Only 20-30% of Product Features Deliver Measurable Value to Customers
That means most features don’t actually move the needle.
Why? Because product teams often focus on outputs—features, roadmaps, and backlog items—rather than outcomes—the real business impact and customer value those features should create.
At Productside, we believe in outcome-driven product management—where success isn’t measured by what you build, but by the impact it delivers.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- The difference between outputs and outcomes (and why it matters)
- How to define business and product outcomes
- Techniques to align stakeholders around outcome-driven strategies
By the end, you’ll be able to stop shipping features just for the sake of it and start delivering real, measurable impact.
The Pitfall of Output-Driven Product Management
Too often, product managers are given directives like:
- “Deliver this feature by Q3.”
- “Implement AI to stay competitive.”
- “Increase website traffic.”
These are outputs—not outcomes.
Tom Evans, a strategic advisor at Productside, put it best:
“Organizations that focus solely on outputs often lack flexibility. If your only goal is to deliver a feature, you might miss a better opportunity to achieve the same outcome in a different way.”
Instead of measuring success by feature completion, product teams should ask:
- Did this feature improve customer retention?
- Did it increase revenue from a specific market?
- Did it reduce churn or improve customer satisfaction?
When teams focus on outcomes, they gain optionality—the ability to pivot, adjust, and optimize based on real-world learning instead of just blindly following a roadmap.
The Power of Outcome-Driven Product Management
Shifting from output-driven to outcome-driven thinking unlocks massive benefits:
- Better alignment with business strategy – Every product decision ties back to measurable goals.
- Greater team autonomy – Teams have the flexibility to find the best solution rather than executing predefined tasks.
- Stronger motivation – Product managers feel more engaged when they understand why they’re building something.
Ryan Cantwell, a Productside consultant, shared this analogy in our webinar:
“Imagine we’re digging holes. The inputs are shovels and workers, the output is the number of holes dug, but the outcome is why we’re digging in the first place—to plant trees and create a beautiful park. Without knowing the outcome, we’re just digging for the sake of digging.”
To transition from output-driven to outcome-driven product management, you need to define two things:
- Business Outcomes – Organizational goals like revenue growth, market expansion, or customer retention.
- Product Outcomes – Customer behavior improvements that drive those business goals.
Let’s break these down.
Business Outcomes: The Organizational “Why”
A business outcome represents the company’s broader goals. It answers:
- What are we trying to achieve at a strategic level?
Examples of strong business outcomes
- Expand market share in Asia Pacific by 10% in Q3.
- Increase retention among enterprise customers by 15%.
- Grow revenue from self-service plans by 20% by year-end.
Examples of weak business outcomes
- Improve website traffic. (Why? More conversions? Brand awareness?)
- Deliver an AI-powered feature by Q2. (What impact should it have?)
Tom Evans explained:
“If leadership doesn’t provide clear business outcomes, product managers are left guessing—leading to wasted effort and misalignment.”
To define a business outcome, product managers should ask:
- What metrics define success for this initiative?
- What change in customer behavior are we aiming for?
- How will we measure impact beyond feature delivery?
Product Outcomes: The Customer Impact
Once business outcomes are defined, the next step is product outcomes—the specific, measurable changes in customer behavior that support the business goal.
A product outcome answers:
- What change in customer behavior will drive this business goal?
Examples of strong product outcomes
- Reduce customer churn by 10% by improving onboarding.
- Increase the number of self-service signups by 30%.
- Reduce checkout time by 15% to improve conversion rates.
Examples of weak product outcomes
- Launch a chatbot for customer support. (What’s the goal? Faster response times? Increased CSAT?)
- Redesign the dashboard. (How will it impact customer engagement?)
Tom Evans clarified:
“A product outcome is about customer value—not features. The best way to measure product outcomes is by identifying what customers want to increase or decrease.”
Common increase-based outcomes
- Increase customer engagement (e.g., more logins, higher retention).
- Increase revenue per user (e.g., more upsells, longer contracts).
- Increase customer satisfaction (e.g., faster resolution times).
Common decrease-based outcomes
- Reduce churn (e.g., improve onboarding).
- Reduce support tickets (e.g., better self-service features).
- Reduce friction in the buying process (e.g., fewer steps at checkout).
Aligning Stakeholders around Outcomes
One of the biggest challenges in shifting to outcome-driven product management is getting buy-in from stakeholders who are used to measuring success by feature delivery.
To drive alignment, use the Outcome Tree Framework:
- Start with the Business Outcome – What organizational goal are we supporting?
- Identify Key Product Outcomes – What customer behavior must change?
- Define Supporting Features – What outputs will help achieve these outcomes?
Example:
- Business Outcome: Increase retention among enterprise customers by 15%.
- Product Outcome: Reduce onboarding friction to improve activation rates.
- Output: Implement an AI-powered onboarding assistant.
Instead of simply launching an AI assistant, this approach ties the feature to a measurable goal, helping teams prioritize effectively.
Your Next Step to Master Outcome-Driven Product Management
Shifting from outputs to outcomes is a strategic shift that separates high-performing product teams from those stuck in a cycle of endless feature releases. By focusing on measurable business impact and customer behavior, you ensure that every product decision drives meaningful results.
For experienced product leaders or for those just starting out, mastering outcome-driven product management will help you align teams, prioritize effectively, and deliver measurable value that goes beyond just shipping features.
- Download our Productside Playbook for templates and tools to optimize your product management process.
- Join our next webinar to learn more strategies from industry experts.
- Enroll in our training to master advanced time management and leadership skills.
What are some other common pitfalls you’ve encountered with GTM plans? Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with us on LinkedIn.
