Are We Really Tracking Outcomes? Deeper Look at Product Management’s Greatest Challenge

Something That Stopped Me in My Tracks

I spotted a thought-provoking post recently that asked product leaders if they're truly measuring outcomes or if it's just something everyone talks about without follow-through. Every product management resource discusses the importance of outcomes—but does it actually happen in practice?

A survey with a high number of votes yielded results that might sound familiar. Seventy percent of respondents said they loosely connect their work to metrics, but have no system to measure them consistently. Ten percent said they were actively measuring outcomes. And twenty percent chose to steer clear of the entire concept, feeling that outcomes are too difficult to control. Let’s unpack what that means for product leaders around the world.

, they arrange consistent check-ins, often on a weekly or monthly basis, to gauge

Quick Glimpse at the Realities of Outcome Tracking

The numbers speak volumes. Around 70% say there’s at least an intention to connect work to outcomes, yet there’s no ongoing measurement. This implies metrics might appear in project briefs or slides just to check off a requirement. Another 10% claim they’re proactively measuring and refining their plans based on those measurements. It’s a small percentage, and one can’t help but wonder if it’s overstated. Finally, 20% say they’ve given up entirely, citing overwhelming backlogs and too many meetings.

These figures point to a gap between the theory of product management and its daily reality. We often reference the importance of metrics, but it’s far from universally practiced.

When Metrics Become Just Another Checkbox

Let’s talk about the 70%. These teams likely mention a few metrics when planning out a feature or initiative, but they have no real mechanism to track or validate them. It might feel satisfying to write “This new function should improve conversion rate by 10%” in a document, but once the feature ships, no one checks whether that conversion rate actually changed.

In many companies, there’s pressure to appear data-savvy. Metrics on slides or reports can give the impression of a well-structured plan, but without follow-up, it’s merely window dressing. This checkbox mentality can arise from tight deadlines, fear of being held accountable, or a lack of in-house analytics support. It’s easy to slip into a pattern of referencing outcomes without concrete measurement.

Spotlight on the 10% Who Actually Do It Right

Some teams do go all-in on measuring product outcomes. They plan, project, measure, and adapt. These product leaders typically set specific targets at the outset: for instance, “We aim to boost new-user activation by 15% within one quarter.” Then they arrange consistent check-ins, often weekly or monthly, to see how close they are to reaching those goals.

They do more than track progress. They make changes if the metrics aren’t heading in the right direction. If activation isn’t climbing, they circle back, talk with users, refine the experience, and measure again. It’s a cycle of continuous improvement. Some might question if every claim of success is fully accurate, but at least these teams have a measurable plan in place. They represent the spirit of product development as many thought leaders describe it.

Why 20% Decide to Stay Clear of Outcomes Entirely

It might be surprising that 20% openly admit they don’t bother with outcomes. But many face enormous workloads, never-ending meetings, and pressing lists of features to launch. They might assume outcomes are influenced by marketing, sales, or even the state of the market—entities beyond their control.

This perspective is more common than one might think, especially in organizations where product roles are seen as mere executors of technical tasks. If leaders are constantly emphasizing new releases over measurable impact, it reinforces the idea that “We don’t control outcomes, so why try to measure them?” Although it’s an understandable stance, it misses a key component of modern product management: the ability to influence and steer higher-level results.

Peering into the Business Side: Why We Have These Jobs

One of the biggest ironies is that most of us are employed to drive revenue, cut costs, or support growth. Yet, buried in countless user stories or epics, we can forget why we’re building these features. The only reason these products exist in the first place is to serve some form of business objective.

I’ve seen teams with extensive backlog documentation, architecture diagrams, and detailed technical plans, yet only a single paragraph about the business metrics they hope to move. We need to ask, “Isn’t it odd that we commit so many resources to build solutions, but rarely follow up on whether they fulfill their intended purpose?”

