KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
A KPI is a quantifiable metric tracking ongoing performance against a target for a business-critical activity, monitored continuously rather than per goal cycle.
A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a quantifiable measure of ongoing performance against a target for an activity the business depends on — revenue retention, deployment frequency, support response time, employee attrition. Good KPIs are few (a team that tracks thirty numbers tracks none), owned by someone accountable for the trend, and actionable — when the number moves, it is clear who investigates and what levers exist. Leading indicators (pipeline created) predict outcomes; lagging indicators (revenue closed) confirm them; a healthy set includes both.
KPIs and OKRs answer different questions. KPIs monitor the health of business-as-usual — they should stay in a healthy range, and a regression is a fire to put out. OKRs drive change toward a new state — they are supposed to be ambitious and partially missed. Teams that run only KPIs optimize the status quo; teams that run only OKRs let the machine degrade while chasing the new thing.
How this connects to Mistvine
Mistvine tracks team KPIs alongside OKRs in the same workspace, so "keep the machine healthy" and "change the machine" metrics live next to each other instead of in separate dashboards nobody cross-references.