KPIs and OKRs: Choosing Product Metrics and Objectives

Ever sat in a meeting where everyone was talking about metrics, but nobody seemed to be speaking the same language? Metrics often feel confusing to product teams, but they don’t have to be. At their core, KPIs and OKRs help teams answer simple questions: Are we making progress? Is this work having an impact? Used well, these tools turn vague goals into clear targets that people can rally around.

The bigger problem is this: most teams aren’t set up to use metrics well. You’ve got 30+ metrics across five dashboards. Everyone’s drowning in charts, yet no one’s sure what actually matters. “Active user” means one thing to product, another to marketing, and something else entirely in the data warehouse. You spend weeks debating what the KPIs should be, and by the time there’s agreement, the quarter’s nearly over. You focus on metrics that look good but don’t move the needle for users. Part of the issue is that most of us weren’t taught how to work with data. So it’s easy to feel unsure when asked to explain the numbers or make a call based on them. But metrics don’t need to be scary. You don’t need a math degree to navigate them. This stuff can be learned.

It’s about asking better questions. Spotting patterns. Learning which numbers matter, and which ones just make noise. With the right skills, you can connect product decisions to real outcomes, align teams faster, and build better products. That’s what good measurement makes possible.

Fundamentals of Metrics Data Literacy Essentials Designing Metrics Systems Implementing in Practice