jobs-to-be-done

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Understand customer motivations through job theory. Use when defining product strategy, conducting user research, identifying competitors, writing user stories, or reframing features around customer progress.

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Sourceflpbalada/my-opencode-config

Added on2026-02-24

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Jobs-to-be-Done - What Are Customers Really Hiring?

Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) is a framework developed by Clayton Christensen and Bob Moesta that focuses on the progress customers are trying to make in their lives. Instead of asking "who is the customer?" it asks "what job are they hiring this product to do?"

When to Use This Skill

Defining product strategy and positioning
Conducting customer research interviews
Writing user stories and requirements
Identifying true competitors (often surprising)
Finding innovation opportunities
Understanding why customers switch products

Core Concepts

The Hiring Metaphor

Customer has a "job" to get done
           |
           v
    +-------------+
    | "Hires" a   |
    | product to  |
    | do the job  |
    +-------------+
           |
           v
   If it does well → keeps using
   If it fails → "fires" it, tries another

The Milkshake Story

Clayton Christensen's famous example:

Traditional approach: "Who buys milkshakes? Demographics, preferences..."

JTBD approach: "What job is the milkshake being hired to do?"

Discovery: Morning milkshake buyers had a completely different job than afternoon buyers.

Time	Job to Be Done	Competition
Morning	"Make my boring commute more interesting + keep me full until lunch"	Bagels, bananas, coffee
Afternoon	"Treat my child after a long day"	Toys, playground time, ice cream

Types of Jobs

Type	Description	Example
Functional	Practical task to accomplish	"Help me file my taxes correctly"
Emotional	How I want to feel	"Make me feel confident about my finances"
Social	How I want to be perceived	"Show others I'm responsible"

Job Statement Format

When [situation/context]
I want to [motivation/job]
So I can [expected outcome]

Analysis Framework

Step 1: Identify the Job

Interview questions to uncover jobs:

Question	Purpose
"Walk me through the last time you [action]"	Get specific context
"What were you trying to accomplish?"	Uncover functional job
"How did that make you feel?"	Uncover emotional job
"What did you try before this?"	Identify competition

Step 2: Map the Forces

+------------------+------------------+
|   PUSH           |    PULL          |
|   (away from)    |    (toward)      |
|                  |                  |
| - Current pain   | - Better outcome |
| - Frustration    | - Emotional gain |
+------------------+------------------+
        |                   |
        v                   v
+------------------+------------------+
|   ANXIETY        |   HABITS         |
|   (of new)       |   (of old)       |
|                  |                  |
| - Will it work?  | - "I've always   |
| - Learning curve |    done it this  |
+------------------+    way"          |
                   +------------------+

For customers to switch: Push + Pull > Anxiety + Habits

Step 3: Define True Competition

True competitors are anything hired for the same job:

Job: "Help me fall asleep faster"

JTBD View
Sleep apps
Melatonin
White noise
Reading
Exercise
Wine

Output Template

markdown

## Jobs-to-be-Done Analysis

**Product/Feature:** [Name]

### Core Job Statement

When [situation] I want to [motivation] So I can [outcome]

### Job Dimensions

**Functional:** [What they're trying to accomplish] **Emotional:** [How they
want to feel] **Social:** [How they want to be perceived]

### Forces Analysis

**Push:** [Pain points driving change] **Pull:** [Benefits of new solution]
**Anxieties:** [Concerns about switching] **Habits:** [Behaviors keeping them in
place]

### True Competition

| Competitor | Job Performance |
| ---------- | --------------- |
| [Alt 1]    | [How well]      |
| [Alt 2]    | [How well]      |

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Snickers vs. Milky Way

Product	Job	Competitors
Snickers	"I'm hungry and need a quick, filling snack"	Protein bars, nuts
Milky Way	"I want to treat myself to something indulgent"	Ice cream, cookies

Example 2: LinkedIn Learning

Not hired for: "I want to learn Python" (Udemy does this) Hired for: "I want to show my employer I'm developing professionally"

Best Practices

Do

Interview actual users about real past behavior
Focus on the "hiring moment" and context
Look for workarounds and "non-consumption"
Identify emotional and social jobs

Avoid

Asking what features users want
Taking stated preferences at face value
Ignoring context and situation
Focusing only on functional jobs

Integration with Other Methods

Method	Combined Use
Hypothesis Tree	Structure job discovery hypotheses
Five Whys	Dig into underlying motivations
Fogg Behavior Model	Design for job completion