You’d often hear terms like "bi-weekly individual cadence" or "weekly individual OKR cadence" in organizations which adopt OKR.
This article attempts to explain what it actually means.
Take "bi-weekly individual cadence" and let’s zoom in to the 2 elements carried by this example:
1. "bi-weekly cadence"
- A bi-weekly cadence indicates a 2-week rhythm in which an OKR is being worked on.
- This article explains what a cadence is in OKR.
- Which or whose OKR is being worked on? It depends on the next element:
2. "bi-weekly individual cadence"
- The context is OKR of an individual.
- Which or whose OKR is being worked on? Individual OKR.
- This example indicates each person in the company has his/her individual OKR.
- Therefore, "bi-weekly individual cadence" implies that individual OKR will be reviewed every 2 weeks, by the individual in his/her respective team. (And, s/he will plan accordingly, based on the result of the review, for the next cadence.)
To put things in contrast, some companies only have a company or division OKR, which is usually formulated by the highest level of management or leaders. None of the employees maintains his/her individual OKR.
Let's see other examples
Given the above explanation, we won’t have difficulty in understanding when somebody mentions:
"A quarterly company cadence" or "a quarterly cadence for company OKR"
- Cadence (time period): quarterly (3 months)
- Object of discussion: company OKR
- This means the company OKR will be reviewed every 3 months. (And, the individuals who are directly responsible for that OKR will plan accordingly, based on the result of the review, for the next cadence.)
"A monthly division OKR cadence"
- Cadence (time period): monthly (4 weeks)
- Object of discussion: division OKR
- This means the division or department OKR will be reviewed every month. And, the individuals who are directly responsible for that OKR will plan accordingly, based on the result of the review, for the next cadence.
