Input metrics vs Output metrics

Also known as leading vs lagging indicators or sometimes proxy metrics. When choosing metrics for your key results, It is important to understand which ones to and how they impact your outcomes. There is nothing worse than choosing the wrong metric and spending time optimising it.

Metrics like a NPS, retention, revenue are output metrics. Ideally you should not be using output metrics as your goals. Good input actionable input metrics should be used as Goals to make them actionable. Output metrics should be tracked as overall health.

Lets look at some examples:

Marketing input metrics	Marketing output metrics
Number of blog posts written →	Increase Organic traffic

A combination of both input and output metrics can be used in good OKRs. Finding good quality input metrics takes time, it is an iterative process. Teams can use behavioural correlation to learn about what successful customers are doing in order to achieve the desired outcome and then convert these signals into input metrics.

Anatomy of a good OKR

A good OKR consists of both an input metric, output metric and project:

Inspiring Objective or Goal:

Input key result:
Input metrics are the things that you can control. these are the metrics when moved, will move the output metrics.
e.g. % users that sent at least 1 invites in week 1

Output key result:
Output metrics are the things that you cannot control. these are the metrics you want to ultimately achieve but are not directly in your hand.
e.g. User retention, stock market price, annual recurring revenue (ARR)

Project-based key result:
When a project needs to be completed to achieving the KR and the project will take a significant amount of time and is a prerequisite to the KR. Tracking as a project key result could give the teams good visibility.

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