Different types of Key Results and when to use them

Key takeaway:  Choosing the right type of Key Result is crucial for ensuring your OKRs drive the right outcomes. Key Results should always measure results, not actions. And different types of Key Results serve different purposes. With metric-based Key Results you are either actively working to improve the value for a metric, or you are monitoring the value for a metric to ensure it stays at a certain level. Binary Key Results are important to keep track of things are either done or not done, achieved or not achieved. Milestone Key Results are great for projects that have distinct phases of completion, such as the release of a new feature. Knowing when and how to use each type will help you create more effective OKRs.

Key Results define what success looks like for an Objective.

Objectives describe where you want to go, its Key Results measure whether you’re getting there.

Knowing which types of Key Results exist will help you choose the right type(s) of Key Result for your Objective. And choosing the right types of Key Result will help you create clarity on what your intentions are.

The different types of Key Results

Generally speaking, there are 3 types of Key Results: metric-based, binary, and milestones.

1. Metric-based Key Results

Metric-based Key Results are the most common — and preferred — type as the metrics ensure that you're tracking outcomes.

With metric-based Key Results you are either actively working to improve the value for a metric, or you are monitoring the value for a metric to ensure it stays at a certain level while you work on the Objective.

Therefore, metric-based Key Results can take the following form:

• Increase from X to Y (e.g., Increase customer retention from 75% to 85%)
• Decrease from X to Y (e.g., Reduce churn rate from 5% to 3%)

• Stay above X (e.g., Maintain NPS above 70)
• Stay below X (e.g., Keep error rate below 1%)

With metric-based Key Result you keep track of progress toward a target.

2. Binary Key Results

Binary Key Results only accept 0/false or 1/true as progress. Hence progress is either 0% or 100%, but nothing in between.

Binary Key Results are important to keep track of things are either done or not done, achieved or not achieved.

You should use binary Key Results when the outcome is all or nothing. For example, when 30% or 60% progress wouldn't mean anything.

Examples:

• ‍Achieve ISO 27001 certification.
• Secure Series B funding.
• Get certified as a Great Place To Work.

With binary Key Results, the effort itself doesn’t need to be measured incrementally.

3. Milestone-based Key Results

Where binary Key Results only accepts 0/false or 1/true, milestone Key Results allow you to track incremental progress, from 0% to 100%.

Milestone Key Results are great for projects that have distinct phases of completion, such as the release of a new feature.

Milestone Key Results don't measure a metric nor a quantifiable target. Progress is, therefore, often not exact but a rough estimate.

Examples:

• Launch feature X.
• Make our software framework-agnostic.
• Implement new security guidelines across the organization.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Confusing Key Results with Initiatives: Key Results should measure outcomes, not outputs (activities). Ask yourself: Is this a means to an end or an end in itself?
• Setting vague or immeasurable Key Results: Every Key Result should be clear and specific enough so that success is indisputable.

Conclusion

Key Results are the backbone of an effective OKR system, and choosing the right type ensures your OKRs drive meaningful progress. Metric-based Key Results should be your default choice, while binary and milestone-based Key Results have their place in specific scenarios. By understanding when and how to use each type, you can set better OKRs that lead to real, measurable impact.