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OKRs were designed to help companies turn strategy into execution. In practice, though, that’s not always the case.
When I first started working on the OKRs feature at Databox, I interviewed customers to understand how they apply OKRs and similar frameworks in their companies today.
Again and again, I heard the same story: it’s hard enough to set the strategy and write the OKRs, but it’s even harder to align teams around them, keep them visible, and avoid the endless cycle of manual updates.
Companies invest considerable time and energy in defining objectives and key results, only for them to be forgotten by Q2. Updates quickly feel like admin work. Tools are disconnected from performance, making it hard to track progress. And what was meant to drive focus often ends up as just another “management exercise.”
That’s when it became clear: the problem isn’t with the idea of OKRs, it’s with how they’re implemented and managed. And that’s the gap we set out to close.
In the rest of this post, I’ll walk through what we learned and how those insights help shape OKRs in Databox.
The problem with OKRs today
Through interviews with business executives, team leads, and individual contributors, I’ve found that the biggest challenges with OKRs lie in how they’re put into practice.
Here are the four common themes I’ve heard in those conversations:
1. OKRs fade after the kickoff
Teams set OKRs at the start of the quarter, but without regular visibility, they slip out of focus. By the next review, most feel outdated or disconnected from day-to-day work.
“We spend weeks defining OKRs, but they’re forgotten by Q2.”
— Head of Department, RevOps Agency
2. Manual updates kill momentum
Most teams still track OKRs in spreadsheets or slide decks. The result? Updates get skipped, data goes stale, and OKRs lose the ability to keep teams accountable.
“The problem with OKRs is keeping up with the tracking. Meetings got long because everyone had to explain progress manually.”
— VP, B2B SaaS
3. Tools are disconnected from execution
Too often, OKRs live in HR systems or dedicated planning apps, while the actual performance metrics live somewhere else. This forces constant context-switching and makes it hard to connect strategy with execution. Goals exist on paper, but teams can’t see if their daily work is truly moving the needle.
“We tried OKRs in another tool, but it was static. You couldn’t really track progress; it just became another thing to update.”
— Managing Director, Industrial Manufacturer & Distributor
4. Complexity slows teams down
Ironically, some OKR software makes things harder instead of easier. Heavy structures, jargon-filled workflows, and added admin tasks bog teams down. Instead of helping teams focus, OKRs become another layer of process that gets in the way of execution.
Our goal: make OKRs stick
We didn’t want OKRs in Databox to become just another place where objectives get written down and forgotten. From the start, we set out to design them in a way that would actually help teams use OKRs to stay aligned, focused, and accountable.
That started with a few guiding principles:
- Keep it simple. Teams should be able to start small and build confidence without unnecessary overhead.
- Connect every level. OKRs should link company strategy to team and individual goals, so alignment is always clear.
- Automate progress. Tracking should never feel like busywork. Progress must update automatically from live performance data.
- Grow with you. Once the basics are working, teams should be able to expand into more advanced frameworks without friction.
Or simply put: to design OKRs that truly turn strategy into execution.
Introducing OKRs in Databox
Based on what we learned and our guiding principles, here’s how we approached OKRs:
Define strategy and align across levels
Start with your company’s vision and mission, then cascade objectives and goals down to teams and individuals, so everyone can see how their work connects to the bigger picture.
Connect objectives with goals — powered by live data
Progress updates automatically from the metrics you already track in Databox. No manual updates, no busywork.
Visualize alignment at a glance
Expand or collapse your hierarchy of objectives, goals, and sub-goals in List View, or switch to Strategy Map for a visual snapshot that’s perfect for leadership reviews and all-hands.
Stay on track together
Each objective and goal includes clear statuses, regular updates, and automatic notifications. You’ll know when progress is off track, so you can respond before it’s too late.
A familiar experience, extended
If you already use Goals in Databox, OKRs will feel like a natural extension. You can connect existing goals as sub-goals under higher-level objectives, building a complete strategy framework without starting from scratch.
What are users most excited about
When we shared the OKRs prototype with our users, the response was immediate and enthusiastic. Here’s just a glimpse of the excitement we heard:
“This comes at the perfect time. I was just thinking yesterday how I’ll keep track of all the objectives and actions in my 2030 strategic plan, and this looks like exactly the tool I need.”
— CEO, Manufacturing Company
“We’ve tried OKRs in other tools, but they were static. With Databox, connecting progress directly to our live metrics means we wouldn’t have to chase updates or rely on people remembering to log in.”
— Head of Department, Mid-Market SaaS
“What excites me most is having a quick overview of what’s off track. That way our meetings can focus on fixing problems instead of reviewing numbers everyone already knows.”
— SaaS Founder
“If OKRs are integrated into Databox, it’s a no-brainer for us. We’re already becoming a data-driven company, and this would let every employee align with company objectives without adding extra tools.”
— Head of Department, RevOps Agency
Making OKRs work at every level of the company
Databox OKRs are designed for the people who need them to actually work, not as another management exercise, but as a daily driver for focus and accountability.
- Executives get instant visibility into priorities and progress across the company.
- Analysts track progress against OKRs, ensure data accuracy, and surface insights that keep teams on track, so leaders can make decisions with confidence and contributors stay aligned.
- Team leaders align team goals with strategy and keep execution front and center.
Individuals see exactly how their work contributes to the bigger picture.
Going forward
This is just the beginning. OKRs are the foundation of a broader Strategy & Planning pillar in Databox, one that connects long-term vision with daily execution and performance data.
We’re rolling out early access soon. If you’d like to be among the first to try OKRs in Databox and share your feedback:
Join the waitlist:
Want a sneak peek in the meantime?
