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Key result deadlines
Key result deadlines

Learn how to set deadlines to key results, including optimistic and pessimistic deadlines

Neli Ivanova avatar
Written by Neli Ivanova
Updated over a year ago

Overview

In general, the deadline to each manual key result in Quantive Results coincides with the end of the planning session. Sometimes, however, you may need to hit a particular key result prior to the session deadline.


For example, the earlier completion can be tied to the outcome of another key result or of the whole objective so there is an inter-dependency.

To accommodate this need, Quantive Results allows you to set custom deadlines for manual key results.

There are two types of deadlines you can choose from:

  • No custom deadline
    By default, the key result deadline inherits the end date of the session.

  • Hard deadline
    You can set hard deadlines when the key result deadline is prior the session end date.
    For example, another key result depends on the accomplishment of this key result.
    When you set a hard deadline on a key result, after this deadline, you can no longer update its progress.

  • Hard and soft deadline
    In some cases, you may want to set an optimistic and a pessimistic deadline on a key result at the same time. To track progress on such key results, you can set both soft and hard deadlines simultaneously.

Set a hard deadline

Perform the following:

  1. Create a new key result or edit an existing one.
    For more information, see Create key results or Edit key results.

  2. In the Deadline dropdown box, select Hard deadline.

  3. In the calendar that appears, select a date.
    The hard deadline must be a date after the start and before the end of the planning session.

  4. Click Add key result or Save, depending on whether you are creating or editing the key result.

EXAMPLE: You have a numeric key result named Conduct 20 customer interviews and it has a hard deadline set on February 20th, 2020.

  • On February 5th you update the progress to 2 and your attainment is 10%

  • On February 15th you update the progress to 10 and your attainment is 50%

  • On February 23rd you try to update the progress to 12, but you cannot, because the hard deadline has passed. Your attainment stays at 50% - the last check-in from February 15th.

Set a hard and soft deadline on key result

Perform the following:

  1. Create a new key result or edit an existing one.
    For more information, see Create key results or Edit key results.

  2. In the Deadline dropdown box, select Hard and soft deadline.

  3. In the calendars that appears, select the soft deadline and hard deadline.
    The soft deadline must be earlier date than the hard deadline.
    Both the soft and the hard deadlines must be dates after the start and before the end of the planning session.

  4. Click Add key result or Save, depending on whether you are creating or editing the key result.

Soft and hard deadline progress

Progress on key results with both soft and hard deadlines will be measured as follows:

  • You receive full attainment on your progress until the soft deadline.

  • The progress you made after the soft deadline, but before hard deadline, is discounted from the progress made until the soft deadline, depending on the update date.

  • You are not able to update the progress after the hard deadline has passed.

EXAMPLE: You have a numeric key result named Conduct 20 customer interviews. It has a soft deadline set on February 1st, 2023 and a hard deadline set on February 10th, 2023.

In this case, after the soft deadline, there are 10 days to the hard deadline. Each day is represented by 10% discount rate. For example, whatever attainment you have on the first day after the soft deadline will be discounted by 10%, on the second – by 20%, and so on

  • If you update the key result to 10 on February 1st, 2023, you will score a 50% (10/20) attainment on this key result.
    This attainment is before the soft deadline, so it is not discounted. If you do not add any more updates, the total attainment on the hard deadline will be 50%.

  • If you add another 10 on February 5th, 2023, these 10 will be discounted by 50%. The attainment for the current update will be 50%, which equals 25%.
    The total attainment will be 75% - the 50% from February 1st plus the 25% from February 5th.

EXAMPLE: You have a Boolean key result named Release new website. It has a soft deadline set on February 1st, 2023 and a hard deadline set on February 10th, 2023.
The soft deadline represents 100% attainment and hard deadline 0% attainment.

  • If you update the key result as done before February 1st, 2023, you will score a 100% attainment on this key result.

  • If you update the key result as done on February 10th, 2023, you will score 0%

  • If you update the result as done on February 3rd, 2023, you will score 70% attainment on this key result.
    The reason for this is that your attainment of 100% is discounted by 30%. February 3rd represents 30% of the time between soft and hard deadline.

  • If you have not updated the result as done before February 10th, 2023, your attainment will be 0%.

  • You will not be able to update your progress after February 10th, 2023, as that represents the hard deadline.

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