Happy focus Friday (15th September 2023). Today has been a dedicated research day, with a very productive virtual writing retreat for a co-authored article. Todays reflection has also very much been on what can make for a successful implementation in goal setting and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) in design leadership

 

In ‘OKRs for all: making objectives and key results for your entire organisation’ Vetri Vellore (2022) proposes that using them can:

 

• Shift focus to impact

• Creates co-operation and collaboration

• Helps navigating rapid change and reduces risk

• Create clarity and inspires stretch

• Supports contextual communication and continuous progress

 

The reading undertaken so far has found the evidence base is very much founded on theories of human motivation such as:

 

🎯Goal setting  – tthrough 50 years of research (such as in Locke and Latham, 1990, 2013, 2019). Argues for the importance of goal clarity, setting stretch targets that are achievable, working forward and receiving regular feedback. For my practice I have noted the importance of process evaluation (feedback loop) , and setting regular opportunities for checking in on progress

 

🎉Self efficacy – behavioural change and wellbeing (such as Bandura, 1977). Looks at beliefs in personal capacity, the importance of social persuasion and context. In my practice this shows the need for observation, and supporting and celebrating the success of others

 

🤯Self determination – psychological needs related to autonomy, competence and relatedness (such as Deci and Ryan, 1980, 2008, 2017). In my practice I have noted how this is related to the intersection of purpose, strategy and execution 🚀

 

In addition OKRs have also been linked to the ‘test and learn’ agenda (such as Plan, Do, Study/Check, Act cycles introduced by Shewhart in the 1920s and later by Deming 1959). As such in ‘Design thinking, and innovation metrics’ (2023) Michael Lewrick proposes that developing them also supports: decision making, problem solving and sustainable continuous improvement

 

So so far they seem to be an imperative in terms of practice – that is very well founded in the current knowledge and evidence base

 

If you have an interest in implementing OKRs, it would help me to understand this further by giving a moment of your time to answer the following question:

 

As a design leader - what has worked for you in implementing goal setting and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)? https://app.sli.do/event/7EsHfVJ7qLeBbyurX9Noev (closes 22nd September 2023)

 

The findings, and a discussion will be published in future week-notes…

 

If you are interested in some of the conundrums in continuous improvement my peer PhD Researcher has written a thought-provoking blog on this topic:

 

https://www.samanthaosys.com/post/embracing-the-continuous-improvement-conundrum-designing-for-progress-without-perpetual-purgatory

 

Looking forward to your thoughts and contributions. In the meantime, many thanks for your time - have a great rest of your design day 😊