How to create value for your customers, not just deliver features?

A quick introduction to move from an output-centered product to an outcome-centered product

Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash

Are you output-centered?

Here are signs that you are output-centered:

• Your primary goal is to deliver features and your product team performance is related to the number of delivered features
• Added value of features isn’t known and features aren’t questioned. A new feature is always a good feature

The focus is on feature delivery rather than on value creation for customers.

How to become outcome-centered?

You have to solve problems that matter rather than delivering as many features as possible.

• Ask yourself why your product is worth doing. What problem are you supposed to solve? Note that all problems are not worth solving. You have to understand your customers and what matters to them
• Define a measurable value that represents progress towards your objective. It will help you make decisions based on facts not feelings
• Solve the problem by experimenting: think about a potential solution, test it, measure its impact and learn how to improve it

Chances are that your development team wants to help create value by continuously improving the product technically, welcoming changing requirements and delivering product frequently.

For more information, read about Design Thinking, Lean Startup and Agile Manifesto.