Outputs vs. Outcomes: How Please Hold Rethinks Business Impact

What happens when boardroom drama, business strategy, and a hint of romance collide?

Please Hold: The Power of Outcome-Driven Thinking by Fabrício Laguna is a business novel unlike any other. It’s relatable, story-driven, and packed with actionable tools designed to spark real transformation in your personal or professional life. Equal parts strategy and heart, it illustrates how meaningful change happens—through processes, mindset shifts, human connection, and yes, lots of cheap coffee.

Grab your copy today at the IIBA Bookstore.

Whether you’re leading team meetings, facing tough decisions, or envisioning a bold future for your organization, this book serves as your roadmap. It helps you approach change with clarity and confidence, without sacrificing your sense of humour (or sanity).

Want a taste of what makes Please Hold so powerful? Here’s a sneak peek that captures one of the book’s defining themes: the critical distinction between outputs and outcomes.

Outputs vs. Outcomes

The following excerpt features a call centre employee (“Me”), who sits down with his mentor, Oscar, for a conversation that redefines how he sees his work. It’s here that Oscar introduces the concept of outputs vs. outcomes, a theme that underpins the novel.

***

Oscar: Do you know the difference between outputs and outcomes?

Me: I’m not sure I do. I never really thought about it before.

Oscar: Okay, let me explain with an example. Think of a service provider that will offer a service to a customer. Anything that comes to mind.

Me: An auto repair shop?

Oscar: Perfect. An auto repair shop. You go to the mechanic to have your car’s suspension changed. He tells you the price, and you agree to pay for the parts plus the service. In the end, he gives you the car with the suspension changed and an invoice showing how much to pay. You didn’t even see him do it, but you know he did because you received the work delivery. You made a request and left with the suspension changed and an invoice.

Me: Input and output.

Oscar: Exactly. The output is what the service provider delivers to the customer. But in this case, suppose you weren’t satisfied and came back complaining that the car keeps making the same noise as before. The mechanic doesn’t understand why you’re dissatisfied. He delivered exactly what you had agreed on: replacing the suspension. So, what are you complaining about?

Me: From what I can see, I didn’t want to replace the suspension. I wanted the car to stop making noise.

Oscar: That’s right. Replacing the suspension didn’t yield the result you were hoping for. This result that the customer perceives is what we call the outcome.

Me: Okay, so let me get this straight. Output is what the provider delivers, and the outcome is what the customer actually wants.

Oscar: Well, there may be a difference between desire and reality. The outcome is the result, but it isn’t always exactly what the customer expects. It might even be very different from what they would like. While the output is what was physically produced by the provider’s task, the outcome is the consequence. Understanding the consequence goes far beyond the provider’s perspective alone.

*** 

This simple yet profound analogy unfolds further, highlighting why focusing solely on what’s delivered (outputs) without understanding the result (outcomes) can lead to failure. Quality, Oscar explains, isn’t just about meeting a specification. True quality is measured by the impact on the customer, the business, and beyond.

This dialogue encapsulates the heart of Please Hold: moving beyond simply “doing the work” to achieving what truly matters.

Think Big, Act Bold

Ever feel like some strategy meetings don’t lead to real change? Please Hold offers a fresh lens on business transformation. Much more than just a guide to business analysis tools and techniques, it’s a story-driven (and funny!) practical approach to solving real problems and generating lasting impact.

Here’s why this book stands out (and why it belongs on your bookshelf):

• Proven strategies that work: Explore business analysis approaches you can use today to make real change
• Smart analogies, smarter tools: Concepts like outputs vs. outcomes and the path of least resistance are made memorable and actionable
• A human lens on innovation: Go beyond the technical to lead with empathy, clarity, efficiency, and purpose
  
  

What People Are Saying

Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what the experts are saying about Please Hold:

• “A business analysis novel that weaves together drama, romance, intrigue, and a surprising twist!" Barbara Carkenord, Author of Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis (First Edition)
• "A journey to a set of powerful business-related insights." Dr. Karl Wiegers, Author of Software Requirements Essentials
• "A compelling call-to-action for anyone passionate about organizational improvement and customer experience." Christina Lovelock, Business Analysis Leader and Author
• “Gold nuggets to be picked up and put to work in your own career." Thea Soehren, Founder of BA Force Multiplier
• “Please Hold is a refreshingly relatable business novel that goes beyond tools and techniques—diving deep into the mindset, culture, and human shifts needed for real change.” Filip Hendrickx, Author of Brainy Glue: Making Change Stick

About the Author

Robert McClements is the Communications and Media Relations Specialist at IIBA. With over eight years of communications experience at non-governmental organizations, he contributes to IIBA’s marketing and communications efforts in support of the business analysis profession and community. Residing in his hometown of Montreal, Robert enjoys spending time with his family, listening to music, and reading.