Definition
Key result
A key result is the measurable half of an OKR — a specific metric with a starting value, a target, and a current value that proves whether an objective is being achieved. Where the objective is qualitative ('make onboarding effortless'), the key result is quantitative ('activation rate from 38% to 60%').
Key takeaways
- A key result is the measurable half of an OKR: a metric with a start value, a target, and a current value.
- Progress is computed, not typed — (current − start) / (target − start), clamped — so it can't overstate reality.
- Strong key results measure outcomes (activation, latency, revenue), not outputs (tickets closed).
- In Planoda a Goal's progress is the live average of its key results, recomputed on every update.
Key results turn a goal from an aspiration into something you can falsify. Each one names a metric, a kind (a raw number, a percentage, a currency amount, or a binary done/not-done), and a band: where you started and where you intend to land. Progress is then a calculation, not an opinion — typically (current − start) / (target − start), clamped between 0 and 100% — so a key result can never appear further along than its numbers justify.
A good objective has two to five key results that, taken together, would genuinely prove the objective if they all hit. The discipline is in choosing results that are outcomes (activation rate, latency, revenue) rather than outputs (tickets closed, features shipped), because outputs can all be green while the objective quietly fails.
In Planoda, key results are first-class records attached to a Goal: set the kind, the start, and the target, then update the current value as the quarter unfolds. The Goal's overall progress is the live average of its key-result percentages, recomputed the instant any value changes — so the roll-up is always honest.
Related terms
- OKR (Objectives and Key Results)OKR is a goal-setting framework that pairs a qualitative Objective — what you want to achieve — with three to five measurable Key Results that prove you got there. Set per quarter and scored at the end, OKRs align a team on a small number of outcomes, keeping effort focused on results rather than a list of activities.
- Objective (OKR)An objective is the qualitative, time-boxed outcome a team commits to in an OKR — the memorable 'what we're trying to achieve this quarter.' It sets direction; its key results make it measurable. An objective without key results is a slogan; key results without an objective are a dashboard.
- Cycle (Sprint)A cycle — often called a sprint — is a fixed, repeating time-box, usually one or two weeks, during which a team commits to a focused set of work and aims to finish it. Cycles create a regular cadence for planning, focus, and review, turning an open-ended backlog into shippable increments.
- VelocityVelocity is the average amount of work a team completes per cycle, measured in issues or story points. By tracking it over several cycles, teams forecast how much they can realistically take on next. Velocity is a planning aid for a specific team over time — never a target to maximize or a way to compare teams against each other.