Understanding customer needs is crucial for product success. The Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework provides a valuable approach to innovation by focusing on the fundamental “jobs” customers are trying to accomplish. By understanding these jobs, businesses can develop products and services that meet customer needs and stand out from the competition.

A Brief Explanation of JTBD

JTBD is a framework that helps businesses understand and prioritize customer needs by focusing on the “jobs” customers are trying to get done. It emphasizes that customers “hire” products and services to solve specific problems or achieve desired outcomes. Developed by Tony Ulwick, a veteran of innovation management, JTBD encourages outcome-driven thinking in product development.

By focusing on the jobs customers are trying to accomplish, businesses can:
✅ Reveal actual customer needs and desires, leading to better products
✅ Design memorable customer experiences that cater to these needs
✅ Predict market success by aligning products with customer jobs
✅ Craft compelling marketing messages that resonate with customer desires

What is a “Job”?

In the context of JTBD, a “job” represents something a customer wants to accomplish in a specific situation. It’s a metaphor for the customer’s desired outcome when using a product or service. For example, a customer “hires” laundry detergent to get their clothes clean and fresh. Jobs have functional, emotional, and social dimensions, encompassing practical benefits, desired feelings, and social perceptions.

JTBD shifts the focus from simply buying products to “hiring” them to perform specific jobs. Rather than focusing on product features, businesses should prioritize the outcomes customers seek. For instance, customers aren’t buying a Grammarly subscription; they’re “hiring” Grammarly to help them write professionally. The focus is on the job itself, not specific solutions. Customers may use different products or services to get the same job done.

While products and technology evolve, the underlying jobs customers need to get done remain relatively stable. This stability allows businesses to create long-lasting solutions by focusing on the enduring job.

JTBD emphasizes understanding the desired outcomes, not just the product features. This outcome-driven approach leads to developing products that truly meet customer needs rather than just offering a collection of features.

Identifying Jobs

Identifying customer jobs involves understanding the tasks, goals, or problems they face in specific situations. This can be done through observation, interviews, and by analyzing existing customer data. Ultimately, you will translate these insights into a job statement. 

Create a Job Statement

Job statements clearly describe what a group of people are trying to achieve in a given situation. These statements should be concise, action-oriented, and solution-agnostic.

Here’s a template to try:

“When {context}, I want to {job} because I am {motivation}, so I can {outcome}, [without OPTIONAL {pain point/constraint}].”

• Context: Background information about when and where the job happens.
• Job: The task the user wants to complete.
• Motivation: The core reason users need to complete the job.
• Outcome: The eventual result when the user successfully completes the job.
• Pain point/Constraint: A limitation or obstacle to achieving the outcome.

Here are some examples:

• When I'm cooking dinner for my family, I want to prepare a healthy meal quickly because I am short on time but care about nutrition, so I can feed my family well, without sacrificing quality or resorting to unhealthy fast food options.

• When I'm traveling to a new city, I want to find authentic local experiences because I am interested in immersing myself in the culture, so I can create meaningful memories, without falling into tourist traps.

• When I'm shopping for clothes online, I want to visualize how items will look on me because I am concerned about fit and style, so I can make confident purchases, without the hassle of returns and exchanges.

• When I'm learning a new language, I want to practice speaking with native speakers because I am eager to improve my fluency, so I can communicate effectively in real-life situations, without feeling embarrassed about making mistakes.

• When I'm attending a networking event, I want to remember important details about new contacts because I am building professional relationships, so I can follow up effectively, without appearing forgetful or unprofessional.

Benefits of Using JTBD

🚀 Better Understanding of Customer Needs: Gain deeper insights into customer needs and motivations.
💡 Improved Product Innovation: Foster innovation by focusing on customer outcomes rather than product features.
🎯 Enhanced Marketing Strategies: Tailor marketing messages that resonate with the target audience’s needs and desires.

Case Studies: Real-World Examples of JTBD Application

The Milkshake Example

Harvard professor Clayton Christensen’s famous milkshake study illustrates the power of JTBD:

• A fast-food chain was struggling to increase milkshake sales despite traditional market research efforts.
• By interviewing the customers, JTBD research revealed that 40% of milkshakes were purchased by morning commuters.
• The “job” these customers hired the milkshake for was to:
  • Keep them occupied during a long, boring commute.
  • Stave off hunger until lunchtime.
  • Be consumed easily with one hand while driving.
• Understanding this job led to product improvements like making the milkshake thicker and more interesting (adding fruit chunks), resulting in a seven-fold increase in sales 📈.

American Girl Dolls

American Girl dolls exemplify successful application of JTBD principles:

• The company identified an unaddressed job: parents wanting their children to hold onto childhood longer while creating meaningful connections.
• They addressed this job by:
  • Creating dolls with rich backstories tied to historical events.
  • Designing relatable characters for girls.
  • Crafting a special purchasing experience through catalogs and dedicated stores.
  • Making the unboxing experience an exciting event.
  • Offering unique store experiences like birthday parties and doll “babysitting” services.

This approach has led to long-term success, with American Girl celebrating over 30 years in business and commanding premium prices.

These examples demonstrate how understanding the jobs customers are trying to get done can lead to innovative products, improved customer experiences, and significant business growth. By focusing on the underlying needs and motivations of customers, businesses can create solutions that truly resonate with their target audience.