Validation & Discovery
Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)
Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) is a framework that says customers "hire" a product to make progress on a specific job in their life, rather than buying it for its features.
Also known as: JTBD, jobs to be done
Why it matters
JTBD reframes what you are competing against. People do not want a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole, and they will "fire" you for anything that does the job better, including duct tape or doing nothing. For founders the lens is powerful because it surfaces the real alternatives customers use today and the emotional context around the job, which is where differentiation usually hides.
Worked example
Customers do not buy a milkshake for its taste. Some hire it as a boring-commute companion that is easy to drink one-handed. The real competitor is a bagel, not another milkshake.
Common mistakes
- Listing features instead of the underlying job the customer is trying to get done.
- Defining the job so broadly that it stops being useful.
- Forgetting the emotional and social dimensions of the job, not just the functional one.
Frequently asked questions
What does jobs to be done mean?
It means customers "hire" a product to make progress on a specific job in their life. They do not buy features; they buy a better way to get a job done. The job, not the product category, is the unit of analysis.
What is an example of jobs to be done?
The classic: people do not buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole. Or they "hire" a milkshake to make a boring commute bearable. Understanding the job reveals the real competition.
How does JTBD help with product decisions?
It focuses you on the outcome the customer wants, not the features you assume they need. That clarifies what to build, what to cut, and who you really compete against, which is often "doing nothing."
What are the types of jobs in JTBD?
Functional (the practical task), emotional (how they want to feel), and social (how they want to be seen). Strong products serve more than the functional job. Ignoring the emotional and social dimensions leaves value on the table.
How do you find the job to be done?
Interview customers about the last time they tried to make progress, what they used, and why they switched. Look for the struggle and the trigger. The Mom Test rules apply here too.
How is JTBD different from a persona?
A persona describes who the customer is; a job describes what they are trying to accomplish. The same person hires different solutions for different jobs. JTBD argues the job predicts behavior better than demographics.
Related terms
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Last updated 2026-06-02 · Back to the glossary