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What are Engineering Manager OKRs?
The OKR acronym stands for Objectives and Key Results. It's a goal-setting framework that was introduced at Intel by Andy Grove in the 70s, and it became popular after John Doerr introduced it to Google in the 90s. OKRs helps teams has a shared language to set ambitious goals and track progress towards them.
OKRs are quickly gaining popularity as a goal-setting framework. But, it's not always easy to know how to write your goals, especially if it's your first time using OKRs.
To aid you in setting your goals, we have compiled a collection of OKR examples customized for Engineering Manager. Take a look at the templates below for inspiration and guidance.
If you want to learn more about the framework, you can read our OKR guide online.
The best tools for writing perfect Engineering Manager OKRs
Here are 2 tools that can help you draft your OKRs in no time.
Tability AI: to generate OKRs based on a prompt
Tability AI allows you to describe your goals in a prompt, and generate a fully editable OKR template in seconds.
- 1. Create a Tability account
- 2. Click on the Generate goals using AI
- 3. Describe your goals in a prompt
- 4. Get your fully editable OKR template
- 5. Publish to start tracking progress and get automated OKR dashboards
Watch the video below to see it in action 👇
Tability Feedback: to improve existing OKRs
You can use Tability's AI feedback to improve your OKRs if you already have existing goals.
- 1. Create your Tability account
- 2. Add your existing OKRs (you can import them from a spreadsheet)
- 3. Click on Generate analysis
- 4. Review the suggestions and decide to accept or dismiss them
- 5. Publish to start tracking progress and get automated OKR dashboards
Tability will scan your OKRs and offer different suggestions to improve them. This can range from a small rewrite of a statement to make it clearer to a complete rewrite of the entire OKR.
Engineering Manager OKRs examples
We've added many examples of Engineering Manager Objectives and Key Results, but we did not stop there. Understanding the difference between OKRs and projects is important, so we also added examples of strategic initiatives that relate to the OKRs.
Hope you'll find this helpful!
OKRs to enhance engineering team's productivity
ObjectiveEnhance engineering team's productivity
KRIncrease project completion rate by 20%
Conduct weekly project progress and status checks- Implement a detailed project schedule for better tracking
- Provide timely training and resources to team members
- KRImplement a new efficiency-enhancing tool with full adoption by team
- Develop comprehensive training for tool usage for the team
- Select efficiency-enhancing tool based on team's tasks and workflows
- Regularly monitor, assess, and provide feedback on tool usage
- KRReduce engineering errors by 15%
- Enhance collaboration and communication within engineering teams
- Implement regular skill improvement workshops for engineers
- Introduce stringent quality control and testing processes
OKRs to allocate resources to refactor high-priority tech debt
- ObjectiveReduce technical debt by allocating resources effectively
- KRImplement best practices to avoid future high-priority tech debt accumulation
- KRAchieve a reduction in high-priority tech debt items by 25%
- KREstablish a clear plan for refactoring high-priority tech debt items
- KRPrioritize high-priority tech debt items for resource allocation
OKRs to reduce critical tech debt by 50% in six months
- ObjectiveMinimize tech debt
- KRDevelop a plan of action to address targeted tech debt items
- KRPrioritize critical tech debt items
- KRConduct a thorough tech debt analysis
- KRImplement new development standards to prevent tech debt accumulation
OKRs to enhance workflow efficiency and productivity
- ObjectiveEnhance workflow efficiency and productivity
- KRImplement at least 3 significant improvements identified from the workflow analysis
- Develop strategies to implement these improvements efficiently
- Evaluate success of implemented improvements periodically
- Prioritize the 3 top improvements identified from workflow analysis
- KRReduce workflow steps or stages by 10% to streamline operations
- Implement new workflow and analyze for efficiency improvement
- Review and analyze current processes for unnecessary stages
- Develop a revised workflow eliminating redundant steps
- KRIncrease process efficiency by 20% through process re-engineering
- Identify bottlenecks in the current process
- Train staff on newly engineered process
- Develop a streamlined process blueprint
OKRs to enhance accuracy in story estimation by software engineering team
- ObjectiveEnhance accuracy in story estimation by software engineering team
- KRAchieve 90% team satisfaction rate with the improved estimation process
- Implement weekly training sessions for the new estimation process
- Consistently communicate the benefits of the new process
- Collect feedback and make necessary improvements
- KRReduce average estimation error to less than 10% in next 100 tasks
- Implement more accurate estimation tools and techniques
- Review and adjust estimations after each task
- Train team on precision estimation strategies
- KRTrain 100% of the team on advanced estimation techniques and methods
- Follow up on training outcomes and comprehension
- Schedule team members for training sessions
- Identify appropriate advanced estimation training course
OKRs to achieve optimal efficiency in engineering operations
- ObjectiveAchieve optimal efficiency in engineering operations
- KRLower engineering error rates by 10% through enhanced quality control measures
- Regularly monitor and review error reports
- Conduct regular training for quality control measures
- Implement rigorous testing protocols for every engineering process
- KRReduce operation downtime by 20% through improved preventative maintenance procedures
- Implement strict equipment servicing and inspection schedules
- Develop detailed preventative maintenance protocols
- Train personnel in efficient troubleshooting techniques
- KRIncrease operational efficiency by 15% via process improvement initiatives
- Implement new strategies to streamline processes
- Regularly assess and adjust improvements for optimal efficiency
- Identify inefficiencies in current operational procedures
