How to align Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with execution in Zenhub

How to align Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with execution in Zenhub


Understanding Objectives vs. Initiatives

Objectives define what you want to achieve—clear, ambitious, and qualitative goals. Initiatives describe how you will achieve those objectives—strategic efforts that drive execution over time.


Example OKR (Google, Early Days)

Objective: Deliver the best search engine in the world.

(What we want to achieve: A world-class search experience.)


Key Results: (Measurable outcomes proving success)

  • Improve search speed from 3 seconds to 0.5 seconds.
  • Increase market share from 25% to 50%.
  • Achieve a user satisfaction score of at least 90%.


Initiatives → Projects → Epics Breakdown

Initiatives represent long-term efforts that span multiple quarters, aligning with an objective. These initiatives are then broken down into projects, which further decompose into epics for execution.

Example Breakdown:
Initiative: Optimize Search Performance and User Experience

Projects and Epics:

  • Project: Search Algorithm Optimization

    • Epic: Implement Machine Learning Ranking Improvements
    • Epic: Reduce Query Processing Time by 50%

  • Project: Infrastructure Scaling

    • Epic: Migrate to Distributed Indexing System
    • Epic: Optimize Caching for High-Traffic Queries

  • Project: User Experience & Feedback

    • Epic: Revamp Search UI for Faster Interaction
    • Epic: Automate Sentiment Analysis for Feedback
    • Each epic is then broken down into features, user stories, and tasks for Agile execution.

Connecting Initiatives, Projects, and Epics to OKRs in Zenhub

Zenhub allows you to link Initiatives, Projects, and Epics to OKRs by setting dependencies. You can mark an Objective or Key Result as blocked by a specific Initiative, Project, or Epic, ensuring alignment between strategic goals and execution.


Why This Matters

✅ Objectives define the desired outcome—they represent what success looks like.
✅ Initiatives outline strategic themes that guide how to achieve the objective.
✅ Projects and Epics break these efforts down into actionable work for teams.

[TIP]: Unlike GitHub, Zenhub allows you to set dependencies between Initiatives, Projects, and Epics. This helps visualize how work at different levels contributes to strategic goals, ensuring better alignment with OKRs.

FAQ

Q: How do I track progress on OKRs using Zenhub?

A: Use Zenhub Roadmaps to track the progress of initiatives, projects, and epics in relation to your OKRs. Roadmaps provide a high-level timeline view, making it easy to see dependencies and milestones. This ensures teams stay aligned with strategic goals while tracking execution progress.


Q: Can I assign multiple projects to a single initiative?

A: Yes, an initiative can have multiple projects, each focusing on a different aspect of execution while contributing to the same strategic goal.


Q: How do dependencies help in managing OKRs in Zenhub?

A: Dependencies allow you to track which initiatives, projects, or epics need to be completed before an objective or key result can be achieved, improving visibility and planning.