Product design OKRs: Turning strategy into measurable, meaningful outcomes
Type of project
Real-world strategic initiative developed at The Floow to align design efforts with product and business goals, and to measure impact beyond delivery velocity.
Company & product overview
The Floow provides smartphone telematics apps for insurers that track driving behaviour, offer feedback, and integrate with services like crash detection, claims, and vehicle management. These apps are used globally across B2B and B2C channels.
Skills & area of focus
Design operations, goal setting, OKR writing, metrics definition, outcome-driven planning, leadership communication, impact measurement, team performance, product strategy alignment.
Project problem or purpose
Design was delivering a lot, but what were we really achieving? We lacked shared goals tied to product and user outcomes. Work was often reactive, and designers struggled to connect their efforts to strategic impact. We needed a system of OKRs that gave the design team direction, visibility, and a way to celebrate meaningful progress.
Roles, responsibilities, & team
I led the definition and rollout of OKRs across the design team. I worked with the Director of Product & Service, product managers, and engineering leads to align goals cross-functionally. I also coached individual designers on how to define and track their own contribution-level OKRs.
Timeline, scope, constraints
This was implemented in phases over 2 quarters. Constraints included low OKR maturity across the org, the need to educate teams on impact vs. activity, and the challenge of measuring qualitative improvements like usability or design quality.
Process & what I did
I started by framing OKRs around design’s three impact pillars:
User Experience (e.g. reduce confusion, increase engagement)
Business Value (e.g. increase retention, reduce support tickets)
Team & Craft (e.g. improve critique quality, documentation coverage)
I ran workshops to co-create OKRs with the team, ensuring goals felt relevant and empowering, not imposed. Each designer had OKRs aligned to both product outcomes and personal development. I also created a dashboard to track design impact quarterly, and embedded OKR reviews into our team rituals and 1:1s.
Outcomes, results, & lessons
Design work became more focused and purpose-driven. Designers could articulate their value more clearly, and we had tangible evidence of progress: lower onboarding friction, faster handoff cycles, and improved user comprehension in redesigned features. Morale improved too, because people could see the difference they were making. The big takeaway: when OKRs are done well, they don’t constrain creativity, they sharpen it.
