OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and Scrum are popular frameworks that enhance organizational productivity and engagement. While OKRs are utilized for setting ambitious, measurable goals, Scrum focuses on achieving specific short-term objectives through an iterative, collaborative approach.
However, each of those frameworks is only a piece of the puzzle — and their full potential can only be unlocked by integrating OKRs and Scrum. Here's how to do it with OKR Board for Jira.
The Basics of OKR
OKRs help teams and individuals set and track measurable goals through clearly defined Objectives and Key Results.
The Objectives are the strategic tasks your team (department, company, etc.) wants to achieve.
Good Objectives are:
Ambitious yet achievable: They should stretch the team to achieve more but remain realistic enough to be attainable.
Qualitative and motivational: They should describe desired outcomes and inspire action.
Simple and concise: An objective should be easily understandable and ideally not exceed one sentence.
The Key Results turn Objectives into quantifiable outcomes.
They should be specific and measurable to track progress effectively. Good Key Results are:
Specific: Each Key Result should be clear and easily understood.
Measurable: For example, "Increase revenue by 20%" is quantifiable, whereas "Improve customer satisfaction" is less specific without a metric.
Achievable: Key Results should require effort and initiative to push the team beyond its comfort zone without being unattainable.
Relevant: Each Key Result must contribute to achieving its Objective.
Time-bound: Key Results must have a timeline or deadline by which they should be achieved. Generally, this is represented by the OKR cycle — but you can also specify it directly.
For example, a Quality Assurance (QA) team might align their OKR with the company-wide goal of improving user satisfaction as follows:
[O] Decrease the number of user-reported bugs in Q3.
[KR] Increase test coverage from 70% to 80%.
[KR] Implement automated regression testing to catch 90% of new bugs.
[KR] Implement a test case management system.
The Scrum Framework
Scrum is an Agile framework that breaks large projects into smaller, manageable units called Sprints — short, time-bound periods typically lasting two weeks. The purpose of a Sprint is to produce a valuable and useful Increment of working product.
Sprints make projects more manageable, allow teams to ship high-quality work faster and more frequently, and give them more flexibility to adapt to change.
How to Combine OKRs and Scrum
OKRs and Scrum are generally compatible and do not clash. However, to maximize their synergy, you should learn how to combine them properly into a single "“OKRs Scrum"” machine.
Roles and Responsibilities
Two roles in the Scrum framework must be expanded when combining OKR and Scrum.
Scrum Master. The Scrum Master is primarily responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum by helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values. In OKRs, this role can be combined with a similar OKR role — OKR Shepard. They must become a framework champion and expert, guiding the team in aligning daily tasks with broader goals and connecting OKR and Agile into a single powerful system.
Product Own” to attach all found issues to the KR.
Note: More JQL examples in OKR Board for Jira can be seen in our JQL article.
The integration of OKR and ’s OKR implementation.
Alternatively, our Consulting team will happily tailor your OKRs and Scrum implementation to perfection!
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