Not all goals are measured the same way. When you're trying to grow revenue, you need to track progress toward a target. When you're scaling operations, you need to ensure quality doesn't slip below acceptable standards. Choosing the wrong way to measure a Key Result makes it harder to know if you're actually succeeding.
This article covers metric types for metric-based tracking, where you track specific numbers like revenue, users, or performance scores. If your Key Result uses progress-based tracking (i.e. 0-100%), you won't need these metric types. Learn more about choosing between tracking methods in Creating OKRs and Initiatives in Rhythms.
Rhythms provides four metric types that match how different goals naturally work:
Reach to - For goals where you're moving a number from where it is now to a better target
Stay above - For goals where you need to keep performance above a minimum threshold
Stay below - For goals where you need to keep something under a maximum limit
Stay between - For goals where you need to maintain performance within a specific range
This guide explains when to use each type so your Key Results accurately reflect what success looks like.
Configuring your metric type
Metric type examples and when to use them
Reach to (Increase/Decrease)
What it measures: Moving a number from a starting point to a target value.
Structure: "Increase/Decrease <metric> from A to B"
When to use it:
You're trying to grow something (users, revenue, market share)
You're trying to reduce something (costs, process time, error rates)
There's a clear starting point and you want to reach a specific target
Examples:
Increase monthly active users from 50,000 to 75,000
Decrease customer support ticket resolution time from 48 hours to 24 hours
Grow annual recurring revenue from $2M to $3M
⚠️ Important: Make sure you know your starting value before setting your target. This helps you set realistic yet ambitious goals.
Stay above
What it measures: Keeping performance above a minimum acceptable level.
Structure: "Maintain <metric> above X%"
When to use it:
You have a quality standard you can't go below
You're introducing changes and want to ensure existing performance doesn't decline
There's a threshold that represents acceptable performance
Examples:
Maintain customer satisfaction score above 4.2 out of 5
Keep system uptime above 99.5%
Maintain employee engagement score above 75%
⚠️ Important: Stay above metrics work best when paired with other Key Results focused on improvement. Don't use them alone if you're only trying to maintain "business as usual."
Stay below
What it measures: Keeping something under a maximum acceptable limit.
Structure: "Maintain <metric> below X%"
When to use it:
You have a maximum threshold you can't exceed
You're scaling operations and want to ensure efficiency doesn't suffer
There's a limit that represents when performance becomes unacceptable
Examples:
Keep customer churn rate below 5% per quarter
Maintain product defect rate below 2%
Keep customer acquisition cost below $150 per customer
⚠️ Important: Like Stay above metrics, Stay below metrics work best as balancing measures alongside improvement-focused Key Results.
Stay between
What it measures: Keeping performance within an acceptable range (not too high, not too low).
Structure: "Maintain <metric> between X and Y"
When to use it:
Performance outside a range creates problems in either direction
You need to balance competing priorities
There's an optimal zone for the metric
Examples:
Maintain inventory levels between 10,000 and 15,000 units
Keep website page load time between 1.5 and 2.5 seconds
Maintain team utilization rate between 75% and 85%
⚠️ Important: Both the upper and lower bounds should be meaningful. If only one boundary matters, use Stay Above or Stay Below instead.
How to verify you chose the right metric type
After setting up your Key Result, ask yourself:
✅ Does the metric type match what success looks like? If you're trying to grow something, Reach to should feel natural. If you're maintaining quality standards, Stay above/below/between makes more sense.
✅ Can you clearly explain the target? If someone asks "why that number?", you should be able to explain the reasoning behind your starting point, target, or acceptable range.
✅ Is it actually measurable? Make sure you have a way to track the metric reliably. Rhythms can connect to your existing data sources to automate updates.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the metric type after I've started tracking a Key Result?
Yes, you can change the metric type if you realize you've chosen the wrong one. However, it's best to get it right from the start since changing it may affect how progress is calculated. If you need to change it mid-period, make sure to communicate the change to your team.
Should all my Key Results use the same metric type?
No. Different Key Results for the same Objective often require different metric types. For example, an Objective to "Improve customer experience" might include:
Reach to: Increase Net Promoter Score from 45 to 65
Stay below: Keep average response time below 2 hours
Choose the metric type that best represents what success looks like for each specific Key Result.
What's the difference between Stay above and Reach to if I'm trying to keep something high?
Use Reach to when you're actively trying to improve a number to a higher target. Use Stay above when you want to maintain current performance above a threshold while focusing on other priorities. For example:
Reach to: "Increase customer satisfaction from 4.0 to 4.5" (improvement goal)
Stay above: "Maintain customer satisfaction above 4.0" (don't let quality slip while we focus on growth)
How ambitious should my targets be?
For Reach to Key Results, set targets that are challenging but achievable. In the OKR framework, reaching 70% of an ambitious target is considered successful. For Stay above/below/between metrics, set thresholds based on what represents acceptable performance for your organization. These should be realistic standards you can maintain while pursuing other goals.
Can I use Stay between for everything to give myself more flexibility?
No. Only use Stay between when both boundaries are genuinely important. Most goals have a clear direction (improve or maintain), and using Stay between when you really mean "improve toward X" or "stay above Y" makes your Key Results less clear and harder to understand.