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Jobs-to-be-Done

Customer doesn't buy your product. They "hire" it for a job in their life. Discover the real job.

90 min Intermediate

Goal

Beat customer-as-demographic-persona (age, gender) for deep understanding: what job am I hired to do?

Steps

1

Pick your product. Identify 5 regular users. Request 30-min interview each.

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Expected Outcome

Immediate

You find a job you didn't know — always surprising. Customer uses product in unexpected way.

Evidence base

School: Innovation / Jobs Theory

Founders: Clayton Christensen · Bob Moesta · Tony Ulwick (2003)

JTBD coined by Christensen with Bob Moesta for McDonald's Milkshake study (2003). Developed by Tony Ulwick at Strategyn. Standard for innovation opportunity ID.

Frequently asked questions

How long does "Jobs-to-be-Done" take?

This exercise takes about 90 minutes, practiced with another person in a Social format.

When will I notice the effect of "Jobs-to-be-Done"?

You find a job you didn't know — always surprising. Customer uses product in unexpected way. In the short term: Within a month, JTBD-based small improvement boosts satisfaction 20-40%. Focus on what matters.

Is "Jobs-to-be-Done" evidence-based?

Yes — it draws on Innovation / Jobs Theory (Clayton Christensen, Bob Moesta, Tony Ulwick (2003)). JTBD coined by Christensen with Bob Moesta for McDonald's Milkshake study (2003). Developed by Tony Ulwick at Strategyn. Standard for innovation opportunity ID.

Is "Jobs-to-be-Done" suitable for beginners?

Its difficulty level is: Intermediate. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

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