Episode 267: How OKRs Become Outputs Instead of Outcomes

Episode notes

OKRs are one of the most misunderstood frameworks in product. They turn into renamed roadmaps, copy-paste cascades, and measures of output instead of real outcomes. In this Product Thinking Podcast compilation, Melissa Perri brings together four leaders who share what it takes to make OKRs actually work. Hugo Froes, then head of product operations at OLX, shares how splitting OKRs into discovery, build, and outcome types gives teams a more honest way to track progress without losing sight of what needs to ship. Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden of Sense & Respond Learning explain why key results must measure behavior change and why cascading OKRs is critical thinking, not copy-paste. Anish Bhimani, then CPO at JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking, shares how his org went from 341 key results to the handful that actually move the business. You'll hear us talk about: Rethinking how OKR types work Hugo Froes explains how OLX broke OKRs into discovery, build, and outcome types so teams could stay flexible without losing sight of what actually ships. The approach creates space for parallel tracks of discovery, build, and launch, instead of waiting a quarter to see any progress.