Jobs to be Done

Jobs to be Done (JTBD) is a framework for understanding customer motivations based on what they are trying to accomplish. It shifts focus from customer demographics to the underlying "jobs" customers need to get done in their lives.

Core JTBD Concepts

The Job Statement

A job statement follows the format: "When I [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome]."

Examples:

• "When I'm commuting to work, I want to stay entertained and alert, so I can arrive ready for my day."
• "When I'm planning a vacation, I want to compare options quickly, so I can book the best trip within my budget."
• "When I'm managing my team, I want to track progress transparently, so I can identify problems before they escalate."

Three Types of Jobs

Functional Jobs

The practical task customers need to accomplish:

• Primary Function: The main job the customer is trying to do
• Related Jobs: Connected tasks that support the main job
• Consumption Chain: All steps involved in using a product/service

Emotional Jobs

How customers want to feel or be perceived:

• Personal Feelings: Confidence, security, accomplishment
• Social Image: How they appear to others
• Identity: How the job fits their self-concept

Social Jobs

How customers want to be perceived by others:

• Status: Appearing successful or knowledgeable
• Belonging: Fitting in with a group
• Leadership: Being seen as an innovator or expert

The JTBD Process

1. Job Discovery

Customer Interviews

• Ask about recent purchase decisions
• Explore switching behavior (what did they stop using?)
• Understand the context and timing of decisions
• Focus on specific moments, not general preferences

Interview Questions:

• "Tell me about the last time you..."
• "What were you trying to accomplish when...?"
• "How did you know you needed a new solution?"
• "What would have happened if you did nothing?"

2. Job Mapping

Timeline Approach Map the customer's journey through the job:

1. Job Awareness: Recognizing the need
2. Job Definition: Clarifying what success looks like
3. Solution Exploration: Researching options
4. Selection: Choosing a solution
5. Execution: Using the solution
6. Monitoring: Checking if the job got done
7. Modification: Adjusting approach if needed
8. Conclusion: Job completion or abandonment

3. Outcome Identification

Desired Outcomes For each step in the job process:

• Speed: How quickly the job gets done
• Accuracy: How well the job gets done
• Efficiency: Resource optimization
• Predictability: Consistent results

Pain Points

• Time: Too slow or inconvenient
• Cost: Too expensive or poor value
• Quality: Doesn't achieve desired outcome
• Experience: Frustrating or difficult to use

4. Solution Innovation

Opportunity Areas

• Underserved Jobs: Jobs that existing solutions don't address well
• Overserved Jobs: Jobs where existing solutions are too complex/expensive
• New Jobs: Emerging jobs that don't have good solutions yet

JTBD in Product Development

Feature Prioritization

Focus development on job-critical features:

• Job-Essential: Features that directly help complete the job
• Job-Related: Features that improve the job experience
• Job-Irrelevant: Features that don't contribute to job completion

Product Positioning

Position products around the job they help complete:

• Job-Based Messaging: Focus on what customers accomplish
• Outcome-Oriented: Emphasize results, not features
• Situational Context: Address specific use cases and contexts

Competitive Analysis

Understand competition through job lens:

• Direct Competitors: Products that do the same job
• Indirect Competitors: Alternative ways to get the job done
• Non-Consumption: What customers do when they don't hire any solution

JTBD for Market Research

Market Segmentation

Segment markets by job, not demographics:

• Job-Based Segments: Groups who have similar jobs
• Outcome Preferences: Different priorities for job completion
• Situational Differences: Varying contexts for the same job

Opportunity Sizing

Measure markets by job frequency and importance:

• Job Frequency: How often the job arises
• Job Importance: How critical the job is to customers
• Satisfaction Gaps: How well current solutions perform
• Willingness to Pay: Value customers place on better solutions

Innovation Opportunities

Identify white space through job analysis:

• Unmet Jobs: Jobs that lack good solutions
• Job Consolidation: Products that address multiple related jobs
• Job Splitting: Breaking complex jobs into simpler components

JTBD Case Studies

Clayton Christensen's Milkshake Study

The Discovery: Morning customers "hired" milkshakes to:

• Fill them up during long commutes
• Provide entertainment (thick, slow consumption)
• Fit in car cup holders
• Not spoil if not consumed immediately

The Innovation: Thicker shakes, better portability, faster service

Airbnb's Job Innovation

Traditional Hotel Job: "When I travel, I want a place to sleep, so I can rest and be productive."

