Whether you’re a first-time Objectives and Key Results (OKR) user or a longtime follower starting on a new endeavor, figuring out a free way to track OKRs transparently can seem like an OKR in itself. Luckily, we have a list of some of our favorite, free OKR tools to help with goal-setting and tracking for organizations, teams, and individuals.
All are simple ways anyone in any organization can monitor goals transparently. It’s been a foundation of OKRs since Andy Grove had a young John Doerr and the rest of Intel post their personal OKRs outside of their cubicles so everyone could see them.
Google Docs or Google Sheets
From the company that was built on OKRs, it’s not surprising that Google provides powerful, free tools to track them. Utilizing Google Docs or Google Sheets is a simple and easily accessible way to track your goals. The WhatMatters.com has made a template for both.
To use, select “File” and “Make a copy…” from the dropdown to start filling in your own goals.
You must be signed into Gmail for it to work:
Since both of these tools are blank canvases, you can adjust and tailor the templates to fit your company and to achieve your goals. Using Google Docs or Sheets is useful for smaller teams. If you are aiming to roll out OKRs across a larger organization, there are paid OKR software tools that can help.
Measure What Matters OKR Starter Kit by John Doerr & Coda
Coda wants to bring the digital document experience to the next level and “combine the flexibility of a doc with the structure and depth of a spreadsheet.” Docs in Coda can be as powerful as an app, so it complements any team or any company and their unique ways of working.
To help with this, Coda has teamed up with John Doerr to get your team started with OKRs.
Check out their free OKR template here. Sign-up with Gmail to get going.
Pen or Printer & Paper
Who said that software or even the internet was needed to write and share OKRs? Before the internet made it easier to track company-wide goals transparently, pen, printers, and paper were used — and still are. Jini Kim, former Google product manager and now CEO of healthcare company, Nuna, said, “We put OKRs on our all-hand slides every single month. We print them and just post them all over the walls to say you now know what you’re striving for and if you’re hitting it or not.”
You can do this, too, whether setting OKRs for yourself or a small company.
Whichever OKR tool or software you decide works best for you right now, our FAQs, resources, and stories can help you through the process. Or, if you have encountered other free OKR-tracking tools or software, please reach out and let us know so we can add them to our list. And sign up for our Audacious newsletter!
If you’re interested in starting our OKRs 101 course, click here.