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tability.ioWhat are Research & Development OKRs?
The Objective and Key Results (OKR) framework is a simple goal-setting methodology that was introduced at Intel by Andy Grove in the 70s. It became popular after John Doerr introduced it to Google in the 90s, and it's now used by teams of all sizes to set and track ambitious goals at scale.
Formulating strong OKRs can be a complex endeavor, particularly for first-timers. Prioritizing outcomes over projects is crucial when developing your plans.
We've tailored a list of OKRs examples for Research & Development to help you. You can look at any of the templates below to get some inspiration for your own goals.
If you want to learn more about the framework, you can read our OKR guide online.
Research & Development OKRs examples
You'll find below a list of Objectives and Key Results templates for Research & Development. We also included strategic projects for each template to make it easier to understand the difference between key results and projects.
Hope you'll find this helpful!
OKRs to elevate productivity in academic research
ObjectiveElevate productivity in academic research
KRImplement and maintain a research schedule, ensuring minimum 5 hours of effective work daily
Draft a dedicated 5-hour daily research schedule- Regularly evaluate and adjust schedule for effectiveness
- Implement routine to follow the established research schedule
- KRSubmit two high-quality research pieces for publication review
- Conduct comprehensive research on chosen topics
- Submit papers for publication review
- Write and edit two research papers
- KRAttend at least 3 professional development workshops related to research methods or practices
- Ensure participation in each workshop attended
- Register for the chosen professional development workshops
- Identify suitable workshops focused on research methods
OKRs to hire top-level Senior UX Researcher
- ObjectiveHire top-level Senior UX Researcher
- KRScreen and shortlist at least 10 suitable candidates by week 4
- Launch a comprehensive job ad campaign immediately
- Shortlist 10 suitable candidates by week 4
- Review all received applications daily
- KRConduct interviews and make an offer to the selected candidate by week 8
- Compile a list of potential interview candidates
- Schedule and conduct interviews
- Select and make offer to chosen candidate
- KRDefine clear job description and requirements for the UX Researcher role by week 2
- Detail daily responsibilities and tasks for role
- Outline necessary qualifications and skills for UX Researcher role
- Include long-term goals and expectations for position
OKRs to enhance knowledge and understanding through qualitative research
- ObjectiveEnhance knowledge and understanding through qualitative research
- KRReview and analyze 10 relevant scholarly articles per week
- Systematically read and make notes on each article
- Analyze each article's content, context, and conclusions
- Select 10 scholarly articles related to the research topic
- KRConduct 3 interviews with industry experts
- Identify and reach out to three industry experts for interviews
- Prepare comprehensive interview questions relevant to their expertise
- Schedule and conduct the three interviews
- KRSubmit one comprehensive research report for peer review
- Conduct thorough research on chosen topic
- Write comprehensive report incorporating research
- Submit report for peer review
OKRs to develop innovative pharmaceutical products
- ObjectiveDevelop innovative pharmaceutical products
- KRDevelop and test 2 prototypes with satisfactory patient outcomes
- Conduct patient outcome tests on prototypes
- Identify key components for prototype based on patient needs
- Build and refine two prototype designs
- KRConduct research to identify 3 potential active pharmaceutical ingredients
- Identify key drugs suitable for pharmaceutical component research
- Conduct thorough research on potential active ingredients
- Document findings for each potential ingredient
- KRSecure regulatory approval for 1 new pharmaceutical product
- Respond promptly to regulatory feedback and additional information requests
- Conduct rigorous clinical trials for safety and efficacy
- Develop and submit detailed dossier to regulatory authority
OKRs to secure local channels and gain market insights
- ObjectiveSecure local channels and gain market insights
- KRConduct regular market research to gather local market data and information
- Conduct surveys or interviews to gather insights and preferences of local customers
- Identify key competitors and their market share in the local market
- Monitor industry trends and analyze data to identify emerging opportunities in the local market
- KREstablish partnerships with local stakeholders to enhance channel security
- Collaborate with stakeholders to develop and implement strategies for enhancing channel security
- Identify key local stakeholders with expertise in channel security
- Initiate meetings with stakeholders to discuss potential partnership opportunities
- KRIncrease security measures on local channels to reduce unauthorized access
- Implement two-factor authentication for all user accounts on local channels
- Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing on local channels to identify and resolve vulnerabilities
- Regularly update and patch software on local channels to address security vulnerabilities
- KRImplement data analytics tools to analyze market trends and consumer behavior
- Train and educate the team on how to effectively use the selected data analytics tools
- Research and compare various data analytics tools available in the market
- Determine key metrics and indicators to track market trends and consumer behavior
OKRs to enhance product-market fit by conducting customer research and implementing user feedback
- ObjectiveImprove product-market fit by leveraging customer research and user feedback
- KRMeasure the impact of the improvements on product-market fit by tracking user metrics
- KRConduct in-depth interviews with 50 potential and existing customers
- KRImplement the top 3 product improvements within 3 weeks
- KRAnalyze user feedback and identify the top 3 product improvements
OKRs to enhance understanding and application of copyright laws
- ObjectiveEnhance understanding and application of copyright laws
- KRComplete a certified online course on copyright laws by securing at least 85%
- Review thoroughly to achieve a minimum score of 85%
- Register for a certified online course on copyright laws
- Dedicate regular study hours to comprehend course material effectively
- KRAttend 3 copyright-related webinars or workshops to deepen contextual understanding
- Attend and participate in all chosen activities
- Register for selected webinars or workshops
- Research and identify 3 copyright-related webinars or workshops
- KRApply learned theories by reviewing and updating 5 copyright agreements per week
- Review weekly assigned copyright agreements
- Submit revised agreements for approval
- Apply learned theories to update agreements
OKRs to develop a compelling game that engages and captivates players
- ObjectiveDevelop a compelling game that engages and captivates players
- KRDevelop a functional prototype of the game with polished graphics and intuitive controls
- Implement and refine intuitive controls based on user experience and usability testing
- Iterate on the game design based on user feedback and playtesting results
- Conduct user testing to identify any issues with the game controls
- Collaborate with an artist to create high-quality graphics for the game prototype
- KRConduct user research to identify target audience preferences and game themes
- Develop a survey to gather user feedback on preferred game themes
- Use findings to inform game theme selection and prioritize target audience preferences
- Conduct interviews with target audience members to understand their preferences
- Analyze user research data to identify common themes and preferences
- KRConduct playtesting sessions to gather feedback and iterate on the game design
- KRCreate a detailed game design document outlining gameplay mechanics, levels, and objectives
- Outline basic gameplay mechanics that will define the core experience of the game
- Create clear and specific objectives for each level, ensuring they align with gameplay mechanics
- Design a series of diverse levels that challenge and engage players
- Research popular gameplay mechanics, level design techniques, and objective structures
OKRs to broaden understanding of agent's role in business operations
- ObjectiveBroaden understanding of agent's role in business operations
- KRAttend two professional seminars or webinars focused on the agent's role in the business
- Register for two chosen professional seminars or webinars
- Attend and actively participate in these webinars
- Research upcoming webinars focused on the agent's role in business
- KRConduct informational interviews with five business agents to gain first-hand information
- Schedule and conduct interviews with selected agents
- Identify five business agents relevant to the project
- Draft insightful questions to ask during interviews
- KRComplete three agent case studies with cross-industry analysis by quarter-end
- Identify three agent cases from diverse industries for study
- Compile findings and complete final report by quarter-end
- Perform a detailed cross-industry analysis on chosen case studies
OKRs to enhance understanding of royalty structures in business contexts
- ObjectiveEnhance understanding of royalty structures in business contexts
- KRInterview 3 professionals in the field of royalties in businesses
- Draft relevant interview questions tailored for each professional
- Identify three professionals in the royalties business field
- Schedule and conduct the three interviews
- KRRead and summarise 5 books related to business royalties
- Write a concise summary for each book
- Select and procure 5 relevant books about business royalties
- Carefully read and interpret each book
- KRDevelop and present a detailed report on the role of royalties in business
- Prepare a presentation highlighting report findings
- Research the significance and mechanism of royalties in business
- Compile gathered data into a comprehensive report
How to write your own Research & Development OKRs
1. Get tailored OKRs with an AI
You'll find some examples below, but it's likely that you have very specific needs that won't be covered.
