OKRs and OBT speak different dialects of the same language. OKRs ask 'what outcome do we want next quarter?' OBT asks 'what upside is available, and which are we pursuing?' Wiring them together turns the QMS into a credible strategic instrument.
The translation rule
From register fields to Key Results
- 01Impact score → defines the headline KR (the magnitude target).
- 02Feasibility score → calibrates the confidence level in the KR.
- 03Time-to-value → determines whether the KR fits this quarter or rolls.
- 04Strategic fit → confirms which Objective the KR attaches to.
The two-way feedback loop
At the end of each OKR cycle, every Objective sourced from an opportunity entry produces an outcome reading. That reading goes back into the register's realized-value field. Over four cycles, you have an empirical record of which kinds of opportunities your organization actually delivers on — and the rubric tightens itself.
What not to do
- Don't make every register entry an Objective — most should be monitored, not pursued.
- Don't replace the register with the OKR sheet; OKRs are quarterly, the register is continuous.
- Don't let the OKR template overwrite OBT scoring axes — they answer different questions.
“OKRs without OBT are commitments without a candidate pool. OBT without OKRs is a candidate pool that never ships.”