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How the key results progress is calculated in Elofy?
In our platform, some settings have a direct impact on the calculation of the progress of each key result. That's why we created this article to answer the main questions related to the calculation logic used in our platform.
The main aspects that have an impact on the calculation logic are:
Starting point
Direction: greater better or lesser better
Minimum, maximum and maximum target 02
OKR progress limits
1 - Does the choice of standard or advanced follow-up impact the calculation?
In Elofy, there are two types of follow-ups that can be performed on OKRs: standard (weekly or monthly) and advanced (monthly, monthly and partial, three-monthly, four-monthly, four-monthly and monthly, half-yearly or yearly).
The follow-up types are only related to the periodicity in which the check-ins will be performed, but do not impact the logic of calculating the progress of each key result.
2 - So, what is the logic for calculating the key results progress?
The first thing we must consider is that the whole logic of calculating the key results is directly influenced by the cycle windows settings. To learn more, you can read here how OKRs windows are structured.
In this way, depending on the fields that are activated to become mandatory when creating OKRs, they will impact the progress. So, we will introduce all the possible configuration cases.
Starting with the default calculation model that considers three basic aspects:
Starting Point - Where is the user coming from numerically to meet the objective?
Objective - What the user is trying to accomplish? (The main key to all the calculation logic)
Measurement - The progress records of the objective (the trigger for the calculation logic).
So, we have the following scenario: if you have arrived at a certain measurement from a starting point, how many percent is the objective?
Calculation method | Example |
Progress: (Measurement - Starting point) / (Objective - Starting point) x 100 | Objective: 60 / Starting point: 20 / Measurement: 40
40 - 20 / 60 - 20 x 100 = 20 / 40 x 100 = 0,5 x 100 = 50%
Exemplo 02 Objective: 60 / Starting point: 20 / Measurement: 70
70 - 20 / 60 - 20 x 100 = 50 / 40 x 100 = 1,25 x 100 = 125% |
3 - What happens when you don't have a starting point?
In this case, there are two scenarios: KR of greatest best and KR of lesser better. Remember that:
Greater better: used when there is a need to leverage the objective relative to the current key result.
Lesser better: when the key result should be smaller than the current one.
Greater better | Example | Lesser better | Example |
Progress: Measurement / Objective | Objective: 100 e Measurement: 40
40 / 100 = 0,4 x 100 = 40%
|
Progress: Objective / Measurement | Objective: 40 e Measurement: 50
40 / 50 = 0,8 x 100 = 80% |
4 - What if there is a minimum objective, maximum objective and maximum objective 2?
In the cycle window settings, as mentioned above, you can define a few more options besides the three basic ones (starting point, objective and measurement), which are; minimum objective, maximum objective and maximum objective 2.
Minimum objective: When enabled, the user will be able to set a minimum acceptable value in case they can't reach the objective value.
Maximum objective: When enabled, the user will be able to define a maximum acceptable value in case they exceed the objective value.
Maximum objective 2: When enabled, the user will be able to define a second maximum value in case they reach the maximum objective.
When the key result exists, they directly impact the progress calculation logic, following the interpolation method. But what is this?
Interpolation is the method that allows you to build a new data set from a previously known set. In the case of the key result, there can be up to 4 data sets, also called ranges:
Range 01: between the minimum objective and the objective.
Objective: the objective does not belong to any of the three ranges, and when the result equals it, the score equals 1.0 (100%).
Range 02: between the objective and the maximum objective.
Range 03: between the objective and the maximum objective 02.
In these cases, the minimum objective and maximum objective (and also the maximum objective 02) must be set at different values with the objective in between, creating the sub-ranges above that are not necessarily of the same length.
