Uploaded byYuval Yeret
OKRs for SAFe Summit 2022 - 20220705.pdf
Struggling to create a healthy synergy between OKRs and Agile/SAFe? You're not alone. In this session, we will identify some OKR anti-patterns and suggest alternative approaches that are more aligned with SAFe Lean/Agile principles. You will learn how to organize around value through an OKR lens as well as how to improve portfolio focus through economic prioritization and flow management of OKRs. We will understand the connection between OKRs, KPIs, Operational and Development Value Streams, and what that means for leveraging OKRs in the different SAFe elements. By the end of this session, you will have an understanding of the relationship between OKRs and SAFe and concrete ideas for how to help your organization leverage them in synergy. In this session, you will learn to: Understand the relationship between OVS/DVS through KPIs and OKRs and using it to reorganize around value through the OKR lens Focusing at the strategic level by combining OKRs, Epics, WSJF and the Portfolio Kanban Using SAFe's PIP PI Objectives approach to set more aligned and realistic OKRs. Using OKRs thinking in PIP to move from output to outcomes on the DVS/ART
OKRs for SAFe Summit 2022 - 20220705.pdf
- 1. 1 Using OKRs inthe SAFe Enterprise Align and Focus on outcomes and enable business agility
- 2. 2 Yuval Yeret SAFe Fellow/SPCT| Scrum.org PST Business Agility Coach/Trainer @ AgileSparks
- 3. 3 OKRs - AnExample using this session’s objective Objective Key Results Learn how to effectively use OKRs in the SAFe enterprise Achieve a good understanding of SAFe guidance for Applying OKRs in SAFe (75% or more in assessment exam) Be able to describe and identify at least 3 out of the key OKR implementation challenges you might encounter when applying OKRs in SAFe Be able to describe success patterns to overcome at least 3 OKR challenges leveraging SAFe Lean/Agile principles and practices Bonus: Be able to describe how to use SAFe Lean/Agile practices to help in non-SAFe OKR implementations Bonus: Be able to pitch SAFe as a solution to struggling OKR implementations.
- 4. 4 Overview of OKRsand SAFe Guidance
- 5. 5 OKRs - Alignand Focus around Outcomes 1. Enhancing strategic alignment across a SAFe portfolio 2. Defining business outcomes for epics and lean business cases 3. Setting improvement goals for the SAFe transformation https://www.scaledagileframework.com/applying-okrs-in-the-scaled-agile-framework/
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- 7. 7 Business and TransformationalOKRs https://www.scaledagileframework.com/metrics/ Transforming the Org Transforming the Org Building Solutions
- 8. 8 Building Solutions -Move the needle on Operational Value Stream KPIs https://scaledagile.com/connecting-okrs-kpis-ovss-and-dvss-in-safe/
- 9. 9 Challenges and SuccessPatterns with implementing OKRs
- 10. 10 OKR Implementation Challenges / Symptoms 1. Output/Activityfocused OKRs 2. Too many OKRs 3. Set and Forget 4. Command and Control / Too detailed 5. Many OKRs require collaboration/dependencies across the organization 6. OKRs run in parallel to the SAFe Epics/PI Objectives/Features
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- 12. 12 #1. Output/Activity focused(tasks / milestones) OKRs Why it matters? ▪ Fixes specifications designs too early ▪ “Feature Factory” ▪ Impediment to Autonomy and Innovation Output-focused OKRs Objective: Release ALICE v1 Key Results: ● Develop Rear and Side Camera Distance Warning ● Fix 10 major/critical defects ● ALICE Gold Subscription ● Customer onboarding wizard
- 13. 13 What to do? Output-focused OKRs Outcome-focused OKRs Well-formed Outcome-focused OKRs Objective: Release ALICE v1 Objective: Increase market position within the autonomous delivery market Objective: Achieve a dominant position within the autonomous delivery market Key Results: Key Results: Key Results: ● Develop Rear and Side Camera Distance Warning ● Ability to deliver in dense metro areas through parallel parking ● Increase serviceable market to 75% including dense metro areas ● Fix 10 major/critical defects ● Improve customer satisfaction rating ● Increase Net Promoter Score from 35 to 60 ● ALICE Gold Subscription ● Focus on driving repeat business ● Improve repeat business rates from 60% to 80% ● Customer onboarding wizard ● Onboard new customers ● Acquire 15% new customers over the next 12 months ● Identify type of OKR (awareness of output-focus) ● Form Outcome-focused Objectives ● Form Outcome-focused KRs (even qualitative is better than nothing…) ● Form quantitative Outcome-focused KRs
- 14. 14 What to do? ● Treat OKRs as an Hypothesis (Assume Variability - Preserve Options) ● Implement a Learning Loop
- 15. 15 Why it matters? ExcessiveWIP ▪ Decreases organizational productivity ▪ Confuses priorities ▪ Increases context switching ▪ Impedes the flow of value ▪ Everything is important == Nothing is important What to do about it ▪ Think of the Flow of OKRs ▪ Apply Flow Accelerators - Visualize and Limit WIP ▪ Consider the work needed to achieve the OKRs as a feasibility test ▪ Use OKRs for Wildly Important Goals (Not the Whirlwind) (4DX) #2. Too many OKRs SAFe Flow Accelerators - https://www.scaledagileframework.com/make-value-flow-without-interruptions/ 4DX, WIG, Whirlwind - https://www.franklincovey.com/4dx-book/
