The Jobs to Be Done Theory

Jobs to be Done (JTBD) theory is a concept developed in the 1990s by Professor Clayton Christensen that deals with understanding why people buy certain products or services. The idea behind the JTBD theory is that people don’t really buy products or services, but rather the tasks (jobs) they want to do with them.

People do not buy features

JTBD theory emphasises that people buy certain products or services not because of their features or functions, but because they want to do a certain “job” with them. For example, people don’t buy a car because it has four wheels, but because it helps them to get from A to B. So the “job” that the car does in this case is to transport people from one place to another.

Understanding Jobs

In order to understand the “job” that a product or service is supposed to do, one has to focus on the needs and desires of the customers. This includes understanding the reasons why people choose a particular product or service and why they reject certain alternatives. JTBD theory emphasises that it is important to focus on the “work” that the product or service is supposed to do rather than on the product itself.

JTBD and the Theory of Disruption

JTBD theory is closely related to the Theory of Disruption, a concept developed by Professor Clayton Christensen that describes how companies can enter new markets and disrupt incumbents by offering new products or services that do certain jobs better than existing offerings. The concept of disruption is based on the assumption that customers are always looking for products or services that help them do certain jobs better. If a company offers a product or service that does these jobs better than existing offerings, it can drive customer demand away from incumbents and thus disrupt incumbents. The Theory of Disruption is thus closely related to the JTBD theory, as it focuses on the idea that people buy certain products or services to do certain jobs.

JTBD in practice

JTBD theory is often used in product development and marketing to better understand customers’ needs and wants and to develop products and services that meet those needs. It can also help to understand the way people use certain products or services to do certain jobs and how this use changes over time.

Overall, JTBD theory is an important concept in product development and marketing that can help to better understand customers’ needs and wants and develop products and services that meet those needs. It helps companies solve the right problems and provide the right solutions by focusing on the “work” that the product or service is supposed to do, rather than the product itself. In this way, companies can better align their products and services with the needs and desires of customers and increase their chances of success. JTBD theory is a valuable approach to understanding customers’ needs and requirements and offering them the right products and services.

Popular examples

• Apple iPod: The iPod revolutionised the music market by providing an easy and convenient way to record and listen to music on the go. The iPod did the job better than other music players by having a large capacity, being easy to use and having an attractive design.
• Airbnb: Airbnb disrupted the accommodation market by allowing private individuals to rent out their houses or flats to tourists for short periods of time. Airbnb did the job better than established providers like hotels by offering a wider choice of accommodation that was cheaper and had a more personal atmosphere.
• Uber: Uber disrupted the market for passenger transport by offering a platform where passengers and drivers could be connected. Uber did the job better than traditional taxis by providing an easy way to order and pay for a vehicle, and by using GPS tracking, passengers could follow the progress of their journey.
• Zalando: Zalando disrupted the market for fashion online by offering a platform where customers could buy a wide range of fashion items from different brands. Zalando did the job better than traditional retailers by offering a wider selection of items, having a simple ordering and payment system and offering fast deliveries.

Advantages of aligning product and marketing with JTBD

1. Improved customer targeting: By understanding what tasks their customers want to do with their products or services, companies can better target their marketing and sales efforts to their customers’ needs.
2. Improved product development: By understanding what their customers’ needs and difficulties are when using their products, companies can take these difficulties into account when developing new products and ensure that they perform these tasks effectively.
3. Increasing customer satisfaction: By better aligning their products and services with their customers’ needs, companies can increase customer satisfaction.

JTBD and successful innovation

JTBD stands for “Jobs to be Done” and is a concept that aims to understand the reasons why people use certain products or services. It is about understanding the needs and goals of customers rather than focusing on the functionality of a product or service.

JTBD can help with innovation by helping companies better understand the needs of their customers and develop new products or services that meet those needs. For example, a company that specialises in developing software for businesses could use JTBD to understand the reasons why customers want specific features in their software. These insights could then help to design the software to better meet the needs of customers and thus be more innovative.

Overall, JTBD is an important concept for innovation as it helps companies to better understand the needs of their customers and develop new products or services that meet those needs.

Business tools that use the JTBD concept

There are several business tools that use the concept of JTBD to help companies better understand their customers’ needs and develop products or services accordingly. Some of these tools are:

• Customer Development: This is an approach that focuses on understanding the needs of customers and aims to incorporate these needs into the development of products or services.
• Lean Startup: This is a method that focuses on testing ideas quickly and agilely to ensure they meet customers’ needs.
• Design thinking: This is an approach that aims to develop creative solutions to complex problems by taking into account the user’s perspective and needs.
• Empathy Mapping: This is a tool used to understand the user’s perspective and needs by visualising their thoughts, feelings and actions.
• Value Proposition Canvas: This is a tool used to understand and visualise the needs of customers and the solutions a company offers.
• The Wheel of Progress® is used to describe and analyse Jobs to Be Done (JTBD). It is designed to help organisations better understand and align with customer needs by providing a mindset, language and methodology to use JTBD quickly and effectively. The framework is compatible with the Value Proposition Canvas and the Business Model Canvas and can be used in companies of any size and industry.

Each tool has a task – but all build on jobs

Overall, these tools can help put the concept of JTBD into practice and help companies better understand their customers’ needs and develop appropriate products or services. Much more crucial than just the tools are a well-structured process and data.

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