Best OKR Software not in the OKR Software category

OKR metrics are the next, and much improved, evolution of managing business strategy. Workboard allows me to drive my business in an efficient manner by staying faithful to the Doerr/Google methods.

Pros

Faithfully follows the OKR methodology recommended by John Doerr and used by Google and many others. For some odd reason, this top contender doesnt even show up in the right category. Reasonably priced, well balanced and the interface is very clean and easy to use overall.

Cons

I dinged it one star for a limited range of products to update results, but just one star as they are obviously trying to remedy this. Updating results is the Achilles heel of the awesome OKR system. The system demands rapid, even real time results, to be effective. Some OKR software packages don't even recognize the need for this and assume the data just magically appears. If automation is lacking, that means some poor junior accountant is probably up to his eyeballs in Excel spreadsheets typing mounds of data in to feed the monster. As a manager who came up through the back office, the worst use of my human resources is using them to collate and update data that could be done faster and better with automation. It’s zombie work that ironically demotivates staff. I need that person to work on improving my own OKRs. So, good start, Workboard, but more, more, more integrations and give me my people back for productive work.

Powerful OKR Tool

Workboard was the software we choose to implement OKRs into our business. From a leadership point of view, it was brilliant, integrating Business Strategy with individual staff performance management and provided teams that did not have a task tracking software, a one stop shop to manage their teams day to day process. The Meetings part of Wobo is fantastic, enabling each team to link their daily / weekly cadence meetings directly to their OKRs and create minutes and actions related to them.

Pros

Powerful all in one tool to operate a business using the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) framework, with strong integrations to other data sets for automating the import of Key Result data.

Cons

Our users found Workboard a little difficult to use and the interface a bit slow.

Don't Be Evil, Workboard Inc.

Be prepared to pay the whole annual price if you want to sign up for the Elite Subscription. I wanted to use Workboard as my main inter-company team /project collaboration tool (MBO, GTD, OKR). I proceeded to enter my strategic relationships, workflows, and upload sensitive collaborative documents. I was doing fine until I decided to sign up for their monthly Elite Plan. As soon as I entered my credit card information, I was immediately ushered to a congratulations screen, there was NO CONFIRMATION page to authorize a deducted amount (a big RED flag). Upon getting a notice from my bank that I've been overdrawn, I checked my email, and to my dismay I discovered I've been charged the whole annual amount of $632.10! I searched for contact numbers or email of their Billing Department or Customer Support on my account page or their whole website, or their Billing email notification--and to my dismay there is NONE! (another two to three big RED flags!). Had no recourse but to email their CEO and report their anomaly and got a "we regret that it was not clear enough for you" as part of her message. They said they were going to reverse the charges, however it didn't happen as I was still levied overdrawn fees, and all my scheduled payments, for those four interim days, were compromised as a result of insufficient funds. It didn't get reversed the same day as I get from other companies who use credit cards. Very costly learning experience for me as I got levied fees and had checks returned. I detected no empathy on my predicament from Ms CEO. There is no button /contact email, nor telephone number on your website account page to opt out. You have to write directly to the CEO.

Pros

A. You can do Objective Key Results (OKRs), Management by Objective (MBOs) and Get Things Done (GTD) method thru this app. B. You can enter your Strategic Relationships, Define your competitive Advantage Workflows, and upload /share collaborative sensitive documents.

Cons

- No Customer Support/Billing Department contact info. - Knowing you have done Pros B above is now scary. - Misleading markers to entry to subscription plan, high barriers of exit. It's a managerial mousetrap.

Workboard is our Marketing operations manager

Pros

Workboard keeps my team organized and every week focused on the right priorities and target goal achievement. Removing all the action items from email is so liberating! This frees up time for me to actually lead the team. The Workboard support team is brilliantly responsive.

Cons

We would like to use the product for performance reviews as well! The module is not yet available. - hoping it is on the roadmap. Workboard already manages the teams goals, the achievement, would be easy to roll that capability in?!

Keeps me on task

Pros

Workboard makes it easy to stay on task and keep an eye on what my employees are accomplishing. The company is always implementing updates so the product just keeps getting better! I also appreciate the CPEs they sponsor, I always find them interesting.

Cons

We've had some issues with my employees sending me an update on their to-do list, it doesn't always go thru. I also wish that when I am sharing my list with my manager that there was a way to filter out the items that have already been completed or put on pause.