Outcomes Over Outputs

When building a product, it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of developing new features and pushing out updates.

However, the real measure of success lies not in what we create, but in the impact they have. This is the difference between outputs and outcomes. While outputs are the tangible products and features we deliver, outcomes are the meaningful changes these outputs bring about in user behaviour – and more importantly in the context of building a company – business value.

Everyone loves pushing out product updates – the dopamine spikes when you ship and from an IC perspective, it's easy to point at the "impact" you had on that month, quarter or year. But in many instances, output that isn't coupled to outcomes is well just something you end up ticking off a roadmap.

Focusing on outcomes changes the game from just ticking off tasks to making meaningful changes. It helps you understand the true value of your product, aligns your goals with what users need and what the business needs, and supports smart decision-making and prioritisation.

The end impact of an output focus can also often end up valuing the number of features over their impact. Outputs are necessary, but they can give a false sense of progress. A feature-rich product that doesn't resonate with users or change their behaviour isn't successful.

Shifting from focusing on outputs to outcomes means transitioning from simply building features to creating genuine value. Which is a super hard shift. It’s about ensuring that every effort your team makes results in significant, positive changes for users and the business. By fixating on outcomes, you naturally guide your outputs to follow, leading to a more successful and impactful product.