What is an outcome vs an output?

Outcomes are measurable changes in behavior or business impact; outputs are features or deliverables.

What should be included in an outcome statement?

An outcome statement should include the actor, behavior change, context, and metric; also append baseline, target, and time window.

When should I hand off to the next step?

Once outcomes are set and baselined, proceed to /discover-opportunities or /discover-assumptions.

discover-outcomes

npx machina-cli add skill kasperjunge/agent-resources/discover-outcomes --openclaw

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SKILL.md

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Discover Outcomes

Overview

Define outcomes that describe measurable behavior change or business impact, not features. Build a clear outcome ladder so opportunity discovery and solution ideas have a shared target.

Position in Workflow

Step 1 of product strategy workflow:

/discover-outcomes - Define outcomes (THIS)
/discover-opportunities - Identify opportunities
/ideate-solutions - Explore solution concepts
/discover-assumptions - Validate with experiments

Inputs (ask if missing, max 5)

Business or product goal (north star)
Target segment or market
Baseline metrics or current state
Time horizon for change
Constraints (budget, compliance, strategy)

Workflow

Separate outcomes from outputs
- Outcomes are measurable changes; outputs are features or deliverables.
Outcome laddering (OST-style)
- Start with the top-level outcome.
- Ask: "What must be true for this to happen?" to create 2-3 supporting levels.
Write precise outcome statements
- Use actor + behavior change + context + metric.
Attach metrics and baselines
- Include leading and lagging indicators.
- Specify baseline, target, and time window.
Prioritize outcomes
- Score impact, controllability, time-to-learn, and strategic fit.
Handoff
- If outcomes are set, move to /discover-opportunities or /discover-assumptions.

Outcome Statement Templates

Increase [actor behavior] in [context] from [baseline] to [target] within [time].
Reduce [friction/cost/risk] for [actor] during [context] by [amount] within [time].

Output Format

## Outcome Discovery

### Context Summary
[1-3 sentences]

### Outcome Ladder
- Level 1 (Top outcome): ...
  - Level 2: ...
    - Level 3: ...

### Metrics
- Outcome: ...
  - Leading indicators: ...
  - Lagging indicators: ...
  - Baseline: ...
  - Target: ...
  - Time window: ...

### Prioritized Outcomes
1) ... (impact X, controllability X, time-to-learn X, strategic fit X)
2) ...

### Open Questions
- ...

### Next Step
Proceed to opportunity discovery. Run `/discover-opportunities`.

Quick Reference

Outcomes = behavior or business change; outputs = features.
Always include baseline + target + time window.
Keep ladder depth to 2-3 levels unless complexity demands more.

Common Mistakes

Writing features as outcomes
No baseline or time window
Skipping leading indicators
Ladders that are too deep or too vague

Source

git clone https://github.com/kasperjunge/agent-resources/blob/main/skills/product-strategy/discover-outcomes/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Discover Outcomes helps define outcomes that describe measurable behavior change or business impact, not features. It uses an outcome ladder to ensure opportunities and solutions share a clear target and metric, aligning the team before ideation.

How This Skill Works

Follow the workflow: separate outcomes from outputs, build an OST-style ladder beginning with a top-level outcome, then write precise statements using actor + behavior change + context + metric. Attach leading and lagging indicators, baselines, targets, and a time window, then prioritize and hand off to the next step in the product strategy workflow.

When to Use It

At the start of a product strategy or roadmap to define what success looks like before ideation
When aligning multiple teams on shared goals and measurable targets
Before discovering opportunities or solving problems to keep efforts outcome-focused
During continuous discovery cycles to validate outcomes with experiments
Whenever you need baselines, targets, and a time horizon to gauge progress

Quick Start

Step 1: Define the top-level outcome and the target metric for the initiative.
Step 2: Create an OST-style ladder with 2-3 supporting levels that explain what must be true for the top outcome.
Step 3: Attach baselines, targets, and a time window; prioritize outcomes and hand off to /discover-opportunities.

Best Practices

Separate outcomes from outputs to avoid mistaking features for impact
Use an OST-style outcome ladder with 2-3 supporting levels
Write precise outcome statements using actor + behavior change + context + metric
Attach leading and lagging indicators and specify baseline, target, and time window
Prioritize outcomes by impact, controllability, time-to-learn, and strategic fit; hand off after outcomes are set

Example Use Cases

Increase [actor behavior] in [context] from [baseline] to [target] within [time].
Reduce [friction/cost/risk] for [actor] during [context] by [amount] within [time].
Improve [desired outcome] by [X]% in [context] within [time window], measured by [leading/lagging indicators].
Decrease time-to-value for [user segment] during [onboarding phase] by [X] within [time].
Boost product-qualified leads by [X] within [time window] while maintaining [quality constraint].

Frequently Asked Questions

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