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Standard : Teams frame and plan work around outcomes, not outputs

Purpose and Strategic Importance

This standard ensures teams plan and execute work based on measurable outcomes rather than just outputs—focusing on the real impact achieved. It aligns efforts with meaningful goals, driving more informed decisions and reducing wasted effort.

Aligned to our "Outcome-Driven Development" policy, this standard keeps teams laser-focused on delivering tangible, trackable value. Without it, work drifts toward checking boxes instead of creating true impact.

Strategic Impact

  • Work is aligned to business outcomes rather than feature lists
  • Teams are more autonomous and focused on purpose, not just tasks
  • Feedback loops drive learning and adaptation
  • Wasted effort is reduced, improving flow and speed to value
  • Product strategy and technical investment become better connected

Risks of Not Having This Standard

  • Reduced ability to respond to change or failure
  • Accumulation of technical debt or friction
  • Poor developer experience and morale
  • Decreased confidence in releases and features
  • Misalignment between technical implementation and business priorities

CMMI Maturity Model

Level 1 – Initial

Category Description
People & Culture Teams define success by task completion or
feature delivery, with no link to impact.
Process & Governance Planning is based on outputs or deadlines.
Outcomes are rarely defined or discussed.
Technology & Tools Work tracking tools focus on stories and tasks.
No connection to value or outcome tracking.
Measurement & Metrics Progress is measured by quantity delivered,
not by customer or business results.

Level 2 – Managed

Category Description
People & Culture Some awareness of outcome thinking.
Occasional efforts to define desired impact.
Process & Governance Planning includes informal discussion
of outcomes but lacks consistency.
Technology & Tools Tools capture goals or OKRs alongside tasks,
but not always maintained or visible.
Measurement & Metrics Some initiatives include success metrics,
but they are not acted upon regularly.

Level 3 – Defined

Category Description
People & Culture Outcome framing is the norm.
Teams use goals to shape their work.
Process & Governance Initiatives are approved based on
desired outcomes and expected value.
Technology & Tools Planning tools and dashboards show
clear links between work and outcomes.
Measurement & Metrics Success metrics are tracked consistently,
reviewed in retros and planning cycles.

Level 4 – Quantitatively Managed

Category Description
People & Culture Teams are fluent in defining, tracking,
and adjusting outcomes through learning.
Process & Governance Regular portfolio reviews assess
outcomes and inform reprioritisation.
Technology & Tools Systems surface trends in outcome performance
and suggest improvements or shifts.
Measurement & Metrics Outcome metrics are benchmarked across teams
and shape investment decisions.

Level 5 – Optimising

Category Description
People & Culture Outcome thinking drives curiosity,
innovation, and continuous learning.
Process & Governance Strategic direction emerges from patterns
in outcome data and customer signals.
Technology & Tools AI and analytics tools help forecast
likely impact and prioritise for value.
Measurement & Metrics Real-time outcome data informs daily decisions,
from story planning to budgeting.

Key Measures

  • % of initiatives framed with measurable outcomes
  • Frequency of outcome reviews in planning and retros
  • % of tasks or features linked to business impact metrics
  • Evidence of change in plans due to outcome insight
  • Feedback loop cycle time between delivery and outcome assessment
Associated Policies
  • Outcome-Driven Development
Associated Practices
  • Chaos Engineering
  • Non-functional Requirement Testing
  • Ensemble Testing
  • InnerSource Development
  • Working Agreements
  • Async Collaboration Norms
  • Sprint Demos for Stakeholders
  • Evolutionary Architecture
  • CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation)
  • Customer Feedback in Dev Loops

Technical debt is like junk food - easy now, painful later.

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