Airbnb's Job: "When I travel, I want to experience local culture, so I can have authentic, memorable experiences."

The Difference: Airbnb redefined the job from accommodation to experience.

JTBD Research Methods

Switch Interviews

Focus on moments when customers switched solutions:

• First Thought: What triggered the need for change?
• Passive Looking: How did they initially explore options?
• Active Looking: When did they get serious about switching?
• Decision: What made them choose the new solution?

Job Stories

Replace user stories with job stories:

• User Story: "As a [user type], I want [feature] so that [benefit]"
• Job Story: "When I [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome]"

Outcome-Based Interviews

Understand success metrics for each job step:

• Speed: How quickly should this step be completed?
• Accuracy: What constitutes doing it right?
• Efficiency: How can resources be optimized?
• Predictability: How consistent should results be?

JTBD Tools and Techniques

Job Mapping Canvas

Visual tool for mapping the customer's job process:

• Stages: Steps in the job process
• Actions: What customers do at each stage
• Thoughts: What customers think at each stage
• Emotions: How customers feel at each stage
• Opportunities: Where current solutions fall short

Outcome Opportunity Assessment

Quantitative measurement of job opportunities:

• Importance Score: How important is each outcome?
• Satisfaction Score: How well are current solutions performing?
• Opportunity Score: Importance minus satisfaction
• Priority Matrix: Plot outcomes by opportunity score

Jobs-Based Personas

Customer archetypes based on job characteristics:

• Job Context: When and where the job arises
• Job Motivation: Why the job is important
• Job Constraints: What limits job completion
• Success Criteria: How job completion is measured

Common JTBD Mistakes

Focusing on Solutions Instead of Jobs

• Wrong: "Customers want better project management software"
• Right: "Customers want to coordinate team work efficiently"

Confusing Jobs with Activities

• Activities: Specific actions customers take
• Jobs: Underlying purposes or goals
• Example: Sending emails (activity) vs. staying in touch with colleagues (job)

Making Jobs Too Broad or Too Narrow

• Too Broad: "Be successful at work"
• Too Narrow: "Send a project update email"
• Right Size: "Keep stakeholders informed about project progress"

JTBD in Different Industries

Software/SaaS

• Productivity Tools: Help professionals accomplish work jobs
• Entertainment: Help users pass time or be entertained
• Communication: Enable connection and coordination jobs

Physical Products

• Appliances: Make household jobs easier or faster
• Vehicles: Enable transportation and mobility jobs
• Clothing: Help with self-expression and protection jobs

Services

• Financial Services: Enable security and growth jobs
• Healthcare: Support wellness and recovery jobs
• Education: Enable learning and skill development jobs

Measuring JTBD Success

Job Performance Metrics

• Job Completion Rate: How often customers successfully complete the job
• Time to Job Completion: How quickly the job gets done
• Job Satisfaction: How well the job outcome meets expectations
• Job Frequency: How often customers need to do the job

Innovation Metrics

• New Job Discovery: Finding previously unknown jobs
• Job Solution Fit: How well your product addresses the job
• Competitive Job Share: Your product's share of a specific job market
• Job-Based Revenue: Revenue attributed to specific jobs

The Jobs to be Done framework provides a powerful lens for understanding customer behavior and driving innovation. By focusing on what customers are trying to accomplish rather than who they are or what they currently do, organizations can discover new opportunities and create products that truly serve customer needs.