Google adopted an organizational system called Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) back when it was only less than a year old. Till today, they're still using it. Whether if it's for work or for personal improvement, the system can actually be beneficial to you.

Adopted from Intel, the system is a simple way to create structure for companies, teams and individuals. Google Ventures partner Rick Klau gave a 1 hour 20 minute presentation on how OKRs work last year and it gives an interesting insight into how Google operates.

How they work.

Set up an objective and then "key results" to each of those objectives. The objectives should be definitive and measurable. Put a number or percentage to them so you can track how you're doing.

As an example, Klau, who used to work on Blogger at Google set up a few objectives each quarter. The first was to drive and improve Blogger's reputation.

Klau says Google does OKRs on an annual basis, and a quarterly basis. Annual OKRs are big as they set the scene up for the whole year. OKRs can also evolve as the year evolves. Quarterly OKRs however, do not change.

Klau says that employees should have 4-6 OKRs per quarter. If you have more than that, you're going to be fried.

Check out the presentation on how OKRs work in the video below: