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Who Does What By How Much?: A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs
The authors of
Lean UX
and
Sense and Respond
return with this deeply practical guide to Objectives and Key Results.
OKRs are a simple but powerful goal-setting framework used by leading companies in every industry imaginable. This book will help you learn how to succeed with OKRs by using them to put your customers at the center of everything you do.
Every team and organization wants to improve. OKRs help you get better, because they help your teams focus on the right work. Too many companies waste time, money, and energy working on the wrong things. Why? We lose track of what our customers want and need.
Everyone has a customer. (Yes, everyone—that includes you.) We all make something in our work, and we make it for other people. Those other people are our customers—though you may call them patients, students, constituents, or even coworkers. Our success depends on how those customers respond to what we make—and they’ll only respond positively if we deliver something that’s valuable to them. So, to succeed, we must figure out who our customers are, what customer responses drive value, and how (and how much) to change our customers’ behavior to achieve better results.
Objectives and Key Results help organizations do all of this by focusing teams’ goals on the question, “Who does what by how much?”
However, using OKRs isn’t just about writing goals in a new way. It requires changing the way you work, the way you think about your work, and the way you plan the work you’ll do in the future.
In Who Does What by How Much? coauthors and OKR experts Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden provide a clear, how-to guide for employees in all industries to learn how to put customers front and center, so you can get to work on the right things, navigate uncertainty and achieve greater success.
OKRs are a simple but powerful goal-setting framework used by leading companies in every industry imaginable. This book will help you learn how to succeed with OKRs by using them to put your customers at the center of everything you do.
Every team and organization wants to improve. OKRs help you get better, because they help your teams focus on the right work. Too many companies waste time, money, and energy working on the wrong things. Why? We lose track of what our customers want and need.
Everyone has a customer. (Yes, everyone—that includes you.) We all make something in our work, and we make it for other people. Those other people are our customers—though you may call them patients, students, constituents, or even coworkers. Our success depends on how those customers respond to what we make—and they’ll only respond positively if we deliver something that’s valuable to them. So, to succeed, we must figure out who our customers are, what customer responses drive value, and how (and how much) to change our customers’ behavior to achieve better results.
Objectives and Key Results help organizations do all of this by focusing teams’ goals on the question, “Who does what by how much?”
However, using OKRs isn’t just about writing goals in a new way. It requires changing the way you work, the way you think about your work, and the way you plan the work you’ll do in the future.
In Who Does What by How Much? coauthors and OKR experts Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden provide a clear, how-to guide for employees in all industries to learn how to put customers front and center, so you can get to work on the right things, navigate uncertainty and achieve greater success.
280 pages, Paperback
Published May 31, 2024
126 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Gothelf
15 books103 followersIn a world of continuous change, improvement and optimisation the delivery of products to market is no longer the right measure of success. Instead we must focus on outcomes — meaningful changes in human behavior — to tell us if we’ve delivered anything valuable to our customers.
I teach executives and teams — through remote training, workshops, keynotes, & books — to focus on their customers, learn from mistakes and create a customer-obsessed culture based in humility and agility that continuously improves their products and services and the way they work.
I am the co-author of Sense and Respond, Lean UX and Lean vs Agile vs Design Thinking. My most recent book is called Forever Employable: How to stop looking for work and let your next job find you.
I am currently writing a book on Objectives and Key Results.
I teach executives and teams — through remote training, workshops, keynotes, & books — to focus on their customers, learn from mistakes and create a customer-obsessed culture based in humility and agility that continuously improves their products and services and the way they work.
I am the co-author of Sense and Respond, Lean UX and Lean vs Agile vs Design Thinking. My most recent book is called Forever Employable: How to stop looking for work and let your next job find you.
I am currently writing a book on Objectives and Key Results.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 5, 2024
Quite good.
I understand it sounds stupid but lots of European companies (and executives) still operate in Soviet frameworks spanning 5 years and paperwork.
These are just stupid and rarely have a ground connection with the actual stuff being done.
There are PMs with data and executives with their plans.
However it sounds in 2024, humans are pretty lousy at making sound decisions and plans.
Moreover we are bad at executing those.
And this book might get you closer if your people are receptive and young in their hearts.
Otherwise go elsewhere, find another job.
