1. Overview

Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) is a framework that shifts the focus from the product or service itself to the customer’s underlying goal or “job.” It is a lens through which to understand why customers make the choices they do, and what motivates them to “hire” a particular product or service to make progress in their lives. The core idea is that customers don’t buy products; they hire them to get a job done. This perspective allows innovators to move beyond incremental product improvements and instead focus on creating solutions that help customers achieve their desired outcomes more effectively. By understanding the functional, social, and emotional dimensions of a customer’s job, companies can design and market products that are more closely aligned with what customers truly want and need.

2. Core Principles

The Jobs-to-be-Done framework is built upon a set of core principles that guide its application. These principles represent a fundamental shift in perspective, moving from a product-centric to a customer-centric view of the market. The central tenet of JTBD is that people hire products and services to get a “job” done. Customers are not simply buying products or features; they are seeking solutions to help them make progress in their lives, and this progress is the “job” they are trying to accomplish [1]. A job is not just a task; it is a process of striving toward a goal or aspiration, and the circumstances surrounding the job are critical to understanding the customer’s needs and motivations [1].

The reasons why customers choose a particular solution are multi-faceted. A job has functional aspects (the practical tasks to be completed), social aspects (how the customer wants to be perceived by others), and emotional aspects (how the customer wants to feel) [1]. Instead of focusing on customer demographics or product attributes, JTBD focuses on the job the customer is trying to get done. This provides a more stable and actionable foundation for innovation [2]. By understanding the customer’s desired outcomes, companies can develop products and services that are more likely to succeed in the marketplace, which reduces the uncertainty and risk associated with innovation [3].

3. Key Practices

Several key practices are central to the application of the Jobs-to-be-Done framework. These practices provide a structured approach to uncovering and understanding customer needs, and for using that understanding to drive innovation.

Job Mapping

Job mapping is the process of deconstructing the customer’s job into a series of discrete steps. This is not a customer journey map that describes what the customer is doing, but rather a map of what the customer is trying to get done. A complete job map includes all the steps involved in executing a job, from defining the objectives to concluding the job and assessing the results. The universal steps of a job map are: Define, Locate, Prepare, Confirm, Execute, Monitor, Modify, and Conclude [3]. By breaking down the job into these steps, companies can identify opportunities to help customers get the job done better, faster, or more cheaply.

Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI)

Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI) is a patented process developed by Tony Ulwick, the founder of Strategyn, that uses the Jobs-to-be-Done framework to identify and prioritize customer needs. The core of ODI is the “desired outcome statement,” which is a specially constructed statement that captures a customer’s need in a way that is measurable, controllable, and actionable. A desired outcome statement has a specific structure: a verb, the object of the verb, and a contextual clarifier. For example, a desired outcome statement for a surgeon might be: “Minimize the time it takes to stop the bleeding.” ODI provides a systematic approach to uncovering all of the customer’s desired outcomes, prioritizing the most important outcomes, and targeting innovation efforts where they will have the greatest impact [3].

Customer Interviews

Customer interviews are a critical practice for uncovering the customer’s job-to-be-done. However, JTBD interviews are different from traditional market research interviews. Instead of asking customers what they want, JTBD interviews focus on understanding the customer’s story and the circumstances that led them to make a particular purchase. The goal is to uncover the underlying job the customer was trying to get done when they “hired” a product or service. Key characteristics of JTBD interviews include a focus on the story, uncovering the forces at play, identifying the “first thought” that triggered the purchase journey, and looking for “workarounds” that customers have created, which can be a rich source of innovation opportunities.

4. Application Context

The Jobs-to-be-Done framework can be applied in a wide range of contexts, from startups to large enterprises, and across various industries. It is particularly useful in situations where companies are looking to enter new markets, improve existing products, develop new technologies, or create effective marketing strategies. By focusing on the customer’s job, companies can identify opportunities to create new products and services that address unmet needs, even in mature markets. JTBD can also help companies to identify the most important areas for improvement in their existing products, by focusing on the outcomes that are most important to customers. The framework is applicable to both B2C and B2B markets. In B2C markets, the “customer” is typically an individual who is trying to get a job done in their personal life. In B2B markets, the “customer” can be a team, a department, or an entire organization that is trying to get a job done in a professional context. In either case, the principles and practices of JTBD can be used to gain a deep understanding of the customer’s needs and to develop solutions that help them to get their job done more effectively.

