Based on a conversation with Jukka Tykkyläinen and Kimmo Nevanlinna. The original framing and many of the ideas are stolen from them.

You can think of any job as having inputs, outputs, and valued outcomes.

The input is typically time you spend on doing something in particular, as well as any material resources you need. Outputs are the immediate results of what you do. Valued outcomes are the reason why you’re being paid to do the job in the first place.

In many jobs, these are closely linked:

Digging a tunnel

Inputs: Time spent digging a tunnel[1]
Outputs: Amount of tunnel dug
Outcomes: A tunnel that people can use to tunnel through whatever1

Store cashier in a busy store

Inputs: Time spent serving customers
Outputs: Number of customers served
Outcomes: Amount of sales to customers

Childcare

Inputs: Time spent looking after children
Outputs: Time spent looking after children
Outcomes: Children who spent this time being, at minimum, no worse off than before

They’re not exactly the same. You could spend a lot of time on the job but do it poorly (dig lazily, ring up purchases wrong, be neglectful or abusive toward the children). But assuming that you are trying to do a reasonable job [...]

The original text contained 2 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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First published:
March 13th, 2026

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Snt4zHHcLDQQ8jETt/inputs-outputs-and-valued-outcomes

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“Inputs, outputs, and valued outcomes” by Kaj_Sotala

LessWrong (30+ Karma)