How the OKR Progress Score is calculated

This calculator produces a 0–100 “on‑track” score by combining three components: (1) adjusted completion, (2) schedule alignment, and (3) execution quality. The goal is not perfect math — it’s a consistent lens for weekly decisions.

You enter your raw completion percentage (0–100). Then we apply a small adjustment for the OKR’s stretch level. A very ambitious OKR shouldn’t look “bad” at mid‑cycle just because it’s hard; an easy OKR shouldn’t look “great” if it’s coasting. Stretch is a gentle nudge, not a loophole.

• Stretch adjustment: adj = (stretch − 5) × 2
• Adjusted completion: completion_adj = clamp(completion + adj, 0, 100)

If stretch = 6, you get +2 points. If stretch = 9, you get +8 points. If stretch = 2 (too easy), you get −6 points. This keeps the score honest while acknowledging difficulty.

Great OKR updates are not “we did a lot.” They’re “we’re where we should be.” So we compare your completion to time elapsed. If you’re halfway through the cycle (50% elapsed), being ~50% complete is healthy. If you’re 70% through and only 30% complete, you’re drifting.

• Expected progress: expected = elapsed
• Behind schedule: behind = max(0, expected − completion)
• Schedule score: schedule = clamp(100 − 1.2×behind, 0, 100)

The 1.2 factor makes schedule slippage matter. Being 10 points behind schedule reduces schedule score by 12 points. You can still be “on track” if other signals are strong, but it forces the conversation.

Two teams can have identical completion and still feel totally different: one is calm and confident, the other is chaotic. That’s why we include confidence and check‑in cadence. Both are rated 1–10 and averaged into a 0–100 quality score:

• Quality score: quality = ((confidence + cadence) / 20) × 100

Finally, we blend the three components with weights that match common OKR coaching priorities: progress matters most, schedule matters next, and execution quality stabilizes the read.

• Final score: score = 0.60×completion_adj + 0.25×schedule + 0.15×quality

Why these weights? If completion is truly moving, you’re probably doing something right. Schedule risk is the earliest warning signal. Quality is the “do we trust the plan?” layer.

Three quick OKR scenarios

These examples show how the same completion can mean different things depending on time elapsed and execution signals. (You can recreate each one with the sliders.)

• Completion: 55% · Elapsed: 50%
• Confidence: 7/10 · Cadence: 8/10 · Stretch: 6/10
• Interpretation: Slightly ahead of schedule with strong rhythm. Protect focus; don’t over‑optimize.

• Completion: 30% · Elapsed: 60%
• Confidence: 5/10 · Cadence: 6/10 · Stretch: 7/10
• Interpretation: You’re drifting. Pick the one blocker (resourcing, scope, dependency) and remove it this week.

• Completion: 15% · Elapsed: 25%
• Confidence: 7/10 · Cadence: 7/10 · Stretch: 9/10
• Interpretation: Early‑cycle ramp is normal. Keep cadence, validate assumptions, and avoid scope creep.

Remember: some OKRs are “binary” (ship a feature) and naturally look flat until late. If that’s you, use the stretch and confidence sliders to reflect that reality — and still keep schedule honest.

A simple OKR check‑in routine

OKRs work when they create clarity. They fail when they create theater. The best way to use this tool is as a short ritual that forces a useful conversation in under a minute.

If you already track key results as percentages, use your weighted average. If you track them as numbers (e.g., “increase activation from 12% to 18%”), convert that to a percentage: (current − baseline) / (target − baseline), then clamp to 0–100. For binary key results (“ship X”), you can choose a milestone‑based percent (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) so the trend is visible before the final ship date.

This is where teams get uncomfortable — which is exactly why it’s valuable. If you’re in week 7 of 12, time elapsed is ~58%. Don’t round down to feel better. If the OKR is truly hard and back‑loaded, acknowledge that with stretch and confidence, but keep elapsed honest.

Confidence means: “given our current plan and constraints, do we believe we will hit the outcome?” A team can be behind schedule and still have high confidence if the remaining work is well understood and the constraints are cleared. Conversely, you can be “on track” but low confidence if the last mile is unknown or dependencies are shaky.

Many OKR failures are cadence failures. If you don’t check in weekly (or at least bi‑weekly), slippage becomes invisible until it’s too late. Use the cadence slider as a truth serum: are you actually reviewing leading indicators, or just talking about the goal?

After you calculate, the tool gives a short action list. The viral part is sharing just one bullet in your team update: “We’re at 58/100. Next step: unblock dependency X by Wednesday.” That’s it. The point is speed, not a novel.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this the “official” OKR scoring method?

  No. Some orgs use 0.0–1.0 scoring per key result, others use traffic‑lights, and some use weekly confidence ratings. This calculator is a practical hybrid: completion + schedule + execution signals.

• What score counts as “good”?

  A healthy working zone is usually 70–85. Below ~60 you should assume something needs to change. Above ~90 might mean the OKR is too easy (or already effectively completed).

• My OKR is back‑loaded. We make progress late. Is this unfair?

  Back‑loaded OKRs are common (shipping, partnerships, hiring). Use stretch + confidence to reflect that, but don’t ignore schedule risk. If you’re back‑loaded, you need a stronger cadence and clearer leading indicators.

• Should we average across objectives or score each one?

  Score each objective first, then average if you need a portfolio view. Averages hide the real story — one “red” objective can sink outcomes even if others are green.

• Can this be used for performance reviews?

  Please don’t. OKRs are for alignment and learning. Performance reviews add incentives to game the numbers. Use this for weekly clarity and course‑correction.

• How do we improve a low score quickly?

  Fix constraints before adding effort. Clarify ownership, remove a dependency, narrow scope, or redefine the key result into something measurable weekly. Then re‑score next check‑in.

How to read your result

The score is paired with a status label and a short action list. Use the label to communicate quickly, and use the actions to decide the next week’s plan.

• Exceptional (85–100): Progress is strong and stable. Keep momentum; check if the OKR is too easy.
• On Track (70–84): Healthy. Protect cadence and remove small blockers early.
• At Risk (55–69): Drifting. Choose one constraint to fix this week and reduce scope creep.
• Off Track (0–54): Needs intervention. Escalate dependencies, re‑plan, or redefine the key result.