- 16. 16 Leverage Portfolio Flow Question -With this flow in mind - when does it make sense to commit to Value Stream / ART OKRs? MVP Persevere
- 17. 17 #3. Command andControl - Too Detailed, Too Strict, Top-Down Cascading Why it matters? ▪ Strict Cascading kills Autonomy / Initiative ▪ Leads to task/output orientation by the time teams create KRs What to do about it ▪ Provide high-level OKRs as input ▪ ARTs define their own OKRs - Bottom-up and sideways ▪ Align/relate through “Why Now” ▪ Take inspiration from PI Planning/ PI Objectives structure
- 18. 18 What’s the differencebetween OKRs and MBO? https://www.whatmatters.com/resources/okr-and-mbo-difference-between
- 19. 19 Case Study -Big Room OKR Term Planning (Does this look familiar to anybody?) When What Facilitator Outcome Location 30m Quarterly Planning Adjustment Guidance for Team Quarterly OKR finalization Main room 2-3h Teams finalize Quarterly OKRs Individual Team Breakouts Leadership Team circulates and available to give feedback / answer question Updated Quarterly OKRs Assigned Breakout Rooms 1-2h Final Quarterly OKRs Review Align on Final Quarterly OKRs Main room LUNCH 1h Risks Management & Confidence Vote Determine what part of Quarterly Plan still needs work Main room As needed Rework as needed (if short - plenar. if this is in-depth will be in breakouts / open space mode) Final Quarterly Plan Main room 30m Retrospective / Closing Documented learnings for next cycle Main room Length What Facilitator Outcome Location 15m Opening / Overview Clarity on purpose/ approach to Planning Main room 30m Reiterate Company OKRs Leadership Team Clarity on annual + Quarterly Company OKRs Main room 2h Teams draft realistic Quarterly OKRs Individual Team Breakouts facilitated by SMs/POs Team Quarterly Draft OKRs Assigned Breakout 15m Leadership Team + PO - Huddle Plan how to collaborate cross-team around dependencies Leadership Breakout room 1h LUNCH (Opportunity to connect across teams or continue to plan in teams) room Breakouts 1h Teams draft realistic Quarterly OKRs (continued) Individual Team Breakouts facilitated by POs Team Quarterly Draft OKRs Assigned Breakouts 1-2h Review Team Quarterly Draft OKRs - Lightning round readout from each team + Confidence Vote Feedback on Quarterly OKRs Main room 1h Leadership Team + PO - Review & Problem Solving Adjustments / Guidance for Day 2 Leadership Breakout Day 1 Day 2
- 20. 20 #4. Many OKRsrequire collaboration/dependencies across the organization https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/improving-focus-alignment-organizing-around-okrs-managing-yuval-yeret/ Loan Origination Credit Scoring System AI Underwriting Channels Core Banking Why it matters? ▪ Coordination overhead ▪ Tempting to cascade into output/task OKRs (since each value stream / ART cannot own outcomes) ▪ Value Streams get farther and farther from desired outcome. Purpose/Meaning is lost. ▪
- 21. 21 AI-Powered Loan Underwriting Product What todo about it ▪ Organize around Value - Identifying/Assessing DVS using an OKR lens ▪ Also unlocks engagement/ motivation through Purpose (Principle #8) #4. Many OKRs require collaboration/dependencies across the organization
- 22. 22 #5. Set andForget Why it matters? ▪ OKRs are just a waste of time if they aren’t integrated into the day-to-day ▪ Over time people will ignore them and lose interest since they see them as irrelevant What to do about it ▪ Integrate into SAFe artifacts, cadence, accountabilities ▪ Leaders and Product people should mention and connect to OKRs whenever possible
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- 24. 24 #6. OKRs runin parallel to the SAFe Epics/PI Objectives/Features Why it matters? ● Confusion - What do we use as Input for PIP? Features? OKRs? Both? ● When are ART OKRs created? How? How do we keep them realistic? ● What’s the relationship between Team/ART PI Objectives and OKRs?
- 25. 25 #6. OKRs runin parallel to the SAFe Epics/PI Objectives/Features What to do about it ● Use OKRs to guide Feature creation and prioritization ● Consider OKRs draft until PIP ● After PIP refine OKRs based on PI Objectives
- 26. 26 Did you noticea theme here in how we addressed these issues? 1. Output/Activity focused (tasks / milestones OKRs) 2. Too many OKRs 3. Many OKRs require collaboration/dependencies across the organization 4. Command and Control / Too detailed 5. Set and Forget 6. OKRs run in parallel to the SAFe Epics/PI Objectives/Features SAFe Lean/Agile Leadership #FTW
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- 29. 29 1. Output/Activity focused(tasks / milestones OKRs) 2. Too many OKRs 3. Set and Forget 4. Many OKRs require collaboration/dependencies across the organization 5. Command and Control / Too detailed 6. OKRs run in parallel to the organization’s current way of working Can we use SAFe Lean/Agile Leadership to improve OKRs outside of a SAFe context? Can we use some of these OKR success patterns to tip towards SAFe?
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