Leverables

Leverables is a term used primarily in management consulting and product development to denote outputs or assets that function as strategic levers to unlock additional value within an organization. It is a neologism derived from lever and deliverable, reflecting the idea that some outputs are designed not merely to exist, but to enable further action that multiplies impact.

The concept centers on focusing deliverables on measurable leverage points—areas where a single output can unlock multiple downstream benefits. Leverables are typically tied to specific business levers such as cost efficiency, revenue growth, risk reduction, or speed to value, and they are designed to be reusable across programs or initiatives.

Key characteristics of leverables include clear ownership, explicit success metrics, and a lifecycle that emphasizes reusability and scale. They can be tangible artifacts, such as dashboards, templates, or playbooks, or intangible assets, such as standardized frameworks, methodologies, or integration patterns. Effective leverables are actionable, auditable, and aligned with broader strategic objectives.

Examples of leverables include a reusable analytics dashboard that enables real-time decision-making across multiple functions, a standardized API integration framework that reduces onboarding time for new systems, a cost-model toolkit that illuminates savings opportunities, and a change-management playbook that accelerates adoption across projects.

In practice, leverables sit at the intersection of deliverables and enablers. They are often cataloged in a portfolio of strategic assets and governed to ensure alignment with business levers, clear ownership, and measurable impact. Critics warn that the term can become nebulous if not anchored to concrete metrics and outcomes.