I understand it sounds stupid but lots of European companies (and executives) still operate in Soviet frameworks spanning 5 years and paperwork.
These are just stupid and rarely have a ground connection with the actual stuff being done.
There are PMs with data and executives with their plans.
However it sounds in 2024, humans are pretty lousy at making sound decisions and plans.
Moreover we are bad at executing those.
And this book might get you closer if your people are receptive and young in their hearts.
Otherwise go elsewhere, find another job.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2024
Yes, it is a business book, for team managers, leaders, executives and entrepreneurs. After reading some initial chapters I got the true meaning of the title. I had to decode it, rather. The title is an equation measurement. Any organization that is functional in the market is selling or making some products, have customers/clients, and these customers’ behaviour decides the growth story of organizations.
As I begun reading it in full tempo, I soon got acquainted with OKRs: Objectives and Key Results. I didn’t need to Google this term, I got all about it in the book, the quality of the book is highly accessible and language so cool and lucid. So the understanding is that people work hard but don’t get desired results. Why? Because they have lost the track of what customers want…or say what their goals are. When people working hard but on wrong things, organizations are doomed to fail. Thus, to improve the overall growth and efficiency of organizations, OKRs is needed.
Initially, it was implemented only in tech companies, but with time it is accessible to all. OKR was born in tech companies and many giants use it but non-tech companies can also use this tool. OKRs works as a framework, an important tool that ensure that if people are working hard and that is on right things.
OKRs – Objectives and Key Results is a tool/framework for today's companies that work in agility and continuous learning ambience. It aligns teams on customer needs with company strategies. Its fringe benefits are: Clarity, Prioritization, and Results.
Driven from both author’s experiences, the book is a guide for using OKRs. Segmented in four parts, well the important ones for all are: How to create OKRs! How to use OKRs! How to make OKRs successful in your organization!
In his new and exciting book, both authors share how the proven techniques can help you move the needle to achieve the business outcomes you've been striving for. If you're ready for a transformation, then this is a must read! Written incredibly clearly, Joshua and Jeff have brought OKRs framework importance to life in a way that would benefit any organization.
As I begun reading it in full tempo, I soon got acquainted with OKRs: Objectives and Key Results. I didn’t need to Google this term, I got all about it in the book, the quality of the book is highly accessible and language so cool and lucid. So the understanding is that people work hard but don’t get desired results. Why? Because they have lost the track of what customers want…or say what their goals are. When people working hard but on wrong things, organizations are doomed to fail. Thus, to improve the overall growth and efficiency of organizations, OKRs is needed.
Initially, it was implemented only in tech companies, but with time it is accessible to all. OKR was born in tech companies and many giants use it but non-tech companies can also use this tool. OKRs works as a framework, an important tool that ensure that if people are working hard and that is on right things.
OKRs – Objectives and Key Results is a tool/framework for today's companies that work in agility and continuous learning ambience. It aligns teams on customer needs with company strategies. Its fringe benefits are: Clarity, Prioritization, and Results.
Driven from both author’s experiences, the book is a guide for using OKRs. Segmented in four parts, well the important ones for all are: How to create OKRs! How to use OKRs! How to make OKRs successful in your organization!
In his new and exciting book, both authors share how the proven techniques can help you move the needle to achieve the business outcomes you've been striving for. If you're ready for a transformation, then this is a must read! Written incredibly clearly, Joshua and Jeff have brought OKRs framework importance to life in a way that would benefit any organization.
December 10, 2024
Jeff Gothelf offers a focused and accessible approach to implementing OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in a customer-centric way. Gothelf, a well-known advocate for agile methodologies and lean practices, brings valuable insights into aligning teams and organizations around customer outcomes rather than just internal metrics.
Clarity and Practicality: The book provides clear, actionable advice for setting and managing OKRs. Gothelf breaks down complex concepts into digestible steps that can be immediately applied to real-world scenarios, making it particularly useful for business leaders and teams who are new to OKRs.
Focus on Customer-Centricity: Unlike other OKR guides that focus purely on internal goals, Gothelf emphasizes the importance of aligning OKRs with customer needs and outcomes. This customer-first perspective helps organizations ensure that their strategies create real value for their end users.
