Defining measurable key results

Key results transform vague aspirations into concrete targets. They answer: "How do we know we're succeeding?" Without measurement, objectives remain wishes rather than goals. Each key result must be obviously achieved or not, with no room for interpretation.

"Improve user satisfaction" fails this test. "Increase NPS score from 42 to 50" provides clear success criteria. This specificity prevents teams from declaring victory based on feelings rather than facts. Effective key results focus on outcomes, not activities.

"Conduct 20 user interviews" describes an activity. "Reduce user error rate by 40%" measures the outcome. This distinction prevents confusing being busy with being effective. The activity might not produce the desired result, but the outcome directly indicates success.

The number of key results per objective really depends on the size of your team. A squad should own a key result, so in many cases, you only need one or two per objective. Don’t over-engineer it. Quarterly deadlines create urgency and enable planning. Without deadlines, key results become permanent aspirations rather than achievable targets.