Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) Analysis

Jobs to Be Done is a framework for understanding why customers "hire" products to help them make progress in specific circumstances.

When to Use This Skill

Keywords: jobs to be done, JTBD, customer jobs, functional jobs, emotional jobs, social jobs, job statements, outcome-driven innovation, Clayton Christensen, hiring products, customer progress

Use this skill when:

• Understanding the underlying motivation behind feature requests
• Reframing requirements from features to customer outcomes
• Discovering unmet needs that competitors haven't addressed
• Prioritizing features based on importance vs satisfaction
• Interviewing customers about their struggles and desired progress
• Analyzing why customers switch to or from competitors

Core Concepts

The JTBD Framework

Customers don't buy products.
Customers HIRE products to get a JOB done.

Classic Example: People don't buy a 1/4" drill. They hire it to make a 1/4" hole. But even deeper: they hire it to hang a picture, which helps them feel at home.

Job Dimensions

Job Statement Format

When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome].

Examples:

job_statements:
  - context: "When I'm starting a new project"
    motivation: "I want to quickly find qualified freelancers"
    outcome: "so I can get work done without spending weeks recruiting"

  - context: "When I'm cooking dinner for guests"
    motivation: "I want a recipe that's impressive but not complex"
    outcome: "so I can enjoy the evening without stress"

  - context: "When my flight is delayed"
    motivation: "I want real-time updates on my phone"
    outcome: "so I can plan my connections and notify people waiting"

JTBD Interview Technique

The Switch Interview

Understand why customers switched to your product:

switch_interview_flow:
  1. First thought:
     "When did you first start thinking you needed [solution]?"

  2. Passive looking:
     "What did you do about it initially?"

  3. Active looking:
     "When did you start actively looking for alternatives?"

  4. Deciding:
     "What made you finally choose [product]?"

  5. Consuming:
     "What happened after you started using it?"

  6. Satisfaction:
     "How is it working out? What's still frustrating?"

Push/Pull Forces

PUSH (Away from current situation)
├── Problems with current solution
├── Frustrations and pain points
└── Triggering events

PULL (Toward new solution)
├── Attraction to new way
├── Hoped-for outcomes
└── Perceived improvements

INERTIA (Keeping current behavior)
├── Habits and familiarity
├── Switching costs
└── "Good enough" mentality

ANXIETY (About new solution)
├── Will it actually work?
├── Learning curve
└── Risk of wrong choice

For change to happen: Push + Pull > Inertia + Anxiety

Mapping Jobs to Requirements

Job Map Structure

Break down the main job into stages:

job_map:
  main_job: "Prepare a healthy meal for my family"

  stages:
    1_define:
      name: "Define what to make"
      sub_jobs:
        - "Decide on dietary constraints"
        - "Consider what's in the fridge"
        - "Find a suitable recipe"

    2_prepare:
      name: "Prepare ingredients"
      sub_jobs:
        - "Gather all ingredients"
        - "Prep vegetables and proteins"
        - "Measure quantities"

    3_execute:
      name: "Cook the meal"
      sub_jobs:
        - "Follow recipe steps"
        - "Time multiple dishes"
        - "Adjust seasoning"

    4_complete:
      name: "Serve and clean up"
      sub_jobs:
        - "Plate attractively"
        - "Clean as you go"
        - "Store leftovers properly"

From Jobs to Features

translation_pattern:
  job: "Find a suitable recipe quickly"

  requirements:
    functional:
      - "Search recipes by ingredient"
      - "Filter by dietary restrictions"
      - "Sort by prep time"

    emotional:
      - "Show confidence ratings"
      - "Display success photos"
      - "Offer beginner-friendly options"

    social:
      - "Enable sharing on social media"
      - "Show what friends have made"
      - "Community ratings and reviews"

Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI)

Outcome Statements

More precise than job statements:

[Direction] + [measure] + [object of control] + [context]

Examples:

outcome_statements:
  - "Minimize the time it takes to find a relevant recipe"
  - "Increase the likelihood that ingredients are in stock"
  - "Reduce the effort required to clean up after cooking"
  - "Minimize the risk of burning or overcooking food"

Importance vs Satisfaction Matrix

                    HIGH IMPORTANCE
                          │
     OVER-SERVED          │         UNDERSERVED
     (Don't invest)       │         (Opportunity!)
                          │
  ──────────────────────────────────────────────
                          │
     APPROPRIATELY        │         APPROPRIATELY
     SERVED               │         SERVED
     (Low value area)     │         (Maintain)
                          │
                    LOW IMPORTANCE
                          │
            LOW SATISFACTION ───────── HIGH SATISFACTION

Opportunity Score = Importance + (Importance - Satisfaction)

Integration with Elicitation

JTBD-Enhanced Interview Questions

Add these to stakeholder interviews:

jtbd_questions:
  context:
    - "When do you typically need to [activity]?"
    - "What triggers you to start this process?"

  motivation:
    - "What are you ultimately trying to achieve?"
    - "Why is this important to you?"

  current_solution:
    - "How do you handle this today?"
    - "What's frustrating about the current approach?"

  desired_progress:
    - "In an ideal world, how would this work?"
    - "What would success look like?"

  emotional:
    - "How do you feel when this goes wrong?"
    - "How would you feel if this was effortless?"

  social:
    - "Who else is affected by how you do this?"
    - "How do others perceive this activity?"

Synthesizing JTBD from Requirements

# After elicitation, analyze through JTBD lens
/requirements-elicitation:discover "inventory management"

# Then apply JTBD framework
# Load this skill and analyze:
# 1. What job are users hiring this system to do?
# 2. What are the functional/emotional/social dimensions?
# 3. Which jobs are underserved?

Output Format

JTBD Analysis Report

jtbd_analysis:
  domain: "inventory management"
  date: "2025-12-26"

  main_job:
    statement: "Keep the right products in stock without excess inventory"
    context: "As a retail manager responsible for product availability"

  job_dimensions:
    functional:
      - "Predict demand accurately"
      - "Reorder at the right time"
      - "Track stock levels"

    emotional:
      - "Feel confident about stock decisions"
      - "Avoid the stress of stockouts"
      - "Pride in efficient operations"

    social:
      - "Be seen as competent by leadership"
      - "Maintain customer satisfaction"
      - "Demonstrate data-driven decisions"

  job_map:
    - stage: "Monitor inventory levels"
      jobs: [...]
      opportunities: [...]

  opportunity_scores:
    - job: "Predict seasonal demand"
      importance: 9
      satisfaction: 4
      score: 14  # High opportunity

    - job: "Generate reorder reports"
      importance: 6
      satisfaction: 7
      score: 5   # Low priority

Related Commands

• /interview - Conduct JTBD-style interviews
• /simulate - Simulate stakeholders for JTBD exploration
• /discover - Full elicitation workflow
• /prioritize - Use JTBD opportunity scores for prioritization

References

For detailed guidance:

• Interview Techniques - JTBD interview methods
• Job Mapping - Creating job maps and outcome statements

External:

• Clayton Christensen's "Competing Against Luck"
• Bob Moesta's "Demand-Side Sales 101"
• JTBD.info

Version History

• v1.0.0 (2025-12-26): Initial release - JTBD Analysis skill

Last Updated: 2025-12-26