Outcomes Over Outputs
Outcomes over outputs is the principle of focusing on the impact your work creates (outcomes) rather than on the things you build (outputs).
An output is building a feature or shipping code. An outcome measures what impact those outputs have—asking "then what happened?" after you ship to understand the value created for customers and the business.
How does outcomes over outputs work?
It's easy in business—and especially among product teams—to be output focused. You focus on shipping code, delivering features, hitting your roadmap. These are all outputs. "I built this thing" is an output.
Shifting to an outcome mindset is more about what impact those outputs have. Your job is not just to deliver a set of outputs. Your job is to deliver outcomes.
What's the key question to ask when shifting to outcomes?
Move beyond "we ship software" to asking "we ship software and then what happened?" That "then what happened?" is what you're pushing toward. What value did you create for your customer? And did that create value for your customer in a way that created value for your business?
Why does outcomes over outputs matter?
This mindset shift takes iteration to develop, but it fundamentally changes how teams work. While outcomes over outputs feels new—connected to the popularity of OKRs and current management thinking—the concept dates back to the 1960s with Peter Drucker and was highlighted in the Agile Manifesto.
Learn more:
- Shifting from Outputs to Outcomes: Why It Matters and How to Get Started
Related terms:
- Outcomes
- Output
- Product Outcome
- Continuous Discovery
Last Updated: October 25, 2025