OKRs to eliminate high-risk tech debt over the next year
- ObjectiveReduce high-risk tech debt to improve system stability
- KRConduct a thorough analysis to measure the impact of eliminating each high-risk tech debt item
- KROutline and prioritize initiatives to eliminate each high-risk tech debt item
- KRComplete the elimination of at least 50% of high-risk tech debt items
- KRIdentify top 10 high-risk tech debt items
OKRs to become proficient in Cisco switches configuration and the Headsup app project
- ObjectiveBecome proficient in Cisco switches configuration and the Headsup app project
- KRMaster 100% of training controls and instruments for effective control handling
- Regularly review manual for training controls
- Attend workshops for continuous learning
- Practice using instruments in simulated scenarios
- KRComplete Cisco certification coursework with a grade of 85% or higher
- Set a daily study schedule for coursework
- Enroll in Cisco certification course
- Regularly review and practice course material
- KRSuccessfully run a test project utilizing the Headsup app with zero major errors
- Monitor, find and instantly resolve minor issues, if any
- Plan and execute a simple project using the Headsup app
- Understand the functionality and features of the Headsup app completely
OKRs to build a robust data pipeline utilizing existing tools
- ObjectiveBuild a robust data pipeline utilizing existing tools
- KRSuccessfully test and deploy the data pipeline with zero critical defects by the end of week 10
- Deploy the final pipeline by week 10
- Thoroughly debug and test the data pipeline
- Fix identified issues before end of week 9
- KRIdentify and document 100% of necessary features and tools by the end of week 2
- Review product requirements and existing toolsets
- Conduct brainstorming sessions for necessary features
- Document all identified features and tools
- KRAchieve 75% completion of the data pipeline design and construction by week 6
- Continually review and improve design stages for efficiency
- Allocate resources for swift pipeline design and construction
- Establish milestones and monitor progress each week
OKRs to improve system availability to achieve 999% uptime
- ObjectiveIncrease system uptime
- KRImprove system redundancy and failover capabilities
- Use load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers
- Create backup systems in different geographic locations
- Regularly test failover and recovery processes
- Implement automated failover mechanisms
- KRImplement proactive system monitoring
- Regularly review system metrics and identify areas for improvement
- Define and create alerts for critical system events
- Develop a process for reviewing and responding to alerts
- Set up monitoring tools for infrastructure
- KRIncrease system performance by 25%
- Upgrade hardware and software components as per audit recommendations
- Conduct a system audit to identify bottlenecks and inefficient processes
- Optimize system settings and configurations to reduce resource consumption
- Implement a system monitoring and alert system to minimize downtime
- KRDecrease unplanned downtime by 50%
- Conduct regular equipment inspections
- Increase spare parts inventory
- Improve operator training on equipment maintenance
- Implement predictive maintenance program
Engineering Manager OKR best practices
Generally speaking, your objectives should be ambitious yet achievable, and your key results should be measurable and time-bound (using the SMART framework can be helpful). It is also recommended to list strategic initiatives under your key results, as it'll help you avoid the common mistake of listing projects in your KRs.
Here are a couple of best practices extracted from our OKR implementation guide 👇
Tip #1: Limit the number of key results
Having too many OKRs is the #1 mistake that teams make when adopting the framework. The problem with tracking too many competing goals is that it will be hard for your team to know what really matters.
We recommend having 3-4 objectives, and 3-4 key results per objective. A platform like Tability can run audits on your data to help you identify the plans that have too many goals.
Tip #2: Commit to weekly OKR check-ins
Setting good goals can be challenging, but without regular check-ins, your team will struggle to make progress. We recommend that you track your OKRs weekly to get the full benefits from the framework.
Being able to see trends for your key results will also keep yourself honest.
Tip #3: No more than 2 yellow statuses in a row
Yes, this is another tip for goal-tracking instead of goal-setting (but you'll get plenty of OKR examples above). But, once you have your goals defined, it will be your ability to keep the right sense of urgency that will make the difference.
As a rule of thumb, it's best to avoid having more than 2 yellow/at risk statuses in a row.
Make a call on the 3rd update. You should be either back on track, or off track. This sounds harsh but it's the best way to signal risks early enough to fix things.
Save hours with automated OKR dashboards
OKRs without regular progress updates are just KPIs. You'll need to update progress on your OKRs every week to get the full benefits from the framework. Reviewing progress periodically has several advantages:
- It brings the goals back to the top of the mind
- It will highlight poorly set OKRs
- It will surface execution risks
- It improves transparency and accountability
Spreadsheets are enough to get started. Then, once you need to scale you can use Tability to save time with automated OKR dashboards, data connectors, and actionable insights.
How to get Tability dashboards:
- 1. Create a Tability account
- 2. Use the importers to add your OKRs (works with any spreadsheet or doc)
- 3. Publish your OKR plan
That's it! Tability will instantly get access to 10+ dashboards to monitor progress, visualise trends, and identify risks early.
More Engineering Manager OKR templates
We have more templates to help you draft your team goals and OKRs.
- OKRs to mentor a junior designer to handle bigger design projects
- OKRs to enhance reprint decision making for better stockout control and cashflow management
- OKRs to boost gross margin in warehouse operations
- OKRs to secure a leadership role within the company
- OKRs to enhance search functionality through AI integration
- OKRs to enhance proficiency in speaker management and resume writing