JTBD

Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) is a framework for businesses to understand customer needs and motivations by focusing on the specific tasks or goals they aim to achieve with a product or service (product offering). It emphasizes the "jobs" customers "hire" products or services to do, considering functional, emotional, and social aspects. This approach helps businesses design better solutions by addressing all the underlying problems customers want to solve.

JTBD is critical framework to understand for businesses. It helps businesses understand why people really use the company’s products and what customers are trying to achieve. This means companies can make better products, create ads that hit the mark, and keep customers happy. Regardless of industry, JTBD helps businesses succeed by focusing on their customers' needs.

• Customer-Centric: JTBD focuses on everything customers try to achieve with a product. For example, people who buy expensive cars purchase them for transportation needs but also because they might want to convey a message about their financial standing. JTBD then provides insights for more effective marketing strategies to expand a customer base while remaining product-driven.
• Functional, Emotional, and Social Innovation: This three-pronged approach considers practical tasks, emotional outcomes, and social impressions people want to achieve with a product or service. JTBD helps find new ideas for creating better products that better suit all users' needs and problems.
• Strategic Alignment: Aligns product development and business strategies with what customers seek, keeping business planning on track and ensuring a holistic overall direction. For instance, a company making outdoor gear might find that its customers are looking for something other than durable products. They might also want to feel adventurous and connected to nature. This insight can guide the company's product development, marketing strategies, and even partnerships with adventure travel companies, aligning their business strategy with customer needs.

Imagine making a new toy for kids. Instead of just making it fun and colorful, consider why kids would want to play with it. Maybe they want to build things, feel proud of their creations, or impress their friends. This is what JTBD is about—understanding why people use a product, not just how it looks or works. By putting yourself in the customer's shoes and thinking about the jobs they need to get done, you can create solutions that are not only innovative but also deeply meaningful and useful. This framework leads to better products, happier customers, and, ultimately, a more successful business. So, when working on a new idea, remember to ask: What job is this product hired to do?

Types of Jobs

JTBD breaks down why people use products into three main reasons:

• Functional Jobs: These are the practical tasks people need to do. That doesn't mean that all the product or service's functional benefits are always apparent. For example, a company selling a smoothie maker might focus on the machine's power or speed features in product development. But when communicating to customers, they would then want to more broadly highlight how it helps busy parents make quick, healthy breakfasts for their kids, solving the functional job of providing nutritious meals when busy.
• Emotional Jobs: These are about how people feel when using a product, like using a fancy boat to be unique and successful. These may take more digging to discover. For instance, think about smartphones. Companies didn't just develop phones with cameras on a whim. They understood that people wanted to capture memories easily, share their lives instantly, and stay connected with loved ones on a single device. This deeper understanding led to benefits like easy sharing options and phone apps that keep people emotionally connected no matter where they are.
• Social Jobs: These are about how people want others to see them, like choosing eco-friendly products to show they care about the environment. Like emotional jobs, it may be a bit more work to discover these motivations, and not all products have an obvious connection to others. Millennials and Gen Zer's are showing an increased affinity for the social jobs and ramifications of their purchases, so this is becoming more critical for businesses than ever.

Why It's Important for Businesses

• Innovation and Product Development: When businesses understand JTBD, they can develop new and exciting ideas that really help people. Instead of just making a slightly better version of what's already out there or churning out features, they can create something that solves a problem in a new way.
• Marketing and Communication: With JTBD, businesses can make ads that really speak to what people need. Instead of saying, "Buy this because it's great," they can say, "Buy this because it will help you do something important."
• User Experience and Design: Thinking about JTBD helps make products that are easy and fun to use. When a product fits perfectly with what someone wants to do, they'll be happier and more likely to keep using it.
• Strategic Decision-Making: Businesses that use JTBD can make better decisions about what to create and how to sell it. They stay focused on what their customers need and want, which helps them succeed. They also achieve a holistic vision, keeping the organization's direction aligned and targeted.

Creating & Maintaining JTBD

1. Start with Research: To use JTBD effectively, start by talking to your customers. This has likely already been started in other elements of your business planning and sales activities. Recruit other departments like Sales or CS to see what they’re hearing from customers. Find out what customers are trying to achieve and what problems they face. Look beyond the surface to understand their deeper motivations and needs. This research will give you valuable insights into the jobs your product can help with.
2. Focus on Real Needs: When designing or marketing your product, always keep the customer's job in mind. What are they trying to do? How can our product make their life easier or better? Continue to ask, "Why?" This focus will guide you in creating solutions that truly matter to your customers and solve the root of their needs.
3. Iterate and Improve: JTBD isn't a one-time thing. Keep gathering feedback and observing how people use your product. Stay in touch with the industry at large and your peers, in addition to internal teams. Use this information to make continuous improvements and stay ahead of changing needs. This approach ensures that your product stays valuable over time.