How we used AI to implement and scale an OKR framework more effectively

If there’s one constant in life and business, it’s change. The field of artificial intelligence is new to us all but embracing it early and learning how it can help us work more efficiently has been one of the key drivers of success in a recent OKR implementation project at a leading German financial institution.

Train the trainer

At the start, this project was about implementing the OKR framework at a leading German financial institution (OKR stands for Objectives & Key Results). Over time, the role of our consultants shifted from OKR coach towards a train the trainer approach. This was necessary to warrant the sustainability of the project beyond the consultancy phase. “We started with a few teams, but now we’re talking about 20-30 teams, over 50 objectives and 150+ key results. The strategy to make this sustainable, is to create an internal coach community,” says Anton Glatz. “We shifted our focus from coaching to training new coaches, organising workshops, creating tools for them and providing support.”

Incorporating smart tools

We have a partnership with Workpath, and our consultants use this every day in this OKR project. “It is a very user-friendly tool. It helps us to keep the overview,” says Anton Glatz. “We also use Workpath for the initial workshop to train the new coaches. For the rest of the training, we have created our own approach using Workpath and other tools.”

During the project, we faced some challenges around the time and effort required from the teams to draft the Objectives & Key Results, and we identified opportunities to further enhance the overall quality of our outputs. Thanks to an innovative use of AI, we were able to reach a breakthrough. To address concerns around data security, the team devised a workaround by anonymising sensitive data before feeding it into AI tools. A lot of trial and error and practice in prompt engineering resulted in the development of three chatbots:

• Gloria, who guides teams in drafting high-quality OKRs.
• Patrick, who does quality checks and gives feedback.
• Tim, who checks the quality of the alignment.

By integrating these tools, we reduced the time for drafting from 5 hours to 2 hours. For example, the bots helped refine strategies by posing targeted questions, enabling teams to articulate their objectives more effectively.

We were also able to improve the quality of the outputs from a 2.6 rating on a scale of 1 to 5, to a 3.9 – and we’re still working on improving this rate as we go along.

Adapting to challenges

We encountered 4 main challenges during this project.

1. Resistance to change. In every transformation project, change management poses a challenge. We addressed this by communicating clearly and showcasing the tangible benefits of the OKR framework.
2. Creating sustainable change. We used AI tools to streamline processes and reduce the workload for the teams, making it easier and more manageable for them to keep up with the OKR framework.
3. Strategy quality. After facing a lacking quality at first, we introduced a rigorous quality review system. For optimal effect, we combined AI insights with our own expertise.  
4. Numeric Approach. We believe that what is not measured cannot be improved. Leveraging AI, we developed objective metrics that pinpoint where to focus our efforts, ultimately elevating process quality and refining our strategic direction.

Impact and learnings

One important outcome of this transformation project was that it brought an infusion of innovation to the company. The teams started to think more strategically and adopted an Agile mindset, which was wonderful to see.

Conclusion

This project also clearly showed the importance of embracing AI. Some people worry that artificial intelligence might limit creativity or be seen as a threat, but in reality, it empowers us to innovate and unlock new opportunities. It allows you to be more efficient and focus on more important tasks. Don’t be afraid of change and dare to discover what innovation can do for your business. “Practice is the best way to learn. Take some risks and go beyond what you’re required to do. Always look for new and better ways. Sometimes you’ll fail, but you’ll always learn something,” Anton Glatz concludes.

Want to find out more about how you can leverage AI and OKRs in your organisation? Connect with us to explore your tailored journey.