Platform Engineering Done Right - OKRs and KPIs

Maximizing the impact of your organization embracing Platform Engineering starts with defining and measuring what you are doing

Platform engineering teams are the backbone of software development and operations in today's fast-paced tech world. They keep everything running smoothly while ensuring products align with the company’s bigger goals. To stay on top of their game, these teams often use two powerful tools: Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). OKRs help set ambitious goals, while KPIs offer measurable insights into how well the team performs. In this post, we’ll break down the key OKRs and KPIs that top-notch platform engineering teams should use to streamline work, improve products, and boost performance.

What’s the Deal with OKRs and KPIs?

OKRs: Setting Ambitious Goals

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are about setting clear, ambitious goals and then outlining measurable steps to achieve them. The objective is your big-picture goal, while the key results are specific, trackable outcomes that let you know you’re on the right path. OKRs are designed to push teams to aim higher and stay aligned with the company’s strategic priorities. They help focus on what matters, driving meaningful improvements across the board.

KPIs: Tracking Performance

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are your scorecard. They’re metrics that track how well your team or organization is performing over time. Unlike OKRs, which tend to be bold and aspirational, KPIs are usually straightforward and give you a clear picture of what's working and where there’s room for improvement. Think of KPIs as your team's compass, helping you stay on track toward your goals.

How OKRs and KPIs Supercharge Platform Engineering

Platform engineering teams are responsible for building and maintaining the tech infrastructure that supports software development and deployment. That means reliability, scalability, and security are always at the top of my mind. Using OKRs and KPIs gives these teams the structure to work more efficiently, improve code quality, and deliver projects on time.

Key OKRs Every Platform Engineering Team Should Set (Examples)

1. Boost Development Speed

• Objective: Speed up the development process.

  • Key Result 1: Increase sprint velocity from 42 to 60 points.

  • Key Result 2: Reduce bugs per feature from 1.7 to 1.

  • Key Result 3: Cut code review time by 30%.

2. Automate More Processes

• Objective: Improve deployment automation.

  • Key Result 1: Set up Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) automation.

  • Key Result 2: Ensure all errors are logged in Sentry.

  • Key Result 3: Bring Travis's build times down to under 5 minutes.

3. Elevate Code Quality

• Objective: Maintain high coding standards.

  • Key Result 1: Ensure 100% of projects follow standardized style and linting rules.

  • Key Result 2: Achieve 100% pull request reviews and approvals.

  • Key Result 3: Implement a unified code style for all teams.

4. Tighten Security Compliance

• Objective: Achieve SOC 2 compliance.

  • Key Result 1: Fully document security issue resolution processes.

  • Key Result 2: Deliver security training for the entire team.

  • Key Result 3: Regularly perform security audits and penetration tests.

Key KPIs to Keep Your Eye On

1. Deployment Frequency

• What it measures: How often code is deployed to production.

• Why it matters: It shows how quickly the team delivers value to users.

2. Change Failure Rate

• What it measures: The percentage of code changes that cause issues in production.

• Why it matters: It helps gauge the reliability and stability of your deployments.

3. Time to Recover

• What it measures: How long it takes to recover from a system failure.

• Why it matters: It reflects how quickly the team can respond to incidents and maintain uptime.

4. Cycle Time

• What it measures: The time from starting work on a feature to when it’s deployed.

• Why it matters: It highlights how efficient the development process is and helps pinpoint bottlenecks.

5. Code Quality Metrics

• What it measures: Things like code coverage, linting errors, and static analysis results.

• Why it matters: It ensures the long-term maintainability and quality of the codebase.

Making OKRs and KPIs Work for Your Team

Align with Business Goals

OKRs and KPIs need to be aligned with the company's broader goals to have a real impact. This ensures that platform engineering efforts directly contribute to overall business success. Collaborating with stakeholders to set realistic but ambitious objectives is also key.

Review and Adapt Regularly

OKRs and KPIs aren’t “set it and forget it” tools. You must review them regularly to check progress and adjust as needed. This approach keeps your team agile and responsive to any shifts in business priorities. Regular check-ins also help everyone stay focused on the most critical tasks.

Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

OKRs and KPIs aren’t just about meeting targets—they’re about fostering a mindset of ongoing improvement. Encouraging the team to experiment with new ideas and push for innovation can lead to huge gains in productivity and efficiency over time.

Wrapping Up

OKRs and KPIs are game-changers for platform engineering teams. They provide a solid framework for setting goals and tracking progress, ensuring alignment with company objectives. Teams can consistently improve their processes and performance by focusing on areas like development speed, automation, code quality, and security. With regular reviews and a commitment to continuous improvement, these tools can help teams stay agile, productive, and ahead of the curve.