Success Metrics
There are two formatting options available. The tradition desired outcome statement is a structure used in the Outcome-Driven Innovation methodology. Since many stakeholders - especially when involved with marketing or UX teams - push back on the utilitarian nature of desired outcomes statements since people don’t talk like that, the alternative is a natural language structure that gets to the heart of the outcome and tries to avoid tasks and activities where feasible.
This catalog contains 20 potential metrics using each formatting option. You will likely need to reduce this set for a survey. The number of statements that have been generated is arbitrary and can be expanded to accommodate your needs.
Desired Outcome Statements (ODI)
- Minimize the time it takes to identify critical requirements for the solution, e.g., technical specifications, user preferences, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to understand the specific challenges the solution must address, e.g., efficiency improvement, cost reduction, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to establish priority among identified needs, e.g., must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to recognize changing needs or additional requirements, e.g., market trends, technology updates, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to align needs with organizational goals and strategies, e.g., long-term growth, sustainability, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to evaluate the potential impact of each need on overall business objectives, e.g., ROI, customer satisfaction, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to determine the urgency and timeline for addressing each need, e.g., immediate fixes vs. long-term solutions, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to assess compatibility of needs with existing systems and processes, e.g., software integrations, workflow disruptions, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to identify potential risks associated with unmet needs, e.g., operational delays, customer dissatisfaction, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to understand the budgetary constraints impacting need fulfillment, e.g., funding limits, cost-benefit analysis, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to identify stakeholders' expectations and constraints regarding the solution, e.g., user feedback, regulatory requirements, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to distinguish between industry standard requirements and unique organizational needs, e.g., compliance vs. customization, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to recognize potential scalability of needs for future growth, e.g., modular solutions, upgrade paths, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to evaluate the impact of current technology trends on identified needs, e.g., AI advancements, cloud computing, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to ascertain the level of expertise needed to fulfill the identified needs, e.g., technical skills, consulting services, etc.
- Minimize the time it takes to gauge the need for external partnerships or collaborations, e.g., vendors, consultants, etc.
- Minimize the likelihood of overlooking critical needs during the identification process, e.g., regulatory compliance, security requirements, etc.
- Minimize the likelihood of misinterpreting the needs leading to inadequate solutions, e.g., miscommunication, assumption errors, etc.
- Minimize the likelihood of underestimating the complexity or scope of the needs, e.g., technical challenges, integration issues, etc.
- Minimize the likelihood of over-prioritizing less critical needs at the expense of more important ones, e.g., focusing on features over functionality, etc.
Customer Success Statements (PJTBD)
- Identify critical requirements for the solution, e.g., technical specifications, user preferences, etc.
- Understand the specific challenges the solution must address, e.g., efficiency improvement, cost reduction, etc.
- Establish priority among identified needs, e.g., must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, etc.
- Recognize changing needs or additional requirements, e.g., market trends, technology updates, etc.
- Align needs with organizational goals and strategies, e.g., long-term growth, sustainability, etc.
- Evaluate the potential impact of each need on overall business objectives, e.g., ROI, customer satisfaction, etc.
- Determine the urgency and timeline for addressing each need, e.g., immediate fixes vs. long-term solutions, etc.
- Assess compatibility of needs with existing systems and processes, e.g., software integrations, workflow disruptions, etc.
- Identify potential risks associated with unmet needs, e.g., operational delays, customer dissatisfaction, etc.
- Understand the budgetary constraints impacting need fulfillment, e.g., funding limits, cost-benefit analysis, etc.
- Identify stakeholders' expectations and constraints regarding the solution, e.g., user feedback, regulatory requirements, etc.
- Distinguish between industry standard requirements and unique organizational needs, e.g., compliance vs. customization, etc.
- Recognize potential scalability of needs for future growth, e.g., modular solutions, upgrade paths, etc.
- Evaluate the impact of current technology trends on identified needs, e.g., AI advancements, cloud computing, etc.
- Ascertain the level of expertise needed to fulfill the identified needs, e.g., technical skills, consulting services, etc.
- Gauge the need for external partnerships or collaborations, e.g., vendors, consultants, etc.
- Avoid overlooking critical needs during the identification process, e.g., regulatory compliance, security requirements, etc.
- Avoid misinterpreting the needs leading to inadequate solutions, e.g., miscommunication, assumption errors, etc.
- Avoid underestimating the complexity or scope of the needs, e.g., technical challenges, integration issues, etc.
- Avoid over-prioritizing less critical needs at the expense of more important ones, e.g., focusing on features over functionality, etc.
Test Fit Structure
Apply this to Customer Success Statements only. Everything should fit together nicely. Here’s an article where I introduced the concept. Feel free to devise your own version for Desired Outcome Statements as this does not apply to their format directly.
As a(n) [end user] + who is + [Job] you're trying to [success statement] + "faster and more accurately" so that you can successfully [Job Step]