progress, confidence scores, and linked project/program counts. This powers the tree view component that provides a single-page overview of the entire OKR cycle.
Strategic Alignment Analysis
The getStrategicAlignment procedure returns a matrix of OKRs mapped against strategic objectives. Each cell indicates the strength of alignment (based on explicit links and contribution weights). This heatmap visualization reveals:
- Strategic objectives with strong project coverage (well-supported goals)
- Strategic objectives with no linked OKRs (potential strategic gaps)
- OKRs without strategic objective links (potentially misaligned work)
Configuration
| Setting | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| OKR period | OKR creation form | Period identifier (e.g., Q1-2026, H1-2026) |
| Target value | Key result form | Numeric goal for the key result |
| Unit | Key result form | Measurement unit (%, EUR, days, count) |
| Owner | OKR detail | Individual accountable for delivery |
| Strategic objective | OKR creation/edit | Link to a portfolio-level strategic objective |
| Contribution weight | Project link form | Relative contribution of a project to a KR |
Permissions
- View OKRs: all organization members with PPM access
- Create/edit OKRs: requires PPM admin, program manager, or OKR owner role
- Delete OKRs: requires PPM admin or OKR owner role
- Link/unlink projects: requires PPM admin or project manager role
- View strategic alignment: all organization members with PPM access
Tips & Best Practices
- Limit key results per objective: Three to five key results per objective is the sweet spot. More than five dilutes focus.
- Use quantitative targets: Every key result should have a numeric target value with a clear unit. Avoid qualitative KRs like "improve quality."
- Set realistic periods: Align OKR periods with your organizational planning cadence (quarterly for execution teams, semi-annually for strategic objectives).
- Link all key results to at least one project: Unlinked KRs indicate work that is not reflected in the project portfolio.
- Review confidence weekly: Confidence scores provide early warning. A KR with declining confidence needs attention before it becomes formally "behind."
- Use the alignment matrix quarterly: Strategic alignment analysis during quarterly reviews ensures the portfolio stays connected to organizational goals.
- Update current values regularly: Stale current values produce misleading progress. Encourage project managers to update linked KRs as part of their weekly status routine.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| "Parent must be an objective" error | Attempted to nest a KR under another KR | Key results can only be children of objectives, not other key results. |
| Objective progress stuck at 0% | No key results created yet | Add at least one key result with a target value to compute progress. |
| Confidence score seems wrong | Time-based trajectory calculation | Confidence reflects progress vs. elapsed time. A KR at 25% progress halfway through the period will show moderate confidence. |
| Strategic objective not found | Strategic objective belongs to another organization | Verify the strategic objective exists within your organization's portfolio. |
| OKR tree shows no data | Wrong period selected | Switch to the correct period filter to see the current cycle's OKRs. |
| Deleted KR still shows on tree | Cache stale | Refresh the page. KR deletion cascades immediately at the database level. |
Related Features
- Projects -- Projects link to key results to demonstrate strategic contribution
- Programs -- Programs link to OKRs for portfolio-level alignment
- Scoring & Optimization -- Strategic objectives used in scoring also connect to OKRs
- Program Reports -- The OKR Alignment Report shows progress across a program's linked OKRs
- Governance Framework -- OKR achievement contributes to governance maturity assessments