Use of Case Studies: Gothelf shares examples from well-known companies, which not only serve as illustrations but also show how OKRs can drive tangible results when applied thoughtfully. These case studies enhance the book’s credibility and provide inspiration for readers.
Aligning Teams Across Functions: One of the key takeaways is how OKRs can be used to foster better collaboration between teams. By setting shared objectives that everyone works toward, companies can break down silos and improve cross-functional alignment, which is often a challenge in larger organizations.
Clarity and Practicality: The book provides clear, actionable advice for setting and managing OKRs. Gothelf breaks down complex concepts into digestible steps that can be immediately applied to real-world scenarios, making it particularly useful for business leaders and teams who are new to OKRs.
Focus on Customer-Centricity: Unlike other OKR guides that focus purely on internal goals, Gothelf emphasizes the importance of aligning OKRs with customer needs and outcomes. This customer-first perspective helps organizations ensure that their strategies create real value for their end users.
Use of Case Studies: Gothelf shares examples from well-known companies, which not only serve as illustrations but also show how OKRs can drive tangible results when applied thoughtfully. These case studies enhance the book’s credibility and provide inspiration for readers.
Aligning Teams Across Functions: One of the key takeaways is how OKRs can be used to foster better collaboration between teams. By setting shared objectives that everyone works toward, companies can break down silos and improve cross-functional alignment, which is often a challenge in larger organizations.
January 14, 2025
“Change is hard”
E implementar una cultura basada en OKRs no es sencillo. Por ello, es de agradecer un libro que explica paso a paso el cómo hacerlo. Se nota la experiencia en casos reales y que el autor ha huído del humo para centrarse en lo que funciona.
Manual de referencia para cualquiera que quiera mover su organización hacia una cultura más colaborativa, innovadora y transparente con el cliente en el centro. Basada en generar el cambio que se necesita, hueyendo del “hacer cosas” y sin saber el impacto real de nuestro trabajo
No es fácil, pero con este libro es más alcanzable
¡Ahora a implementarlo!
E implementar una cultura basada en OKRs no es sencillo. Por ello, es de agradecer un libro que explica paso a paso el cómo hacerlo. Se nota la experiencia en casos reales y que el autor ha huído del humo para centrarse en lo que funciona.
Manual de referencia para cualquiera que quiera mover su organización hacia una cultura más colaborativa, innovadora y transparente con el cliente en el centro. Basada en generar el cambio que se necesita, hueyendo del “hacer cosas” y sin saber el impacto real de nuestro trabajo
No es fácil, pero con este libro es más alcanzable
¡Ahora a implementarlo!
January 25, 2025
Great book about OKR'S, how to write them, use them, and deploy in an organisation.
I was a bit sceptical about okrs, but after reading this, I'm a believer. Okrs are step forward to even more agile way of working.
Book is very clear and easy to read. And very practical, you will want your own copy by your side.
Phrase who does what by how much will make so much sense by the time you finish the book you will start to evaluate all goals through it's lense.
If you read one book on okrs, this should be the one.
I was a bit sceptical about okrs, but after reading this, I'm a believer. Okrs are step forward to even more agile way of working.
Book is very clear and easy to read. And very practical, you will want your own copy by your side.
Phrase who does what by how much will make so much sense by the time you finish the book you will start to evaluate all goals through it's lense.
If you read one book on okrs, this should be the one.
May 8, 2025
A very easy book to read. Plain English. But it's about very important things - how to change your company's strategy and how to turn to your customer. Don't be fooled, OKRS are not very easy to implement
June 4, 2024
A great OKR book that is very practical for organisations either considering or already using OKRs and in need of some improved ways of using and adopting.
Read
September 15, 2024Eye opening and actionable
September 18, 2024
Your average book on OKRs. Provides a good set of practices for newcomers but anyone who has been using okrs will not really learn anything new from this book.
December 16, 2024
Great book on OKRs, with practical tips and tactics for a successful implementation.
March 15, 2025
If you want to know about OKRs that will use customer centric approach, this is the book for you.
March 17, 2025
Great book. As an okr fan, highly recommended
June 13, 2025
This is a really great book on explaining how to write OKRs that focus on the customer and helps everybody understand their role in achieving great OKRs for their company or organization
February 6, 2026
Best advice on OKRs that I came across so far. If I ever encounter then in an organizational context again, this is probably book I turn to
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews