The outcomes to which the sewer line was supposed to contribute include increased public health, a more diverse and stable economy, and a healthier ecosystem. The outcomes justify the mission of the organization and the reason for the investment of public dollars. Successful communities also look at actions and outcomes. Inputs that come from within the organization as well as other partners are used to institute actions by people and organizations in both programs and projects that produce outputs in state and federal agencies as well as in other organizations. Outcomes are generally described in global and abstract terms, yet for performance-based measurement to both improve accountability and improve effectiveness of outcomes, such as vital communities or healthy ecosystems, outcomes must be made concrete and linked to inputs, processes and outputs.
Outcomes drive the outputs, activities and inputs.
A community or group can have goals related to any of these. Too often those goals are to increase inputs or carry out actions. The more goals can be related to outcomes, the more flexibility and creativity an organization or community has-and greater probability of sustainable outcomes. A key attribute of this approach is that it allows for serious consideration of alternatives. A focus on outcomes enhances appreciation of diversity, as more perspectives increases the alternatives considered.