5. Implementation

Implementing the Jobs-to-be-Done framework involves a systematic process of research, analysis, and strategy development. The implementation process begins with defining the market as a group of people and the job they are trying to get done, for which the JTBD Market Definition Canvas can be a useful tool [3]. The next step is to conduct customer research, typically through JTBD interviews, to gain a deep understanding of the customer’s job, including the circumstances surrounding it and its functional, social, and emotional dimensions. Based on this research, a job map is created, which breaks down the customer’s job into a series of discrete steps. This map provides a framework for identifying the customer’s desired outcomes for each step of the job, which is the core of the Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI) process. These desired outcomes are then prioritized based on their importance to the customer and their level of satisfaction with current solutions, typically through quantitative research. Finally, a strategy is developed to address the unmet needs of the customer, which may involve developing new products or services, improving existing products, or creating new marketing strategies. Implementing JTBD is an ongoing process of learning and adaptation that requires a commitment from the entire organization.

6. Evidence & Impact

The Jobs-to-be-Done framework has been successfully applied by numerous companies across a wide range of industries, leading to significant improvements in product development, marketing, and overall business performance. The impact of JTBD can be seen in the increased success rate of new products, the ability to enter and disrupt mature markets, and the creation of a more customer-centric culture within organizations. One of the most compelling pieces of evidence for the effectiveness of JTBD comes from the work of Strategyn, the innovation consulting firm founded by Tony Ulwick. According to Ulwick, companies that have adopted the Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI) process, which is based on the JTBD framework, have seen their innovation success rates increase by as much as 86% [2]. This is a dramatic improvement over the industry average, where the failure rate of new products is often cited as being as high as 80%. Numerous companies have publicly attested to the benefits of using the JTBD framework. For example, David Rusinko, Director of Strategic Marketing at Momentive, has stated that the JTBD approach has driven a heightened focus on customers and enabled the company to gain new insights, even in established markets [3]. Similarly, Steve Thompson, Vice President of Business Strategy at National Oilwell Varco, has praised JTBD and ODI for providing “absolute clarity for strategic growth initiatives and product innovation” [3]. The impact of JTBD is not limited to the technology sector. Simona Skerjanec, a Lifecycle Leader in Neuroscience at Roche, has noted that the framework has proven to be highly valuable in the development of innovative pharmaceuticals, bringing clarity to the complex healthcare delivery process and revealing hidden opportunities to improve patient outcomes [3]. These examples demonstrate the broad applicability and impact of the Jobs-to-be-Done framework, from industrial manufacturing to healthcare and beyond.

7. Cognitive Era Considerations

The advent of the cognitive era, characterized by the rise of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other cognitive technologies, has significant implications for the Jobs-to-be-Done framework. While the core principles of JTBD remain as relevant as ever, the way in which companies can uncover and address customer needs is being transformed. Cognitive technologies can be used to enhance the application of JTBD in several ways. AI-powered tools can be used to analyze large volumes of customer data, such as social media conversations, product reviews, and customer support interactions, to identify customer jobs and desired outcomes, which can automate and accelerate the research process. Machine learning algorithms can be used to analyze customer data and predict future needs and behaviors, helping companies to anticipate customer jobs and to develop proactive solutions. AI can also be used to create personalized products and services that are tailored to the specific needs of individual customers. By understanding the customer’s job in detail, companies can use AI to create customized solutions that help them to get the job done more effectively. Furthermore, conversational interfaces, such as chatbots, can be used to interact with customers in a more natural and intuitive way, making it easier to uncover their jobs and desired outcomes. In the cognitive era, the focus of JTBD may shift from understanding the customer’s job to understanding the customer’s entire life, representing a significant opportunity for companies to create new forms of value and to build deeper and more meaningful relationships with their customers.

8. Commons Alignment Assessment (v2.0)

This assessment evaluates the pattern based on the Commons OS v2.0 framework, which focuses on the pattern’s ability to enable resilient collective value creation.