You can use Tability's AI generator to create tailored OKRs based on your specific context. Tability can turn your objective description into a fully editable OKR template -- including tips to help you refine your goals.
- 1. Go to Tability's plan editor
- 2. Click on the "Generate goals using AI" button
- 3. Use natural language to describe your goals
Tability will then use your prompt to generate a fully editable OKR template.
Watch the video below to see it in action 👇
Option 2. Optimise existing OKRs with Tability Feedback tool
If you already have existing goals, and you want to improve them. You can use Tability's AI feedback to help you.
- 1. Go to Tability's plan editor
- 2. Add your existing OKRs (you can import them from a spreadsheet)
- 3. Click on "Generate analysis"
Tability's Strategy Map makes it easy to see all your org's OKRsTability will scan your OKRs and offer different suggestions to improve them. This can range from a small rewrite of a statement to make it clearer to a complete rewrite of the entire OKR.
You can then decide to accept the suggestions or dismiss them if you don't agree.
Option 3. Use the free OKR generator
If you're just looking for some quick inspiration, you can also use our free OKR generator to get a template.
Unlike with Tability, you won't be able to iterate on the templates, but this is still a great way to get started.
Research & Development OKR best practices
Generally speaking, your objectives should be ambitious yet achievable, and your key results should be measurable and time-bound (using the SMART framework can be helpful). It is also recommended to list strategic initiatives under your key results, as it'll help you avoid the common mistake of listing projects in your KRs.
Here are a couple of best practices extracted from our OKR implementation guide 👇
Tip #1: Limit the number of key results
Focus can only be achieve by limiting the number of competing priorities. It is crucial that you take the time to identify where you need to move the needle, and avoid adding business-as-usual activities to your OKRs.
We recommend having 3-4 objectives, and 3-4 key results per objective. A platform like Tability can run audits on your data to help you identify the plans that have too many goals.
Tip #2: Commit to weekly OKR check-ins
Having good goals is only half the effort. You'll get significant more value from your OKRs if you commit to a weekly check-in process.
Being able to see trends for your key results will also keep yourself honest.
Tip #3: No more than 2 yellow statuses in a row
Yes, this is another tip for goal-tracking instead of goal-setting (but you'll get plenty of OKR examples above). But, once you have your goals defined, it will be your ability to keep the right sense of urgency that will make the difference.
As a rule of thumb, it's best to avoid having more than 2 yellow/at risk statuses in a row.
Make a call on the 3rd update. You should be either back on track, or off track. This sounds harsh but it's the best way to signal risks early enough to fix things.
How to track your Research & Development OKRs
The rules of OKRs are simple. Quarterly OKRs should be tracked weekly, and yearly OKRs should be tracked monthly. Reviewing progress periodically has several advantages:
- It brings the goals back to the top of the mind
- It will highlight poorly set OKRs
- It will surface execution risks
- It improves transparency and accountability
We recommend using a spreadsheet for your first OKRs cycle. You'll need to get familiar with the scoring and tracking first. Then, you can scale your OKRs process by using a proper OKR-tracking tool for it.
If you're not yet set on a tool, you can check out the 5 best OKR tracking templates guide to find the best way to monitor progress during the quarter.
More Research & Development OKR templates
We have more templates to help you draft your team goals and OKRs.
- OKRs to reduce technical debt
- OKRs to cultivate a collaborative learning and growth environment
- OKRs to accelerate revenue generation to reach 1 million ARR
- OKRs to efficiently manage and coordinate the Trello board
- OKRs to increase financial sustainability of our non-profit organisation
- OKRs to implement CX platform (Service Now)