Your Litmus (Tournesol) Test for OKRs vs KPIs

Müge Eczacıoğlu
11 Oca
2 dakikada okunur

In our recent OKR Insights 2025 Survey*, 47% of participants shared that OKRs are seen as the same as KPIs. This tells me that we still have work to do: to keep clarifying the differences between the two, but to articulate what each of them is designed to achieve.

I’ve never been a fan of choosing one over the other. I use both (if not others), depending on the context, culture, and strategy. There will never be a single “winner” in goal setting. What matters is choosing the right tool for the right moment for your organisation, your team, or your personal growth.

Back in my student days, we often used litmus paper to test the pH level of solutions. Red turning blue indicated a basic solution; blue turning red indicated an acidic one. Neither outcome was right or wrong. It simply depended on what we were working with and what we needed.

OKRs and KPIs are exactly the same.

To help distinguish between the two, here is my simple Litmus Test. Imagine holding a blue litmus paper:

If it turns RED, what you’ve written is an OKR.
If it stays BLUE, you’re looking at a KPI.

Your 7-Question Litmus Test

1. Is there a directional shift from A to B?

If yes → RED (OKR)

2. Is this a long-term metric you will measure continuously?

If yes → BLUE (KPI)

3. Is it part of your business-as-usual?

If yes → BLUE (KPI)

4. Is it ambitious or inspiring?

Often RED (OKR), but confirm with other questions.

5. Will achieving it change how you operate?

If yes → RED (OKR)

6. Is the process already defined, and are you simply measuring its performance?

If yes → BLUE (KPI)

7. Are you actively trying to improve a specific metric?

If yes → RED (OKR)

A RED result means you’re driving directional, strategic change.

A BLUE result means you’re measuring what keeps you grounded and stable.

Why I Call It the “Tournesol Test”

I first learned about litmus paper as “tournesol” paper. Much later, I discovered that tournesol comes from the French word for sunflower, combining tourne (turn) and sol (sun). A dye from this flower colours the paper.