Measurement between the minimum objective and the objective | Measurement between the objective and the maximum objective | Measurement between the objective and the maximum objective 2 |
Progress: (Measurement - Minimum objective) / (Objective - Minimum objective) x 100 | Progress: (Measurement - objective) / (Maximum objective - objective) x 100 + 100
The "+100" happens because in this case the 100% objective has already been reached and now the value is increasing. | Progress: (Measurement - objective) / (Maximum objective 02 - objective) x 100 + 100
The ‘+100’ happens because in this case the 100% objective was already reached and now the value is increasing. |
Example | Example | Example |
Objective: 100 / Minimum: 80 / Measurement: 90 Range: 80 a 100
90 - 80 / 100 - 80 x 100 = 10 / 20 x 100 = 0,5 x 100 = 50% | Objective: 100 / Maximum: 200 / Measurement: 150 Range: 100 a 200
150 - 100 / 200 - 100 x 100 + 100 = 50 / 100 x 100 +100 = 0,5 x 100 + 100 = 50 + 100 = 150% | Objective: 100 / Maximum 02: 300 / Measurement: 200 Range: 100 a 300
200 - 100 / 300 - 100 x 100 + 100 = 100 / 200 x 100 + 100 = 0,5 x 100 + 100 = 50 + 100 = 150% |
5 - What if my company uses progress limits, does it impact the calculations with minimum and maximum objectives?
In the OKR settings, if your company has defined progress thresholds (lower and upper), this will impact the formulas shown above.
These thresholds define from which values progress will actually be considered in the key results. To learn more about it, read here.
Measurement between the minimum objective and the objective | Measurement between the objective and the maximum objective | Measurement between the objective and the maximum objective 2 |
Progress: (Measurement - Minimum objective) / (objective - Minimum objective) x (100 - lower threshold) + lower threshold | Progress: (Measurement - objective) / (Maximum objective - objective) x (upper threshold - 100) + 100
The ‘+100’ happens because in this case the 100% objective has already been reached and now the value is increasing. | Progress: (Measurement - objective) / (Maximum objective 02 - objective) x (upper threshold - 100) + 100
The ‘+100’ happens because in this case the 100% objective has already been reached and now the value is increasing. |
Example | Example | Example |
Objective: 50 / Minimum objective: 40 / Measurement: 45 / Lower threshold: 10 Range: 40 a 50
45 - 40 / 50 - 40 x (100 - 10) + 10 = 5 / 10 x (90) + 10 = 0,5 x 90 + 10 - 45 + 10 = 55% | Objective: 100 / Maximum objective: 200 / Measurement: 150 / Upper threshold: 250 Range: 100 a 200
150 - 100 / 200 - 100 x (250 - 100) + 100 = 50 / 100 x 150 + 100 = 0,5 x 150 + 100 = 75 + 100 = 175% | Objective: 100 / Maximum objective 02: 300 / Measurement: 200 / Upper threshold: 350 Range: 100 a 300
200 - 100 / 300 - 100 x (350 - 100) + 100 = 100 / 200 x 250 + 100 = 0,5 x 250 + 100 = 125 + 100 = 225% |
Don't forget that these variables will only impact the key results if, in addition to the cycle window settings, there is also internal parameterization by our architecture team. So, if it is really necessary to apply the minimum, maximum and maximum 02 objectives in your company, please contact us.
6 - How does the maintenance KR work?
The last thing you need to know is how the progress calculation of a maintenance key result occurs, in other words, when the starting point equals the objective.
In this case the logic changes, according to the type of direction: greater better or lesser better.
Greater Better Direction | Lesser Better Direction |
Keep the availability of the servers at 99.95%.
99.96% = 100% (it will never be higher than 100% because the objective is to keep it at 99.95%, so even if you achieve higher numbers, the calculation will consider that you are keeping the original objective) | Keep the maximum operating cost at 40% of revenue.
39% = 100% (it will never be higher than 100% because the objective is to keep it at 40%, so even if you achieve lower numbers, the calculation will consider that you are keeping the original objective) |
And that’s it!!
If you have any questions, please contact us, we'll be glad to help!