What is it?

Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) is a user-centric framework for digging straight into why customers “hire” a product or service to solve specific problems.

Instead of relying on personas or broad demographics, JTBD zeroes in on the functional, emotional, and social tasks people aim to accomplish, aka their “jobs.” By understanding these core jobs, teams pinpoint unmet needs, prioritize features with real demand, and align product roadmaps with customer workflows. JTBD isn't theory; it's a structured method: you interview users about past purchase decisions, dissect the phrasing of their goals, and cluster jobs by outcome.

The result? A crystal-clear view of what your product must deliver to become indispensable, leading to more targeted innovation, fewer feature flops, and product-market fit that sticks.

Why it matters?

JTBD drives growth by shifting your roadmap from guesswork to customer truth. When you build around the actual jobs people hire you for, you see higher conversion rates, deeper retention, and faster word-of-mouth, because you're solving problems your users truly care about. That focus turns features into must-haves rather than nice-to-haves.

How it works

Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.

Map the Candidate Jobs

Start by listing all tasks your customers hire your category to solve. Include functional (e.g., “book a ride”), emotional (“feel safe in transit”), and social jobs (“impress friends”).

Conduct Outcome-Driven Interviews

Talk to real users about moments they sought a solution. Ask them to walk through the last time they “hired” a product. Capture their exact language and pain points.

Break Down Job Statements

Convert insights into clear ‘When X happens, I want to Y, so I can Z' statements. This format reveals job triggers, desired outcomes, and core motivations.

Cluster and Prioritize

Group similar job statements into job families, then rate each job on criteria like frequency and dissatisfaction. This reveals your biggest white-space opportunities.

Translate into Requirements

Use high-priority job statements to drive product specs, user stories, or experiment hypotheses. Tie every feature back to a validated user job.

Frequently asked questions

Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.

What exactly counts as a “job” in JTBD?

A job is any goal or task a customer hires your product to complete. It's not a feature; it's the underlying outcome, like ‘get dinner on the table fast' rather than ‘use a recipe app.'

What exactly counts as a “job” in JTBD?

A job is any goal or task a customer hires your product to complete. It's not a feature; it's the underlying outcome, like ‘get dinner on the table fast' rather than ‘use a recipe app.'

How many user interviews do I need for JTBD?

Aim for 10–15 in-depth interviews to cover diverse use cases. You'll hit diminishing returns after you start hearing the same job statements repeatedly.

How many user interviews do I need for JTBD?

Aim for 10–15 in-depth interviews to cover diverse use cases. You'll hit diminishing returns after you start hearing the same job statements repeatedly.

When should I use JTBD instead of personas?

Use JTBD when you need concrete, outcome-driven insights rather than broad archetypes. Personas tell you who; JTBD tells you why and what they really want to achieve.

When should I use JTBD instead of personas?

Use JTBD when you need concrete, outcome-driven insights rather than broad archetypes. Personas tell you who; JTBD tells you why and what they really want to achieve.

How do I distinguish functional vs. emotional jobs?

Functional jobs address practical needs (e.g., ‘finish taxes on time'). Emotional jobs capture feelings (e.g., ‘feel confident about my filings'). Always tag both to build well-rounded solutions.

How do I distinguish functional vs. emotional jobs?

Functional jobs address practical needs (e.g., ‘finish taxes on time'). Emotional jobs capture feelings (e.g., ‘feel confident about my filings'). Always tag both to build well-rounded solutions.

How do I turn JTBD insights into product features?

Translate each prioritized job statement into a user story or experiment hypothesis. Then validate with prototypes or A/B tests to ensure you're solving the right job.

How do I turn JTBD insights into product features?

Translate each prioritized job statement into a user story or experiment hypothesis. Then validate with prototypes or A/B tests to ensure you're solving the right job.

You've mapped your core jobs with JTBD. Now run them through the CrackGrowth diagnostic to pinpoint where friction kills those jobs and generate experiments that turn insights into growth.

Get started for free