Jobs to be Done Template

What is the Jobs to be Done Template?

Jobs to be Done (JTBD) is a framework that helps organizations understand customer needs by focusing on the progress customers are trying to make in specific situations. Instead of concentrating on demographics or product categories, JTBD explores the functional, emotional, and social “jobs” that people are trying to complete in their lives. The underlying idea is that customers “hire” products or services to get a job done—and they will stop using them when a better solution becomes available.

The JTBD framework allows businesses to move beyond superficial metrics and into the realm of causality. It answers the question: What causes someone to choose one solution over another? By identifying the core jobs customers are trying to accomplish—and how well current solutions meet those jobs—teams can discover high-impact opportunities for innovation.

Jobs to be Done is not just a research tool but a mindset. It guides decision-making across product development, marketing, design, and business strategy. With this approach, teams can identify unaddressed needs, prioritize feature development, and align organizational efforts around real-world customer outcomes.

Jobs to be Done in Innovation

In the context of innovation, Jobs to be Done offers a practical framework for designing offerings that are deeply aligned with what users want to achieve. It helps teams cut through noise and focus on meaningful value creation.

This framework is particularly useful when:

• Defining a product roadmap.
• Prioritizing feature development.
• Entering new markets or redesigning existing offerings.
• Building a customer-centric culture across teams.

For example, consider a meal delivery company. Rather than thinking in terms of product categories like “healthy dinners,” JTBD reveals that customers may be hiring the service to “feel in control of their health,” “save time after work,” or “provide a shared experience for the family.” These jobs often cross traditional boundaries and offer deeper insight into what truly matters.

By understanding jobs through the JTBD lens, innovation teams can:

• Identify unmet needs where no current solution exists.
• Reframe product positioning to match the job language customers use.
• Avoid overinvesting in features that do not contribute to progress.
• Develop emotionally resonant, differentiated value propositions.

Jobs to be Done fosters alignment across departments and connects daily work to long-term strategic outcomes. It ensures that solutions are not only usable but useful, relevant, and compelling.

Getting Started with the Jobs to be Done Template

To apply the JTBD framework effectively, follow a structured process that combines research, synthesis, and prioritization. Below is a step-by-step guide to using this tool in innovation initiatives.

1. Identify Customer Segments and Contexts

Start by narrowing the focus:

• Who is the customer?
• In what situations are they trying to make progress?
• What context surrounds the need (e.g., time pressure, emotional state, environmental factors)?

Understanding the context ensures that jobs are specific and meaningful.

2. Conduct Customer Interviews

Use deep, narrative-style interviews to uncover the underlying jobs. Ask questions such as:

• “Tell me about the last time you used [product/service].”
• “What were you trying to get done?”
• “What made that moment difficult or frustrating?”
• “What alternatives did you consider?”

Focus on actual past behavior, not hypothetical desires. The goal is to extract stories that reveal motivations, struggles, and desired outcomes.

3. Extract Job Statements

Translate insights from interviews into structured job statements. A common format is:

• [Verb] + [Object of the Action] + [Context or Clarifier]

Examples:

• “Reduce the time it takes to prepare healthy meals after work.”
• “Find trustworthy childcare options near my office.”
• “Feel more confident presenting data to senior stakeholders.”

Use the customer’s language where possible.

4. Categorize Jobs by Type

Jobs typically fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Functional Jobs: Practical tasks to be accomplished.
• Emotional Jobs: Feelings customers want to experience or avoid.
• Social Jobs: How customers want to be perceived by others.

Categorizing jobs helps teams address the full experience.

5. Score Jobs by Importance and Satisfaction

Prioritize jobs using two criteria:

• Importance: How critical is this job to the customer?
• Satisfaction: How well is it currently being met by existing solutions?

Plot jobs on a matrix or use a scoring model (e.g., 1–10) to identify high-opportunity areas:

• High importance, low satisfaction = priority innovation areas.
• Low importance, high satisfaction = potential overinvestment.

6. Define Job-Driven Design Opportunities

Once prioritized, use jobs to inform design and strategy decisions:

• Develop features that directly support underserved jobs.
• Create messaging that aligns with job language and emotions.
• Innovate around jobs that your competitors are not addressing.

This alignment ensures that your offerings solve problems customers actively care about.

7. Test, Validate, and Iterate

Use prototypes, concept tests, and MVPs to validate whether your solution fulfills the job. Ask:

• “Does this help the customer make the progress they desire?”
• “Is it easier or more effective than their current approach?”
• “Does it create emotional or social benefits as well as functional ones?”

Refine based on feedback to improve fit and impact.

Project Recommendations for Success

Misidentifying Jobs as Product Features

A job is not a feature—it’s a desired outcome.

• Focus on progress, not technology.
• Avoid reverse-engineering jobs to justify product specs.
• Let customer language guide your framing.

Ignoring Emotional and Social Dimensions

Jobs are not purely functional.

• Include emotional and social jobs in your analysis.
• Ask how customers feel before, during, and after trying to complete the job.
• Address fears, desires, and aspirations.

Skipping the Research Phase

Assumptions lead to misalignment.

• Conduct real interviews before creating job statements.
• Use actual behavior and decision-making processes as your source.
• Validate with multiple customer segments.

Using Too Many Jobs

Focus leads to impact.

• Prioritize 3–5 core jobs for any given solution.
• Revisit scoring regularly as markets or behaviors change.
• Stay disciplined in roadmap planning.

Complementary Tools and Templates for Success

• Jobs to be Done Interview Guide – Supports deep customer conversations.
• Job Scoring Matrix Template – Ranks jobs by importance and satisfaction.
• Job-Driven Persona Canvas – Combines job data with demographic profiles.
• Opportunity Prioritization Board – Visualizes innovation focus areas.
• Value Proposition Canvas – Links jobs to gains, pains, and solutions.

Conclusion

The Jobs to be Done framework offers a powerful way to align innovation with what truly matters to customers. By focusing on the progress people want to make, rather than the features you want to build, it ensures that solutions are relevant, valuable, and meaningful.

This approach replaces assumptions with evidence and guesswork with insight. It empowers cross-functional teams to make decisions based on real customer needs and to prioritize work that drives satisfaction, loyalty, and growth.

In fast-moving, competitive markets, understanding customer jobs is not optional—it’s essential. It enables businesses to uncover new opportunities, differentiate offerings, and connect more deeply with the people they serve.

When applied with rigor and empathy, Jobs to be Done becomes a guiding light for innovation, helping teams navigate complexity with clarity and purpose.