We've been historically focused on outputs from our work, but Nate Walkingshaw from Pluralsight discusses how to reframe our thinking and work backwards from desired outcomes to build more effective teams. In this presentation from SaaSFest 2017, Nate manages to find a meaningful metaphor for outcome-based teams in the unlikely setting of a mowed lawn.

1. Paramed
First company
First acquisition
Software startup
2nd acquisition
90 year old company
Growth startup
EMS
$7.14 / hour

2. “Healthy product heart”
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW • DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
Co-create
“Trust”
Vision
Strategy
Output &
Outcome
based
Product
Confidence
(80%)
Knowledge
transfer
(GTM Velocity)
Output
PM
UX
Dev
Content
Customer
Sales
Marketing
Support
Finance
Workstyle
Collection of
knowledge
Cross-functional
+
Autonomous
+
Accountable
Measure
Outcome

3. “Healthy product heart”
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW • DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
Co-create
“Trust”
Vision
Strategy
Output &
Outcome
based
Product
Confidence
(80%)
Knowledge
transfer
(GTM Velocity)
Output
PM
UX
Dev
Content
Customer
Sales
Marketing
Support
Finance
Workstyle
Collection of
knowledge
Cross-functional
+
Autonomous
+
Accountable
Measure
Outcome
Output &
Outcome
based

4. OF TECHNOLOGY FOUNDED PRODUCTS
THE PAGES OF A NEW ERA
WE ARE AUTHORING

5. FOCUSED ON OUTPUTS
HISTORICALLY

6. TAKE ON OUTCOMES
NATE WALKINGSHAW’S

7. YOU DON’T FIND THIS HELPFUL…
IF, AT ANY POINT IN TIME,

8. CREATING
THE WHOLE
PRODUCT STORY
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

9. THE STORY OF A
LAWN MOWER
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

10. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

11. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

12. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
TEAM
TEAM
TEAM
TEAM
TEAM
TEAM
TEAM
TEAM

13. BUILDING TEAMS
AROUND AN OUTCOME
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

14. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

15. DESIGNER
CO-LOCATED, CROSS FUNCTIONAL, SHARED
OUTCOME, SHARED NARRATIVE
ENGINEER PRODUCT MANAGER
TEAM DESIGN
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

16. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

17. CONNECTING USE
WITH LIFECYCLE
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

18. The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

19. SHARING THE USER
STORY AND THE
LIFE OF A MOWER
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

20. THE NARRATIVE
UNDERSTANDING

21. The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

22. The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

23. The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

24. The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
The user opens the garage to retrieve the
mower. They roll the mower out and turn
the throttle to choke. They place their foot
on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing.
They empty the bag 1, 2 and then 3 times
during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel and put
the mower away.
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

25. AND OUTLIERS
CORNER CASES

26. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

27. Outliers may be
adjacencies
Outliers may be
adjacencies
Focusing on a
segment of the
extreme
Covers 80% of
your market
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

28. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
EXAMPLE
AS LIVED

29. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

30. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
NOTICE
ANYTHING
MISSING?
THIS IS
COLBY

31. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

32. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
SEE THE
DIFFERENCE?
THIS IS
DANTE

33. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
W/OUT BAG W/BAG

35. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

36. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
THE BAG GETS CAUGHT ON THIS TRANSITION
AND SENDS GRASS EVERYWHERE
CORNER CASE

37. SPECIFIC PERSONA GROUPS
CORNER CASE 1
Mows with a bag to
leave paths clean
CORNER CASE 2
Mows without a bag
due to flagstones
SERVICE PROVIDER
Provides service to
all users.
MANUFACTURER
Builds products with
intention for each user
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

38. OUTCOME =
HAPPINESS OVER TIME
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

39. 1
2
80%
0%
0 hrs 12,000 hrs
HAPPINESS
TIME
NUMBER OF SERVICES IN
LIFECYCLES
HAPPINESS CURVE
MFG
RECOMMENDED
4 2 0
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
1
2
3
4

40. YOU CAN COUNT ON
ONE THING

41. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
PEEPS BE DOIN’
WEIRD THINGS

42. VERSIONINGV2
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

43. 1
80%
0%
0 hrs 12,000 hrs
HAPPINESS
TIME
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
V1
The user opens the garage to retrieve the mower. They
roll the mower out and turn the throttle to choke. They
place their foot on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing. They empty the
bag 1 time during the mow. They finish mowing and clean
up. They top off of the fuel and put the mower away.

44. V2
The user opens the garage to retrieve the mower. They
roll the mower out and turn the throttle to choke. They
place their foot on the mower and pull the string. The
mower starts and the user starts mowing. They empty
the bag 1 time during the mow. They finish mowing and
clean up. They top off of the fuel with gloves on and
then put the mower away.
2
80%
0%
0 hrs 12,000 hrs
HAPPINESS
TIME
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

45. A SUMMARY FOR
SOFTWARE
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM

46. SOFTWARE PLATFORM EXAMPLE

47. TIME TO EFFECTIVE APPLIED LEARNING
MY INTENTION

48. DO YOU HAVE YOUR
INTENTION?

49. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
SOFTWARE PLATFORM EXAMPLE
CORNER CASE
PERSONA A

50. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
SOFTWARE PLATFORM EXAMPLE
OUTCOME C
PERSONA C
OUTCOME A
PERSONA B OUTCOME B
PERSONA A
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
OVERALLOUTCOME
SHARED
SHARED
SHARED
SHARED
SHARED
SHARED
SHARED
SHARED
CORNER
CASE
TTL

51. NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM
V2 VERSIONING
Increasing happiness and retention
MEASURING HAPPINESS & RETENTION
Retention curves show key indicators of user success
SHARED OUTCOMES AND NARRATIVES
Team members
ORGANIZING TEAMS
Lead by product intention, outcomes and narratives
LEADING WITH INTENTION & OUTCOMES
Identifying the intended outcome
WRAP UP

53. THANKS!
NATE WALKINGSHAW • CXO PLURALSIGHT • TWITTER / MEDIUM: @NWALKINGSHAW
DIRECTEDDISCOVERY.COM • PRODUCTLEADERSHIPBOOK.COM