Why Jobs to be Done Framework is a Game-changer for Product Development

Absolutely! The Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework is about recognizing that customers have specific goals in mind, we call these goals as jobs. Customers then “hire” a product or service to help them achieve a particular goal. The product becomes a solution to the job the customer is trying to get done. If a product or service effectively helps customers reach their goals, they are likelier to choose it. So, understanding the customer’s job or goal is crucial for creating products and services that genuinely meet their needs.

Jobs To Be Done Framework

Jobs To Be Done: The Concept

Customers buy things to solve problems they have. When companies understand the specific problem or goal (JOBS) customers have in mind when purchasing a product or service, they can create and market products that better address those needs.

The JTBD framework is all about building products by understanding what a customer wants to achieve in terms of goals or terms of results or terms of output and why are they inclined towards one particular product to get a specific job done. It in return helps the product team to figure out what the users are trying to accomplish or achieve when they buy anything or something.

Jobs To Be Done: History and Key Elements

“Jobs to be Done” (JTBD) is a concept used in product development to learn and understand why customers buy certain products or services. Coined by Harvard professor Clayton Christensen, suggests that people “hire” products to address specific problems or needs in their lives, instead of just buying them.

Key JTBD elements:

1. Jobs: Tasks customers want to accomplish.
2. Needs: Specific functional, emotional, or social requirements tied to jobs.
3. Pains and Gains: Negative and positive aspects associated with job completion.
4. Context: Understanding where and how jobs are done is crucial.

JTBD helps businesses make products that match what customers want. Instead of just looking at features or demographics, JTBD focuses on understanding what customers need and how they feel. For example, someone might get a smartphone to stay connected. This guides how products are made and advertised, solving real customer problems and adding value.

A customer might not know what he wants but they can’t hide what they need.

Jobs To Be Done: A Simple Example

Why We Look at the Weather Forecast? There is this website that helps you with a simple problem, whether or not you will required to carry a jacket today or not. https://doineedajacket.com, this simple website helps you with the problem. Now they have identified a job and are solving a temporary problem of the user. So every time you have a question about whether or not to carry your jacket today, you go and check on the website today’s weather and boom, you know what are you required to carry today.

Weather in Mumbai where you don’t need a jacket as the temperature is not that low.

The website asks me not to carry a jacket based on the temperature

The weather in Himachal Pradesh is freezing and you must carry a jacket.

The website asks me to carry a jacket based on the temperature

Jobs To Be Done: The Analysis

GOAL: Identify the customer problem you are trying to solve by focusing on the outcomes that customers want to achieve, not on the product that you want to sell to them.

Traditional focus on product categories, market segments and customer demographics fails to identify why people choose a product.

“People do not buy stuff, they buy what stuff does for them.” — — Theodore Levitt

Jobs To Be Done: The Product Doesn’t Create the Job

Jobs remain similar over time. What changes are the solutions people use to get it done.

The “Jobs To Be Done” (JTBD) idea says that the basic tasks or goals people want to achieve stay the same over time. These tasks represent the core needs or issues individuals have.

However, what changes are the ways people do these tasks? Instead of the task itself changing, progress in technology, society, or business leads to new and better ways to tackle these ongoing tasks.

For instance, the task of staying connected with others hasn’t changed, but how we do it has evolved from letters to phone calls and now to instant messaging and social media. The main point is that by understanding the consistent tasks, businesses can make products that fit with the changing preferences and needs of customers.

Jobs To Be Done: Jobs Aren’t Easy to Discover

Jobs are not obvious to the observer or the user.

“Jobs To Be Done” (JTBD) suggests that figuring out the specific tasks customers are trying to do isn’t always easy. Both the person studying customers (like a researcher or product developer) and the customers themselves may not know these jobs.

Many a time this happens because customers might talk about what they want in terms of solutions or existing products, not the fundamental tasks they’re trying to achieve. Also, people might not be fully aware of their needs, and these needs can be influenced by various factors like culture or environment.

So, discovering the real jobs that customers are hiring products for needs a deep understanding of customer behaviour, context, and the reasons behind their choices.

Jobs To Be Done: Jobs Are of Different Types

Functional Jobs: Describes the task that the customers want to achieve.

Emotional Jobs: Related to feelings and perceptions.

• Personal jobs relate to how customers want to feel about themselves.
• Social jobs relate to how customers want to be perceived by others in their social circle or their place of work.

Ancillary Jobs: These are other jobs that customers want to get done before, during or after they get their main job done.

Jobs To Be Done: Jobs Are Written as Statements

Situation

When _______________

1. I go running
2. A patient wants to schedule a follow-up appointment
3. I do my taxes

Motivation

I want to _______________

1. Be able to listen to music
2. Be able to quickly figure out which phase in clinical treatment he/she is at
3. Be able to find all possible tax deductions

Expected Outcome

So I can _______________

1. Be entertained during my run
2. Appropriately schedule the time for the follow-up visit
3. Minimize the taxes that I need to pay

Jobs To Be Done: Each Job has Hiring Criteria (Outcome Expectations)

• Criteria can maximize motivation or minimize anxiety
• Criteria should cover all aspects (functional, personal, social)
• Criteria can include hiring constraints (time, budget, skills, access)
• Criteria can be desirable or undesirable
• Criteria should be precisely defined
• Criteria should be measurable

Example: Bosch Circular Saw

Bosch Circular Saw

Jobs To Be Done: Steps in JTBD Analysis

1. Choose a target market.
2. Map out the tasks customers are trying to do.
3. Group these tasks into categories.
4. Craft clear job statements.
5. Rank job opportunities using surveys.
6. Identify expected outcomes for top tasks.
7. Brainstorm where top opportunities align with company strengths and business potential.

Jobs To Be Done: Pros & Cons

Pros:

1. Customer-Centric:
   Focuses on understanding customer needs and motivations.
2. Adaptability:
   Emphasizes the underlying job or task for product evolution.
3. Innovation:
   Encourages thinking beyond existing products for groundbreaking solutions.
4. Clear Prioritization:
   A systematic approach to prioritizing opportunities effectively.
5. Long-Term Relevance:
   Helps create products with enduring relevance.

Cons:

1. Complexity:
   Implementation can be complex, requiring deep understanding.
2. Subjectivity:
   Identification and interpretation of customer jobs may be subjective.
3. Data Collection Challenges:
   Obtaining accurate data on customer needs can be challenging.
4. Narrow Focus:
   This may lead to overlooking broader industry trends.
5. Resource Intensive:
   Requires significant time and resources for proper implementation.

In summary, while JTBD offers valuable insights and fosters innovation, successful use requires careful consideration of challenges and commitment to understanding customers deeply.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic in the comments. If you enjoyed this article, please Follow me here on Medium for more stories on similar topics and other Product Management-related subjects.

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