Diving Too Fast into Projects and Epics

It’s natural for product teams to jump straight into their wheelhouse: writing epics, building user stories, and preparing technical documentation. The complexity of the technology itself can overshadow broader discussions about the business impact.

There’s also a language barrier. When product leaders talk in detail about epics and sprints, sales or marketing teams might tune out. And when the conversation focuses only on near-term releases, it distances everyone from the bigger reasons behind the work.

Speaking a Different Language: The Disconnect with Sales, Marketing, and Support

No one can blame other departments for losing interest if everything they hear is about backlogs, engineering complexities, or user story details. Sales teams care about conversion rates, lead-to-close time, and competitive positioning. Marketing teams monitor campaign performance, funnel metrics, and brand perception. Support teams watch ticket volume or average resolution time.

If product teams don’t translate technical projects into outcomes that make sense to these groups, alignment suffers. When communication revolves around the business value—whether it’s cutting support issues or boosting conversions—everyone feels included. That unified direction fosters momentum and clarity.

Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: Shaping a Balanced Measurement Strategy

It’s critical to distinguish between lagging indicators and leading indicators. Lagging indicators include revenue, EBITDA, total profit, and similar metrics that reflect what’s already happened. By the time you see those numbers, you can’t easily change them.

Leading indicators paint a more immediate picture. If you focus on engagement, onboarding success, time to value, support ticket reduction, or sales conversion, you can spot trends as they develop and adapt before they impact ultimate outcomes. The ideal approach involves balancing both. You keep an eye on quick signs of improvement while also tracking the big numbers that matter to the C-suite or investors.

The Power of Business Architecture Thinking

One solution is to view your product through a business architecture lens in addition to the technical one. This approach explicitly maps strategic initiatives, available resources, and business objectives. If product teams begin with a clear statement of value—like “Reduce onboarding friction to improve retention”—and outline exactly how they’ll measure it, they stay closer to the central mission throughout the project’s lifecycle.

How to Bridge the Gap: A Call for Fundamental Shifts

It often means reallocating some of the time spent creating features that might not move the needle and devoting it to analyzing whether the work is truly effective.

Painting a Clearer Vision for the Entire Organization

Displaying metrics in a way that’s easy for all departments to follow is a great way to unify teams. A simple dashboard visible to sales, marketing, support, and engineering can foster collective responsibility. When you see engagement rising or ticket volume dropping, it validates your work and encourages collaboration.

Conversely, if metrics aren’t improving, you can make preemptive course corrections. This transparency builds trust between teams, leading to strategic alignment and attracting more resources to the product’s roadmap.

Imagining the Impact: What Happens When It’s Done Right

Picture a product team that recognizes onboarding is unwieldy. They track user engagement during the first week and see a high drop-off rate. After revamping the onboarding flow, they watch these leading indicators for improvement. Sure enough, drop-offs shrink, and within a few months, revenue numbers tick upward. The real payoff isn’t just the revenue; it’s the morale boost that comes from knowing exactly why they built what they built.

This loop of project planning, outcome measurement, and iterative refinement lifts the entire culture. Data becomes a conversation starter, not an afterthought.

Where Do You Stand?

If you’ve faced the same challenges, or you’re actively measuring results in ways that produce tangible insight, share your perspective. Do you have a process for tracking metrics like user engagement, sales conversions, or support ticket reduction? Do you rely on lagging indicators like total revenue or wait for quarterly financial reviews before making changes?

Continuing this conversation will benefit the product community at large. Bringing outcomes front and center pushes us to deliver real business value and keeps the lines of communication open across all teams. For more insight on measuring and refining product outcomes, you might explore resources like Marty Cagan’s blog or check out advanced solutions at Iteright Solutions.

What to Do Next

Not sure where to start? Try these steps:

Small, consistent efforts can make the biggest difference.

Iteright is your personalized AI Product Operating System that helps you achieve strategic alignment and drive business outcomes. For more information, visit Iteright or explore pricing.