1. Stakeholder Architecture: The Jobs-to-be-Done framework primarily defines a two-sided stakeholder relationship: the “customer” who has a job to be done, and the “innovator” (e.g., a company) that provides a solution. It does not explicitly define Rights and Responsibilities for a broader set of stakeholders such as the environment, future generations, or the community at large. The focus remains on the value exchange between a producer and a consumer, rather than a multi-stakeholder commons.

2. Value Creation Capability: JTBD enables value creation by focusing on helping customers make progress in their lives, encompassing functional, social, and emotional dimensions. However, this value is defined from the perspective of a single stakeholder (the customer) and created for them by an external entity. The framework is not inherently designed to foster collective value creation, where multiple stakeholders contribute to and benefit from a shared resource or system.

3. Resilience & Adaptability: By focusing on the underlying “job” rather than on a specific technology or solution, the pattern promotes adaptability and resilience for the innovating organization. It allows a business to maintain coherence and thrive on change by staying anchored to a stable customer need. However, it does not directly address the resilience of a larger system or commons, as its scope is limited to the relationship between a product and its user.

4. Ownership Architecture: The framework does not address ownership architecture in any meaningful way. JTBD is a tool for market analysis and product innovation, and as such, it is agnostic to the ownership structure of the entities that use it. It neither promotes nor hinders models of shared ownership, as its focus is on customer motivation, not on governance or equity.

5. Design for Autonomy: JTBD is highly compatible with AI and autonomous systems. The framework’s emphasis on clearly defined, outcome-oriented “jobs” provides an ideal set of goals for AI agents and DAOs to pursue. By breaking down complex problems into discrete jobs, it lowers coordination overhead and allows for the design of distributed systems where different agents can tackle different jobs.

6. Composability & Interoperability: As a high-level framework or lens, JTBD is extremely composable. It can be readily combined with other patterns like Lean Startup, Design Thinking, or Agile Development to create more comprehensive systems for innovation and value creation. It serves as a foundational layer for understanding “why” before determining “what” or “how.”

7. Fractal Value Creation: The core logic of identifying a “job to be done” is fractal and can be applied at various scales. An individual has personal jobs, a team has project-related jobs, an organization has strategic jobs, and a society has civic jobs. This scalability allows the pattern’s value-creation logic to be applied consistently from micro to macro levels, making it a versatile tool for systems design.

Overall Score: 3 (Transitional)

Rationale: Jobs-to-be-Done is a powerful framework for understanding needs, which is a critical prerequisite for any form of value creation. Its strength lies in its focus on stable, underlying motivations rather than transient solutions, and its compatibility with autonomous systems is high. However, it is fundamentally a market-oriented tool designed for a producer-consumer dynamic, not a commons-based architecture for collective value creation. It has significant gaps concerning multi-stakeholder governance, shared ownership, and the creation of non-economic value, requiring significant adaptation to align with a true commons approach.

Opportunities for Improvement:

• The framework could be extended to include “Commons Jobs” that focus on the health and resilience of the entire ecosystem, not just the needs of a single customer.
• A “Stakeholder-to-be-Served” model could be developed to explicitly map the jobs of all relevant stakeholders, including the environment and community.
• The pattern could be integrated with governance and ownership patterns to ensure that the value created is distributed equitably among all who contribute to getting the job done. The Commons Alignment Assessment evaluates how well the Jobs-to-be-Done framework aligns with the principles of a commons-based approach. The assessment is based on seven dimensions, each of which is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being low alignment and 5 being high alignment. The overall commons alignment score is the average of the seven dimensional scores.

| Dimension | Score | Rationale | | :— | :— | :— |

9. Resources & References

[1] Christensen Institute. (n.d.). Jobs to Be Done Theory. Retrieved from https://www.christenseninstitute.org/theory/jobs-to-be-done/

[2] ProductPlan. (n.d.). *Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework

Definition and Overview*. Retrieved from https://www.productplan.com/glossary/jobs-to-be-done-framework/

[3] Strategyn. (n.d.). *Jobs-to-be-Done

A Comprehensive Guide*. Retrieved from https://strategyn.com/jobs-to-be-done/