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OKR Template for Product Teams

A complete OKR template with scoring methodology, quarterly reviews, and real examples for growth, retention, and platform teams.

By Tim Adair• Last updated 2026-02-08

What This Template Is For

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are the most widely adopted goal-setting framework in product organizations. They connect high-level company strategy to the daily work your team ships. This template gives you a structured, ready-to-use OKR framework designed specifically for product teams, complete with scoring rubrics, quarterly review formats, and real-world examples across four common product scenarios.

Use this template to replace vague quarterly goals with measurable commitments that align your team, surface tradeoffs early, and create accountability without micromanagement.

When to Use This Template

  • Quarterly planning: Set OKRs at the start of each quarter to align your team around 2-4 objectives.
  • Annual strategy translation: Break annual company goals into quarterly product OKRs.
  • New team formation: Establish shared goals when spinning up a new squad or pod.
  • Alignment conversations: Use OKRs to negotiate priorities with leadership and cross-functional partners.
  • Performance check-ins: Review OKR progress during mid-quarter and end-of-quarter retrospectives.
    • Tip: OKRs work best when they are set collaboratively, not handed down. Use this template as a starting point for a conversation with your team, not as a top-down mandate.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Define Your Objectives (10 minutes)

    Start with 2-4 objectives per team per quarter. Each objective should be:

  • ☐ Qualitative -- describes a desired outcome, not a metric
  • ☐ Inspirational -- motivates the team toward something meaningful
  • ☐ Time-bound -- achievable within the quarter
  • ☐ Aligned -- connects clearly to a company-level objective or strategic pillar

    • Write each objective as a short, declarative statement. Avoid vague language like "improve" or "optimize" without context.

    Step 2: Write Key Results (10 minutes per objective)

    Each objective needs 2-4 key results. Every key result must be:

  • ☐ Measurable -- includes a specific number or threshold
  • ☐ Outcome-oriented -- measures impact, not output
  • ☐ Stretch but achievable -- hitting 70% should feel like strong performance
  • ☐ Unambiguous -- anyone on the team can determine if it was met

    • Avoid key results that are binary tasks (e.g., "Launch feature X"). Instead, measure the outcome of launching ("Achieve 30% adoption of feature X within 4 weeks of launch").

    Step 3: Score Your Key Results

    Use the following scoring scale at the end of each quarter:

    ScoreMeaningDescription
    1.0ExtraordinaryExceeded the stretch target significantly
    0.7StrongHit the target -- this is what "success" looks like
    0.5PartialMade meaningful progress but fell short
    0.3BelowSome progress, but significant gaps remain
    0.0No progressDid not move the needle

    The objective score is the average of its key result scores. A healthy team averages 0.6-0.7 across all OKRs. If you consistently score 1.0, your targets are too easy. If you consistently score below 0.4, your targets are unrealistic or your execution has systemic issues.

    Step 4: Conduct the Quarterly Review (30 minutes)

    At the end of each quarter, use the review template below to score, reflect, and carry lessons forward.

    The OKR Template

    Team OKR Planning Sheet

    Team: [Your team name]

    Quarter: [Q1/Q2/Q3/Q4 20XX]

    Date set: [Date]

    Company objectives this aligns to: [List 1-2 company objectives]

    Objective 1: [Write your objective here]

    Owner: [Name]

    Confidence at start of quarter: [Low / Medium / High]

    #Key ResultBaselineTargetActualScore
    1.1[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]
    1.2[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]
    1.3[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]

    Objective Score: [Average of key result scores]

    Objective 2: [Write your objective here]

    Owner: [Name]

    Confidence at start of quarter: [Low / Medium / High]

    #Key ResultBaselineTargetActualScore
    2.1[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]
    2.2[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]
    2.3[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]

    Objective Score: [Average of key result scores]

    Objective 3: [Write your objective here]

    Owner: [Name]

    Confidence at start of quarter: [Low / Medium / High]

    #Key ResultBaselineTargetActualScore
    3.1[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]
    3.2[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]
    3.3[Key result description][Current value][Target value][End-of-quarter value][0.0-1.0]

    Objective Score: [Average of key result scores]

    Filled-Out Examples by Product Scenario

    Scenario 1: Growth Team

    Objective: Make it effortless for new users to experience value in their first session.

    #Key ResultBaselineTarget
    1.1Increase Day-1 activation rate (users who complete core action) from 22% to 35%22%35%
    1.2Reduce median time-to-first-value from 14 minutes to 6 minutes14 min6 min
    1.3Increase self-serve onboarding completion rate from 40% to 60%40%60%

    Scenario 2: Retention Team

    Objective: Build habits that keep customers engaged month after month.

    #Key ResultBaselineTarget
    2.1Improve 90-day retention from 58% to 68%58%68%
    2.2Increase weekly active usage frequency from 2.1 to 3.5 sessions per user2.13.5
    2.3Reduce voluntary churn rate from 4.2% to 2.8% monthly4.2%2.8%

    Scenario 3: Platform Team

    Objective: Deliver a reliable, fast platform that never gets in the way of customers.

    #Key ResultBaselineTarget
    3.1Maintain 99.95% uptime (down from 99.87% last quarter)99.87%99.95%
    3.2Reduce P95 API response time from 420ms to 200ms420ms200ms
    3.3Decrease critical production incidents from 7 per quarter to 2 or fewer72

    Scenario 4: New Product / 0-to-1 Team

    Objective: Validate that our new collaboration feature solves a real problem worth investing in.

    #Key ResultBaselineTarget
    4.1Conduct 30 discovery interviews with target persona and synthesize into validated problem themes030
    4.2Achieve a 40% or higher "very disappointed" score on Sean Ellis PMF survey from beta users0%40%
    4.3Reach 200 weekly active beta users through organic waitlist signups (no paid acquisition)0200

    Team vs. Company OKRs: How They Connect

    OKRs work best as a cascading system, not a rigid hierarchy. Company OKRs set direction. Team OKRs define how each team contributes to that direction.

    LevelPurposeCadence# of OKRsOwner
    CompanySet strategic direction and define what winning looks likeAnnual (refreshed quarterly)3-5 objectivesCEO / Leadership team
    DepartmentTranslate company goals into functional area commitmentsQuarterly2-4 objectivesVP / Director
    TeamDefine the specific outcomes the squad will driveQuarterly2-3 objectivesProduct Manager / Tech Lead
    Individual(Optional) Personal growth goals aligned to team OKRsQuarterly1-2 objectivesIndividual contributor

    Alignment Checklist

  • ☐ Every team objective maps to at least one company or department objective
  • ☐ No company objective is left without a team contributing to it
  • ☐ Teams have autonomy in how they achieve their key results
  • ☐ Cross-team dependencies are identified and owners assigned
  • ☐ There is no more than 30% overlap between teams' key results

    • Quarterly Review Template

    Use this template at the end of each quarter to score your OKRs and extract lessons.

    Part 1: Scoring

    For each key result, fill in the "Actual" and "Score" columns in the OKR planning sheet above.

    Part 2: Reflection

    Answer these questions as a team:

    What went well?

  • [Key result that scored 0.7+] -- What enabled this success? What should we keep doing?

    • What fell short?

  • [Key result that scored below 0.5] -- What got in the way? Was the target wrong, or was execution the issue?

    • What did we learn?

  • [Insight 1]
  • [Insight 2]

    • What should we carry forward?

  • ☐ [Action item for next quarter]
  • ☐ [Process change to adopt]
  • ☐ [Dependency to resolve before next quarter]

    • Part 3: Next Quarter Setup

    QuestionAnswer
    Which objectives should continue?[List]
    Which objectives are done and should be retired?[List]
    What new objectives should we consider?[List]
    Are there unresolved dependencies blocking next quarter?[List]

    Mid-Quarter Check-In Template

    Run a lightweight check-in at the midpoint of each quarter (week 6-7). This is not a scoring exercise. It is a confidence check.

    Key ResultOn Track?Confidence (1-5)BlockersHelp Needed
    [KR 1.1]Yes / At Risk / Off Track[1-5][Describe][Describe]
    [KR 1.2]Yes / At Risk / Off Track[1-5][Describe][Describe]
    [KR 2.1]Yes / At Risk / Off Track[1-5][Describe][Describe]

    Decisions needed from leadership: [List any escalations]

    Scope changes proposed: [List any proposed changes to key results]

    Tips for Getting the Most Out of This Template

  • Start with fewer OKRs, not more. Two well-crafted objectives with three key results each will outperform five vague objectives every time. Focus creates momentum.
  • Separate committed OKRs from aspirational ones. Committed OKRs (score target: 1.0) are promises. Aspirational OKRs (score target: 0.7) are stretch goals. Be explicit about which is which.
  • Never use OKRs for performance reviews. The moment OKR scores are tied to compensation, teams will sandbag their targets. OKRs are a planning tool, not an evaluation tool.
  • Write key results your grandmother could verify. If someone outside your team cannot look at the key result and determine whether it was achieved, it is not specific enough.
  • Update confidence weekly. Do not wait until the end of the quarter to discover an OKR is off track. A 30-second confidence rating each week surfaces problems early.
  • Make OKRs visible. Post them in your team's Slack channel, on your wiki, and at the top of every sprint planning doc. If people cannot find your OKRs, they are not working.
  • Distinguish between input and output key results. Output KRs measure outcomes (revenue, retention, NPS). Input KRs measure activities (interviews conducted, experiments run). A healthy OKR set includes both, with a bias toward outputs.

    • Key Takeaways

  • OKRs connect strategy to execution by making goals specific, measurable, and time-bound
  • Limit each team to 2-3 objectives per quarter to maintain focus
  • Use the 0.0-1.0 scoring scale and aim for a team average of 0.6-0.7
  • Cascade OKRs from company to department to team, preserving team autonomy in the "how"
  • Conduct quarterly reviews and mid-quarter check-ins to stay on course
  • Never tie OKR scores directly to individual performance evaluations

    • About This Template

    Created by: Tim Adair

    Last Updated: 2/8/2026

    Version: 1.0.0

    License: Free for personal and commercial use

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How many OKRs should a product team have?+
    Two to three objectives with two to four key results each. More than that dilutes focus. If everything is a priority, nothing is.
    What is the difference between OKRs and KPIs?+
    KPIs are ongoing health metrics you monitor continuously (e.g., uptime, churn rate). OKRs are time-bound goals for improvement. A KPI tells you the current state. An OKR commits you to changing that state.
    Should key results be stretch goals?+
    Yes. The standard guidance is that scoring 0.7 on a key result represents strong performance. If your team consistently scores 1.0, your targets are not ambitious enough.
    How often should we update OKR progress?+
    Score formally at end of quarter. Update confidence ratings weekly. Run a structured mid-quarter check-in at week 6 or 7. ---

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