Finding the right OKR tool

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You might be comparing Perdoo with other tools, or you may have already decided that Perdoo is the right tool for you. Either way, it's important to know what you're getting yourself into.

Some of the differences between solutions aren't so clear on the surface. So, here are my 5 (honest) tips to find the tool that's right for you:

Where should your strategy live?

Many organizations implement OKR in order to improve alignment across their organization. Why? To make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction.

But OKR tools don't always surface strategy. Some are just stand-alone OKR tools. Others have a place where you can write your  mission/vision (aka Ultimate Goal). And then there's Perdoo, where you can link OKRs and KPIs to Strategic Pillars, visualizing the relationships between strategy and the goals that'll deliver it.

We built Strategic Pillars in response to our customers' needs and a realization that OKRs can't replace strategy. With Perdoo, you'll have a system of record for strategy — and can stop circulating old slide decks that are disconnected from the goals that people work on every day.

Will you want to track KPIs alongside OKRs?

OKRs and KPIs are different types of goals, with different purposes. Most teams are already tracking dozens of KPIs. In fact, lots of OKR tools (including Perdoo) typically recommend getting your KPIs in place first when implementing OKR.

Tracking KPIs and OKRs in one place gives you full transparency on each team's priorities, boosts strategic alignment, and helps people understand what OKR is really all about.

A common response we often hear is “we want to start with OKRs, and might introduce KPIs later.” In practice, starting with KPIs makes a lot of sense, and teams often already track KPIs whether you call them “KPIs” or not. If you set targets for revenue, website conversion rates, or your employee net promoter score, they’re likely KPIs.

Do you want to track KPIs alongside OKRs (now or in the future)? Take a critical look at each tool's KPI functionality, how they define KPIs (there are some weird interpretations out there), and whether it's a priority for their product roadmap.

How are you managing growth?

In Perdoo, you’re able to communicate strategy and monitor the relationships between that strategy and the goals that’ll realize it. But there’s still another piece of the network of goals that exist in modern organizations: Your growth goals.

Think about your organization's funnel or your revenue forecast. These growth goals are closely tied to your strategy and all the work that’ll deliver it. But “growth” on its own isn’t a strategy. A good strategy should definitely help you grow your business, but “100% revenue growth this year” isn’t a strategy (or an OKR, really).

That’s why we built the KPI boards — a cross-functional view of all the KPIs that contribute to your growth goals. For each of the KPIs, you can track monthly targets versus actuals. And you’ll finally understand how teams and individuals aim to realize ambitious future targets by looking at the OKRs that support each KPI.

What's your definition of OKR?

OKRs, last time I checked, stand for Objectives and Key Results. Those are two different things! But in some goal management tools, they're not. Here's why that's... problematic. Some tools mix Key Results and KPIs, so it's "Objectives and KPIs." Needless to say, OKR experts wouldn't recommend that.

In the end, it all comes down to flexibility. Spreadsheets are flexible, but they're often unmanageable as a result. My advice? Keep it simple, and adopt industry best practices to avoid unnecessary pitfalls. Your employees will thank you.

How big is your organization?

As with all markets, OKR tools target different segments, despite what they might claim. Some tools are built for huge corporates, others for tiny startups. Features are different, as well as the support you'll receive. If you're a small company, some vendors won't be responsive to your needs/feedback.

Full transparency: Perdoo targets SMEs and mid-market orgs. We have many large corporates in our customer base, but we don't target our offering for this market.

Making the decision

Every organization’s needs and circumstances are different. And each OKR tool caters to these needs differently. So, when shopping for an OKR tool ask yourself these 5 questions:

• Where should my strategy live?
• Do I want to track KPIs alongside OKRs?
• How do I define OKR?
• How do I want to manage growth?
• And, how big is my organization?

Once you have your answers, identify the tools that best fit these needs. This process may entail some in-depth research and trials but it’s all worth it! You don’t want to end up with a tool that doesn’t meet expectations.

If Perdoo sounds about right, feel free to:

• Sign up for your very own FREE Perdoo account
• View a pre-populated demo account
• Watch a walkthrough video of the Perdoo platform👇

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