Output to Outcome

An Operating Model for the Age of AI

By: Mik Kersten

Write A Review

Paperback | 14 July 2026

At a Glance

Paperback
336 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.8 x 15.2 x 2.2

Paperback

RRP $55.00

$53.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $13.50 with

Ships in 5 to 10 business days

In the Age of AI, the constraint has shifted from producing outputs to delivering outcomes.

As AI automates knowledge work at unprecedented scale, most organizations remain trapped measuring the wrong things—lines of code, features delivered, and other outputs that AI can now produce almost for free. The real constraint has shifted to organizational structure and the ability to turn strategy into measurable business outcomes.

Dr. Mik Kersten—bestselling author of Project to Product, creator of the Flow Framework, and independent technology strategist and researcher—reveals why AI productivity gains are failing to materialize for most companies and provides a comprehensive operating model to unlock AIs transformative potential. Drawing on data from over 8,000 value streams, Kersten shows that success in the Age of AI depends entirely on how effectively organizations can connect inputs to outcomes through continuous feedback loops.

The book introduces the Product Operating Model built around the Outcome Loop that connects strategy to results, the Outcome Tree that scales this approach across organizations, and seven critical shifts including moving from functional silos to flow-optimized value streams, from vanity metrics to meaningful measurement, and from chaotic structures to unified planning cadences.

With detailed implementation guidance including Flow Metrics, Outcome Roadmaps, and practical tools for restructuring organizations into modular value streams with clear ownership, Output to Outcome provides both the strategic framework and tactical playbook executives and technology leaders need to transform their organizations from output factories into outcome engines—before their competitors do.

Industry Reviews

"If Peter Drucker taught us how to think about management in the industrial and knowledge-work eras, Mik Kersten is helping define management for the Age of AI. Output to Outcome combines systems thinking, software delivery, and organizational design into a clear playbook for leaders who need to harness AI without losing control, accountability, or purpose."
— Gene Kim, researcher and bestselling author of Vibe Coding, The Phoenix Project, and Wiring the WInning Organization

"In a world where AI can amplify output endlessly, many organizations risk optimizing the wrong thing. Mik Kersten provides exactly what's missing: An operating model that keeps value creation and measurable outcomes at the center. Timely, insightful, and highly actionable."
— Ralf Waltram, Head of IT Global DevOps Hubs, BMW Group

"Technological revolutions reshape not only economies and industries but also the way organizations must adapt to succeed. Output to Outcome is a timely and thought-provoking contribution in a period of information technology and AI-driven socioeconomic transformation."
— Calota Perez, author of Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital

"Output to Outcome presents a radically new model of how a complex organization can take full advantage of the rapid rates of improvement that can take place when AI agents are fully integrated into a company's organizational design."
— Carliss Baldwin, Professor of Business Administration, Emerita, Harvard Business School

"With Output to Outcome, Mik defines the next critical shift for enterprises in the age of AI—moving from activity to measurable impact. Building on Lean principles and decades of transformation insight, he provides a clear, practical roadmap for leaders who need to compete and win. This is a must-read—and a call to action—for every software-driven organization."
— Dean Leffingwell, Createor of SAFe

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.