Align remote teams with OKRs and Impact Mapping
Tags: management, devops
Published: 2023-08-02 11:05:39

In today's fast-paced business environment, remote distributed teams are becoming increasingly common, especially among pre-seed startups.

However, managing projects and coordinating business analysis workshops with limited resources can be challenging.

The lack of a full-time project manager and the absence of real-time feedback from product sponsors often hinder development.

To address these issues and support a cross-functional team with limited experience working with stakeholders, implementing a minimal cadence with **OKRs** and **Impact Mapping** can be the key to success.

## Align the Focus with OKR:

![Darts in the goal](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qngq16x6knfyaqm50zem.png)


The first step is to gain clarity on the team's most essential goals.

This involves engaging with all stakeholders, including developers, to identify the most expected key results for the next period.

**OKRs** (Objectives and Key Results) provide an excellent framework for this purpose.

There are various OKR planning workshops available online, such as those provided by [Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/agile/agile-at-scale/okr) and [Mooncamp](https://mooncamp.com/blog/okr-workshop/).

**NOTE:** _Prioritize goals that contribute to the survival and revenue generation of the product. Ask several "why?" until you find **$$$**_

If certain goals seem too ambitious, **consider breaking them down into achievable milestones**. This not only allows for faster feedback but also motivates the team with a sense of accomplishment.

## Kick-off Solutions with Impact Mapping:

Once the goals are set, the next step is to brainstorm features and solutions that align with those goals.
Impact Mapping is a valuable technique for this purpose.

It requires addressing four simple questions to start aligning solutions:
* **Why**: Understand the objective and desired outcome.
* **Who**: Identify the actors or stakeholders involved.
* **How**: Determine the impact each stakeholder can make.
* **What**: Define the actions or features needed to achieve the desired outcome.

_The best part is that you don't need an expert facilitator to support this workshop, making it easy to implement even with a small remote team._

## Result:

![Success Team](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/le8apwmvn71mvkotayq9.png)


With a laser-focused approach based on OKRs and a well-defined roadmap using Impact Mapping, the team can confidently start working on the project.

The advantage of this approach is that it reduces the dependency on real-time communication with product owners or sponsors.

The team can discuss and explore workarounds based on the clear objectives and roadmap, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.

## Conclusion:

In conclusion, for pre-seed startups with limited resources and remote distributed teams, implementing a minimal cadence with OKRs and Impact Mapping can significantly enhance productivity and streamline the development process.

By starting with laser focus, setting achievable goals, and aligning solutions with Impact Mapping, teams can overcome challenges and achieve success even with limited experience in stakeholder collaboration.

Embracing these techniques will not only lead to a more efficient development process but also foster a strong sense of ownership and motivation within the team.

So, why not give it a try and witness the positive impact on your startup's growth?

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**Paul Keen** is an Open Source Contributor and a Chief Technology Officer at [JetThoughts](https://www.jetthoughts.com). Follow him on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-keen/) or [GitHub](https://github.com/pftg).

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