OKRs at Scale

Overview
This article explains how to keep Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) manageable when they are applied across multiple teams or an entire organization. It introduces a practical shortcut that reduces complexity while still supporting the cadence of scaled agile practices.

Key Takeaways

• Use a single, high-level objective per large group to maintain focus.
• Align team-level key results to that top-level objective instead of duplicating objectives.
• Keep the number of objectives limited to avoid overload and ensure clarity.
• The approach works well with scaled agile frameworks such as SAFe or LeSS.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers overseeing multiple squads.
• Product leaders implementing OKRs across departments.
• Technical leaders looking for a lightweight scaling technique.
• Agile coaches supporting large-scale agile transformations.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework
• Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) principles
• Lean UX and continuous product discovery concepts