Guiding growth with the ‘Jobs to Be Done’ framework

Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) is a powerful framework many high-performance companies use to understand customer needs and drive business growth.

At its core, JTBD helps teams move beyond traditional market segmentation and product-focused strategies to focus on the real reasons customers buy products or services. By understanding the "jobs" customers are trying to get done, businesses can innovate more effectively and create solutions that meet customer needs.

The JTBD theory suggests customers "hire" products or services to accomplish specific jobs. These jobs can be functional (like cutting wood) or emotional (like feeling secure). When companies understand the jobs to be done, they can design their offerings to do those jobs better than any alternative.

4 ways the Jobs to Be Done framework can help teams strategize for growth

The JTBD framework allows teams to uncover deep insights into customer motivations beyond surface-level desires or demographics. Understanding the jobs to be done can lead to several strategic benefits:

1. Innovation targeting

By focusing on the job rather than the product, companies can identify unmet needs and areas for innovation that competitors may overlook.

2. Improved customer segmentation

JTBD allows for segmentation based on needs and jobs, which can be more stable over time than demographic segments, leading to more effective targeting and positioning.

3. Enhanced competitive advantage

Understanding the jobs to be done helps businesses differentiate their offerings on features or price and how well they accomplish the customer’s jobs.

4. Cross-functional alignment

The JTBD framework provides a common language for teams across the company, from product development to marketing, aligning employees around the customer’s needs and how to serve them better.

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5 essential skills employees need to deploy the JTBD framework effectively

To effectively use the JTBD framework, employees must have the skills to deeply understand customer needs, think creatively and apply insights to strategic decision-making. These skills include:

1. Empathy + listening

Since understanding customers often involves qualitative research, like interviewing and observation, the ability to empathize with customers and listen deeply to their experiences and challenges is foundational. 

2. Critical thinking

Team members must analyze and synthesize information from various sources to identify underlying jobs to be done. This analysis requires looking beyond the obvious and questioning assumptions.

3. Creativity + innovation

Once the jobs to be done are identified, generating innovative solutions that meet customer needs requires creativity. Teams should be able to brainstorm and think outside the box.

4. Strategic thinking

Applying JTBD insights to strategic decisions requires understanding market dynamics, analyzing competitive positioning and leveraging strengths to meet customer needs better.

5. Collaboration

Since JTBD touches multiple aspects of the business, from product design to marketing, effective collaboration across departments is crucial. Team members must work together to align their efforts toward serving the customer's job.

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Jobs to Be Done is a robust framework for understanding customer needs and driving growth.

By focusing on the jobs customers need to get done, teams can uncover valuable insights that lead to more effective innovation and competitive differentiation.

Developing skills (including empathy, critical thinking, creativity, strategic thinking and collaboration) is essential for leveraging the JTBD framework to its full potential. As teams become more adept at identifying and serving customer jobs, they can create more value for their customers and businesses.

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