OGSM (Objective, Goals, Strategies, Measures)
One direction, a handful of numbers, the few approaches you will take, and the signs that show they are working, all on a single page.
- Time
- 60 min
- People
- 4–8
- Kind of work
- Frame · Plan
In short
OGSM is a one-page planning method. You write one Objective in words, a few numeric Goals that define success, three to five Strategies describing how you will get there, and Measures that show whether each strategy is working. Owners are named for each strategy. A first draft takes about an hour with the leadership group.
What it is
OGSM stands for Objective, Goals, Strategies and Measures. The objective is a single sentence about where you are heading. Goals turn that sentence into a few numbers with a date. Strategies are the main choices about how you will reach the goals; they are approaches, not tasks. Measures sit next to each strategy and tell you, during the year, whether that approach is moving things.
The difference between goals and measures is the heart of the method. Goals are the result you want at the end. Measures are the early, more frequent evidence that a particular strategy is working. A good OGSM fits on one page, so anyone in the organisation can see how their part connects to the whole.
When to use it
Use it when
- When writing an annual or multi-year plan that needs to be clear to everyone.
- When an organisation has many activities and needs to group them under a few strategies.
- When teams lower down need to see how their plans connect to the top-level direction.
- When a strategy document exists but nobody can say how progress is tracked.
Skip it when
- When you are still exploring what the direction should be. Use scenarios or a choice cascade first.
- For a small, short project where a task list is enough.
You need
- Time
- 60 minutes for a first draft, then one or two short reviews to refine the numbers.
- People
- 4 to 8 people who lead the area being planned, plus someone who holds the data.
- Materials
- A one-page OGSM grid on a wall or shared screen, last year's figures, sticky notes and markers.
How to run it
Step 1: State one objective
In 10 minutes, agree a single sentence about where you are heading in the plan period. Make it a direction people can picture, such as Every child in the city has a library within reach that they want to visit.
Step 2: Define numeric goals
Choose two to four numbers that would show the objective has been achieved, each with a target date. Use outcomes, such as active child members or weekly visits, rather than activity counts.
Step 3: Choose the strategies
List the main approaches you could take, then choose three to five. A strategy is a choice about how, such as Bring the library into schools. If an item could be ticked off in a week, it is an action, not a strategy.
Step 4: Add measures for each strategy
For every strategy, write one or two measures you can check monthly or quarterly. They should show whether that specific approach is working, before the end-of-year goals are known.
Step 5: Name an owner
Assign a role to each strategy. That role leads the work, reports on its measures and raises problems early.
Step 6: Check the logic and the page
Read the page from top to bottom. If all the strategies work, will the goals be met? If the goals are met, is the objective achieved? Fix any gaps, then make sure it all fits on one page.
Worked example
A city's public library service wanted a three-year plan focused on children and families. The head of service, four branch managers, the programmes lead and a data officer drafted an OGSM in one hour.
The objective: Every child in the city has a library within reach that they want to visit.
Goals: raise active child members from 18,000 to 30,000 by the end of year three, and raise weekend family visits by 40%.
They chose four strategies: bring the library into schools; make every branch welcoming for young families; run reading programmes through the summer; and partner with community centres in districts without a branch.
Measures included the number of school visits each term, the share of branches with a children's reading corner, summer programme sign-ups, and loans issued at partner centres.
Reading the page from the top, the group noticed that no strategy addressed teenagers, a large part of the child member target. They narrowed the goal to children under 12 and kept teenagers for a separate plan.
IllustrativeTips and mistakes
Tips
- Write the objective last if you are stuck. Sometimes agreeing the goals first makes the sentence easier.
- Limit strategies to five. A long list usually hides a lack of choice.
- Make each measure something you can actually get each month without a special exercise.
- Let teams below build their own OGSM, with one of your strategies as their objective. That is how the plan cascades.
Common mistakes
- Listing projects in the strategy column instead of approaches.
- Confusing goals and measures, so there is no early warning before year end.
- Writing more than one objective, which splits attention.
- Leaving the page untouched until next year's planning.
What you walk away with
You leave with a one-page plan: one objective, a few numeric goals, three to five strategies with owners, and measures you can check during the year. Teams can use one of your strategies as the objective of their own OGSM. For quarterly focus inside a strategy, write OKRs. To test the choices behind the strategies, use a strategic choice cascade.
Questions people ask
OGSM vs OKR: what is the difference?
OGSM is usually a longer-range, one-page plan that links a direction to strategies and their measures. OKRs are typically set for a quarter and focus on a few outcomes. Many organisations use OGSM for the year and OKRs for quarterly focus.
What is the difference between goals and measures in OGSM?
Goals are the end results you want, stated as numbers with a date. Measures track whether each strategy is working along the way, so you can adjust before the goals are due.
How many strategies should an OGSM have?
Three to five. Fewer can leave the goals unsupported. More usually means the plan has not made real choices.
Tool card
The worksheet your team fills in, one box per field.
- Objective
- Goal
- Strategy
- Measure
- Owner