Quick answer: A good OKR dashboard shows progress, confidence, and context: what changed, what is at risk, and what decisions leaders need to make.
Operator note: Dashboards fail when they become a vanity report. The point is to make progress, risk, and decisions visible in one view leaders will actually use.
You know it's working when:
- Key Results have stable definitions, owners, and a clear data source.
- A yellow or red status triggers a conversation and a next step.
- You spend meeting time on interventions, not explaining the numbers.
In this guide:
- What an OKR dashboard should include
- How to use the dashboard in leadership reviews
- Common OKR dashboard mistakes
- Checklist: a dashboard leaders will trust
- Copy/paste template
- FAQs
What an OKR dashboard should include
- Objectives and key results. Clear outcomes, not task lists.
- Progress and confidence. Show progress, but also whether teams believe results are still achievable.
- What changed. A short narrative update since the last review.
- Risks and dependencies. What could derail the outcome.
- Decisions and next actions. What leadership needs to decide and by when.
If your OKRs are not consistent yet, start with OKR best practices.
How to use the dashboard in leadership reviews
Most OKR reviews fail because they turn into roll-call status. The dashboard should enable decisions.
- Leaders read the dashboard before the meeting.
- Meeting time is reserved for risks, tradeoffs, and decisions.
- Decisions are captured and visible after the meeting.
To build the cadence around this, use the Operating Rhythm and Reporting Guide.
Common OKR dashboard mistakes
- Too many KRs. When everything is tracked, nothing is reviewed.
- Activity disguised as outcomes. Output metrics are easier to hit but do not tell you if the strategy is working.
- No narrative. Without context, leaders cannot make decisions.
Checklist: a dashboard leaders will trust
- Every KR has a clear baseline and target
- Owners update on a predictable schedule
- Each objective has a short “what changed” narrative
- Risks and dependencies are explicit
- Leadership decisions are captured and visible
For KPI-focused views that support broader operating reviews, see KPI dashboard software and company scorecards.
External reference
If you want a solid OKR starting point, John Doerr’s OKRs Explained is still the most common reference leaders cite.
Copy/paste template: OKR dashboard row
Example scenario: A product leader updates OKRs every Friday with a one‑sentence comment that explains the signal. By Monday’s leadership review, the dashboard makes it obvious which key results are drifting so the team can decide whether to add support, change scope, or stop work.
A dashboard earns trust when every line has a clear owner, an unambiguous metric, and context that explains the status.
Objective: [one sentence, outcome-oriented]
Key Result: [metric + baseline + target + due date]
Owner: [name / function]
Confidence: Green / Yellow / Red
Trend: Improving / Flat / Worsening
What changed: [1–2 sentences]
Decision needed: [optional, but required if Yellow/Red]
FAQs
Should OKR dashboards be public to the whole company?
Often, yes. Transparency reduces misalignment. Keep sensitive items private when needed, but default to visibility so teams can coordinate.
How often should OKRs be updated?
Most teams update weekly or biweekly, then review monthly with leadership. The key is consistency, not frequency.
What is the difference between OKR dashboards and KPI dashboards?
OKR dashboards track time-bound outcomes (objectives and key results). KPI dashboards track ongoing health metrics. Mature teams use both.
Want to see this as a system, not a deck? Elate helps strategy, operations, and chief of staff leaders keep priorities, initiatives, and exec updates connected so meetings drive decisions.
