Outputs, Outcomes, and why your product needs a theory of change

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Everyone wants to maximize outcomes (the impact) and minimize outputs (the effort), but unless leaders and teams are clear about the difference between the two, and how to measure them, it’s unlikely to happen. We grow what we pay attention to. If product teams and their leaders only measure and reward outputs like velocity, product shipped, or stories done, they are likely to work harder, do more, and stay busy. It’s no secret that the assumption doing more = more value is flawed, but the lines of logic between business goals, customer value, product impact, and the work we do are often disconnected. This session is for product leaders who want to create learning loops between strategy, product delivery, and real outcomes—all while uncovering and eliminating busy work that adds no value.

With roots in the social sector, a theory of change is a practical tool that connects the big picture to product delivery by describing how what is being built (outputs) will logically lead to customer value and impact (outcomes) in a measurable way. This sets the stage for experimentation and continuous improvement that result in true business agility. Through interactive case studies, this session will explore the why, how, when, and who of crafting a theory of change (sometimes called a logic model or impact map). Participants will walk away with practical tools to integrate theory of change principles into existing strategy, discovery, and delivery practices so organizations and their teams achieve better outcomes, as easily as possible.