Principles

Purpose

Outlines the principles that drive Countable.

Scope

Relates principles to our OKRs process, then lists some key principles.

Principles

The purpose of this page is to address a specific issue with our OKR process, wherein by focusing exclusively on some OKR we neglect some important assumption we should have had all along (e.g. by releasing fast, we neglect privacy).

We list principles below in order of descending priority.

We may measure some of these principles, making them into “committed OKRs”.

• Results are sacred - Processes, Roles, and other inputs are flexible and can be changed when necessary to achieve the desired outcome (results).
• Ownership - Tell each other “I’ve got this!” with regard to specific results. Lead by example: if you want to improve something at the company, do it yourself and tell the story of how it’s better. If you don’t try it yourself first and share results, that’s just an idea. It’s fine to discuss, but showing is better than telling.
• Privacy through simplicity - We MUST always be confident that anyone’s private data is secure. When it comes to security private data, you SHOULD use the simplest solution as it’s the most likely to be implemented correctly. The best is to never store private data. Then, if you must store it, minimize the number of people who can access it, and the ways the can access it.
• No complacency - If something is unclear or suboptimal, we make some noise about it. Also, we should ensure there is a strong feedback loop between peers in a team, and between us, our clients and their customers. The output of what you do SHOULD be highly visible to those it impacts, and to you. Give, receive, and act on feedback as frequently and immediately as you can.
• Audacity - We SHOULD do work that excites us and has a chance to change its industry.
• Transparency - We SHOULD do everything in the most public place that doesn’t endanger someone’s privacy or property.
• Continuous Improvement - Always work to make things a little better than you found them. Many small improvements add up.
• Prototyping We publish simple but working models of products to real users, as a part of planning them, within weeks not months.
• Impact - We strive to help as many people as possible as a side-effect of our work.
• Consistency - We avoid arbitrary inconsistency. Create tools to automate and enforce consistency.
• Modelling - We reduce complex phenonemna to simple predictive models. Help everyone on your project visualize the desired outcome.
• Diversity - We MUST encourage diversity of thought, treat everyone with respect, and work to avoid non-meritocratic bias.
• Usability - We create software with an enjoyable, engaging user experience. Don’t make the user think, wait, or do a task unnecessarily.
• Asynchrony - We prevent people needing to ask us for things, by putting all information and assets in a place our team can predict.
• Work-Life Balance - We encourage you to prioritize your well-being, which includes taking breaks and selecting a work schedule that allows you to optimize your productivity while also ensuring personal time. We value your peak performance, and that includes having you well-rested.