Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) is a product strategy framework that focuses on the underlying 'job' customers hire your product to accomplish. It shifts thinking from demographics to motivations.
Identify the core 'job' customers need done (functional, emotional, social)
Understand the current solutions they 'hire' for this job
Find where current solutions fail (underserved needs)
Design your product to be 'hired' by fulfilling the job better
Template
Example Output
Template
Example Output
Focus on the job, not the product — 'People don't want a drill, they want a hole in the wall'
Interview customers about the last time they 'hired' a solution, not what features they want
Emotional and social jobs are often more important than functional jobs for premium products
Use JTBD to write better marketing copy — speak to the job, not the feature
Combine JTBD with persona research for the most complete customer understanding
JTBD is a framework for understanding why customers buy products. Instead of focusing on demographics or features, it identifies the underlying 'job' (progress) customers are trying to make. The famous example: 'People don't buy drills, they buy holes in the wall.'
Personas describe WHO your customer is (demographics, behaviors). JTBD describes WHAT they're trying to accomplish (motivations, desired outcomes). A CEO and a freelancer might have the same 'job' — making JTBD more action-oriented for product decisions.
AI is excellent for generating JTBD hypotheses, structuring interview guides, and analyzing research notes for job patterns. However, the core insight must come from real customer conversations — AI can't substitute for observing actual behavior.
Take our free AI course and learn techniques that go beyond templates.
Start Free AI Course →