By name: jobs-to-be-done description: Understand what customers are trying to accomplish using the JTBD framework. Captures functional, emotional, and social jobs to reveal true motivations behind product usage. type: component domain: discovery difficulty: intermediate estimated_time: "20-30 min" prerequisites: [] outputs: ["jtbd-statement", "job-map"] triggers: - "What job is the customer hiring our product for" - "Help me write a jobs to be done" - "I need to understand customer motivations" - "Why are people using our product"
Purpose
Understand what customers are truly trying to accomplish — not what features they want, but what progress they're trying to make in their lives. JTBD reveals the underlying motivations that drive product adoption, switching behavior, and loyalty.
This is not a feature list or a requirements doc. It's a lens for understanding why people buy, use, and abandon products.
Key Concepts
The JTBD Framework
People don't buy products — they hire products to make progress in a specific circumstance.
Three types of jobs:
| Job Type | What It Captures | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Functional | The practical task | "Help me track my expenses" |
| Emotional | How they want to feel | "Help me feel in control of my finances" |
| Social | How they want to be perceived | "Help me look financially responsible to my partner" |
The JTBD Statement Format
When [situation/trigger],
I want to [motivation/action],
so I can [expected outcome].
Advanced format (with constraints):
When [situation/trigger],
I want to [motivation/action],
so I can [expected outcome],
but [current constraints/barriers].
The Four Forces of Progress
Why people switch to a new solution:
PUSH (from current) ──────► ◄────── PULL (toward new)
"Current solution is "New solution promises
failing me" something better"
HABIT (stay with current) ─► ◄── ANXIETY (about new)
"I know how this works" "What if the new thing
is worse?"
Switch happens when: Push + Pull > Habit + Anxiety
When to Use This
- Defining product positioning (what job do we serve?)
- Prioritizing features (does this help the core job?)
- Understanding churn (what job is being underserved?)
- Competitive analysis (who else is hired for this job?)
When NOT to Use This
- For tactical feature specs (use user stories)
- When you need UI-level detail (use design briefs)
- As a replacement for quantitative data (JTBD is qualitative)
Application
Step 1: Identify the Triggering Situation
**Trigger event:** [What happened that created the need]
**Context:** [Circumstances surrounding the trigger]
**Frequency:** [How often this situation occurs]
**Example:** "When my quarterly board meeting is next week and I don't have revenue projections ready..."
Quality check:
- Is the situation specific (not evergreen)?
- Does it describe a real moment, not a general desire?
Step 2: Define the Functional Job
**Functional JTBD:**
When [specific situation],
I want to [concrete action],
so I can [measurable outcome].
**Job steps (job map):**
1. [Define] — Determine what needs to be done
2. [Locate] — Find inputs needed
3. [Prepare] — Set up to do the job
4. [Confirm] — Verify readiness
5. [Execute] — Perform the core action
6. [Monitor] — Check progress
7. [Modify] — Make adjustments
8. [Conclude] — Finish and wrap up
Step 3: Uncover Emotional and Social Jobs
**Emotional JTBD:**
When [situation],
I want to feel [emotional state],
so I can [emotional outcome].
**Social JTBD:**
When [situation],
I want to be seen as [social perception],
so I can [social outcome].
Step 4: Map the Four Forces
**Push (away from current solution):**
- [What's failing about the current approach]
- [Specific frustrations]
**Pull (toward new solution):**
- [What the new solution promises]
- [Specific benefits imagined]
**Habit (resistance to change):**
- [What's comfortable about the status quo]
- [Switching costs]
**Anxiety (fear of new):**
- [What could go wrong]
- [Unknowns about the new solution]
Step 5: Identify Competing Solutions
**Who else is hired for this job:**
| Solution | Job it serves | Why chosen | Where it falls short |
|----------|--------------|------------|---------------------|
| [Direct competitor] | [Same job] | [Reason] | [Gap] |
| [Indirect competitor] | [Partial job] | [Reason] | [Gap] |
| [Manual workaround] | [Same job, poorly] | [Free/familiar] | [Gap] |
| [Non-consumption] | [Job ignored] | [Not worth solving] | [Opportunity] |
Examples
✅ Good Example
**Functional JTBD:**
When I'm preparing for a quarterly board meeting and need revenue projections,
I want to pull accurate, segmented financial data into a presentation-ready format,
so I can present confidently and answer follow-up questions without scrambling.
**Emotional JTBD:**
When presenting at the board meeting,
I want to feel prepared and credible,
so I can maintain my reputation as someone who has the numbers.
**Social JTBD:**
When the CEO introduces my section,
I want to be seen as data-driven and strategic,
so I can build trust for my budget requests.
**Four Forces:**
- Push: Current tool requires manual export + reformatting (3 hours)
- Pull: New tool promises one-click board-ready reports
- Habit: "I know how to make my spreadsheet work"
- Anxiety: "What if the data is wrong and I look unprepared?"
❌ Bad Example
**JTBD:** Users want better analytics so they can make decisions.
Why this fails: No situation context, generic user, vague outcome, no emotional/social dimension, no competing solutions analysis.
Quality Rubric
Score each dimension 0-2. Target: 8+ out of 10.
| Dimension | 0 (Missing) | 1 (Partial) | 2 (Excellent) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Situation | Generic or missing | Named but vague | Specific trigger + context |
| Functional Job | "Want better X" | Action without outcome | Action + measurable outcome |
| Emotional/Social | Not explored | One dimension | Both emotional + social jobs |
| Four Forces | Not mapped | Push/Pull only | All four forces with specifics |
| Competing Solutions | Not listed | Direct competitors only | Direct + indirect + non-consumption |
Common Pitfalls
Pitfall 1: Feature-Level Job Statements
Symptom: "When I open the app, I want a dashboard, so I can see metrics."
Consequence: This is a feature request, not a job. It constrains solutions to "dashboard."
Fix: Go up one level: "When I start my Monday, I want to know if anything needs my attention, so I can prioritize my day." Now you can solve this many ways.
Pitfall 2: Ignoring Emotional/Social Jobs
Symptom: JTBD analysis covers only functional tasks.
Consequence: You miss the real reasons people switch (or don't). Emotional jobs often trump functional ones.
Fix: Always ask: "How do they want to feel?" and "How do they want to appear?" These unlock positioning and messaging.
Pitfall 3: Too Many Jobs
Symptom: 15 JTBD statements for one product.
Consequence: No clear positioning. Product tries to serve too many jobs and does none well.
Fix: Identify the primary job (the one people "hire" you for most) and 2-3 related jobs. Prioritize ruthlessly.
References
Related Skills
skills/discovery/proto-persona/SKILL.md— Who has this jobskills/discovery/problem-statement/SKILL.md— Problems that arise while doing the jobskills/discovery/customer-journey-map/SKILL.md— Map the job's touchpointsskills/strategy/positioning-statement/SKILL.md— Position your product as the best hire for the job
External Frameworks
- Clayton Christensen, Competing Against Luck (2016)
- Tony Ulwick, What Customers Want (Outcome-Driven Innovation)
- Bob Moesta, Demand-Side Sales 101 (Four Forces)
- Alan Klement, When Coffee and Kale Compete
Skill type: Component Domain: Discovery & Research Prerequisites: None