Outcome¶
The specific result or benefit that an organization expects to achieve from a Use Case, providing the "why" behind every business requirement
What Is an Outcome?¶
A business outcome is the specific result or benefit that an organization expects to achieve from a particular Use Case. It is the reason why the use case exists and what it aims to accomplish.
Outcomes answer the fundamental question: "Why are we doing this?" They provide the business justification for investing time, resources, and effort into a use case.
Why Outcomes Matter¶
Outcomes ensure that:
- Purpose is clear — Everyone understands why the use case exists and what it's trying to achieve
- Alignment is maintained — Use cases contribute to broader strategy and objectives
- Success can be measured — Outcomes provide criteria for evaluating effectiveness
- Value is demonstrated — Clear outcomes show how use cases contribute to organizational success
Start with outcomes
Before defining what a use case does, understand why it exists. The outcome defines success and guides all decisions about implementation.
Outcome Characteristics¶
Business outcomes can vary depending on the use case and the organization's goals, but they should always:
- Align with strategy — Support the broader strategy and objectives of the enterprise
- Be measurable — Provide clear criteria for success
- Be achievable — Realistic given available resources and constraints
- Be valuable — Deliver meaningful benefit to the organization
Examples¶
Examples of business outcomes include:
- Risk Assessment — "Assess the Risk" (from a risk management use case)
- Stakeholder Verification — "Verify Stakeholders" (from an audit use case)
- Operational Efficiency — "Reduce processing time by 50%"
- Compliance — "Ensure regulatory compliance"
- Customer Satisfaction — "Improve customer experience"
Notice how outcomes appear in Stories as the "why" part: "...so that I can Assess the Risk" or "...so that I can Verify Stakeholders."
Measuring Outcomes¶
Measuring and tracking business outcomes is essential for:
- Evaluating effectiveness — Understanding whether the use case is achieving its intended results
- Demonstrating value — Showing how use cases contribute to organizational success
- Informing decisions — Providing data for prioritization and resource allocation
- Continuous improvement — Identifying opportunities to enhance outcomes
Outcomes should be defined with measurable criteria from the start, enabling ongoing evaluation throughout the use case's lifecycle.
What Is an Outcome in the Use Case Tree Method?¶
An Outcome represents the business value or benefit that a Use Case is designed to deliver. It is the "why" part of the Story structure: "As a Persona, I need [capability], so that I can [Outcome]."
Outcomes provide the business justification and success criteria for use cases, enabling alignment between business needs and technical implementation.
Outcome Structure¶
Outcomes are expressed in business language and typically follow patterns like:
- Action-oriented — "Assess the Risk", "Verify Stakeholders"
- Benefit-focused — "Reduce processing time", "Improve accuracy"
- Value-driven — "Increase revenue", "Ensure compliance"
The key is that outcomes are expressed in terms the business understands and values, not in technical terms.
Outcome Stereotypes¶
We can define Outcome Stereotypes to categorize outcomes based on their nature or purpose. If you want to call an outcome a "Goal", "Objective", or "Definition of Done", that's just a stereotype of Outcome.
Common outcome stereotypes include:
- Goal — A high-level, strategic outcome
- Objective — A specific, measurable outcome
- Definition of Done — A completion criterion for a use case or story
- Success Criteria — Measurable conditions that indicate success
- Key Result — A quantifiable outcome that supports a goal
These stereotypes help organize and categorize outcomes while maintaining the fundamental concept that they all represent the "why" behind business requirements. The Use Case Tree Method uses "Outcome" as the base concept, with stereotypes providing additional semantic meaning as needed.
Relationship to Stories¶
Outcomes are the "why" component of Stories. Each Story specifies:
- Who — The Persona who needs the capability
- What — The capability or action needed
- Why — The Outcome (the business benefit or purpose)
This structure ensures that every requirement is tied to a clear business outcome, preventing the implementation of features that don't deliver value.
Alignment with Strategy¶
Outcomes should align with the broader strategy and objectives of the enterprise. This alignment ensures that:
- Use cases contribute to strategic goals — Each use case delivers outcomes that support enterprise objectives
- Resources are prioritized — Use cases with outcomes that align with strategy receive appropriate priority
- Value is maximized — The EKG delivers capabilities that matter to the business
Measuring and Tracking¶
Outcomes should be defined with measurable criteria, enabling:
- Quantitative measurement — Metrics that can be tracked and reported (e.g., "reduce processing time by 50%")
- Qualitative assessment — Evaluation of quality or satisfaction (e.g., "improve customer experience")
- Continuous monitoring — Ongoing evaluation throughout the use case lifecycle
- Value demonstration — Clear evidence of contribution to organizational success
The EKG can track outcomes by linking them to metrics, KPIs, and other measurement mechanisms, enabling automated reporting and analysis.
Relationship to Other Concepts¶
Outcomes relate to other core concepts:
- Use Cases — Each use case has one or more outcomes that define its purpose
- Stories — Stories specify outcomes as the "why" component
- Personas — Outcomes are achieved by Personas through Stories
- Strategy — Outcomes align with enterprise strategy and objectives
This integration ensures that outcomes are not abstract goals but concrete, measurable results that drive the EKG's value proposition.