In the context of writing-to-others,
a desired consequence and a thesis
are distinctly different.

Desired Consequence

Ideally, a desired consequence is a specific-and-observable outcome of a particular instance of writing.

A desired consequence statement can be used by a writer as a tool to (metaphorically) help:

• the writer keep focused on motivating the target audience (to acheive the desired consequence)
• the writer keep the writing on course (toward acheiving the desired consequence)

It is relatively easy to assess the effectiveness of ones writing when ones desired consequence is—

• a specific and observable EVENT (acheived through the agency of the target audience which performs a specific action).

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is the writer's position in a particular text. So, a thesis statement—

• is not necessarily descriptive of a specific-and-observable event (to be acheived by the actions of the target audience)

As a writer's tool, a thesis statement:

• (metaphorically) presages the gist of an essay/article and
• (metaphorically) guides a reader into a text.

In the context of writing-to-others, using a thesis statement to help assess the effectiveness of ones writing is not recommended because a thesis statement:

• tends to (metaphorically) divert a writer's attention away from motivating the target audience (by focusing the writer's attention on her/his own actions—informing, showing, demonstrating, arguing, et cetera), and
• need not identify a specific-and-observable EVENT, the acheivement of which can be used as a measure of writing success.