Outcome is a synonym of and end result. Output is an amount produced or manufactured during a certain time.

Simply put, an output doesn't mean an outcome. Sometimes designers focus so much time and energy on deliverables of each stage of the design process, that they might forget the desired result is to have a product in front of users.

Does this mean that we should discard processes and artifacts? Not at all. It means that we should keep in mind all the time what's the objective of doing what we're doing, and generate the minimun amount of deliverables possible to accomplish the objective.

The ultimate objective of UX is to solve a real user problem. For that we need to produce a real solution and put in front of users, all artifacts that we generate on the way to do that are a step towards the destination. But not the destination itself.

What we can keep in mind is: what's the minimum output I need to accomplish my outcome?

Look back, and think about a project that you've delivered. What happened to all those post-its, notes, synths, reports, lo-fis, prototypes? Best case scenario is that you've generated some design documentation, a case study, and moved on to the real product. Outputs are expendable, outcomes are not.

Processes are important and outputs have their place; specially to define and frame a problem. As designers we just have to be constantly asking, are the outputs interfering with the outcome? and focus on the outcome (product).

Would you like to share your thoughts about it?