| name | jtbd-analysis |
| description | Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework by Clayton Christensen. Analyzes requirements through the lens of what 'job' customers hire products to do. Covers functional, emotional, and social jobs. Use when understanding underlying customer motivations or reframing features as outcomes. |
| allowed-tools | Read, Write, Glob, Grep, Task |
Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) Analysis
Jobs to Be Done is a framework for understanding why customers "hire" products to help them make progress in specific circumstances.
When to Use This Skill
Keywords: jobs to be done, JTBD, customer jobs, functional jobs, emotional jobs, social jobs, job statements, outcome-driven innovation, Clayton Christensen, hiring products, customer progress
Use this skill when:
- Understanding the underlying motivation behind feature requests
- Reframing requirements from features to customer outcomes
- Discovering unmet needs that competitors haven't addressed
- Prioritizing features based on importance vs satisfaction
- Interviewing customers about their struggles and desired progress
- Analyzing why customers switch to or from competitors
Core Concepts
The JTBD Framework
Customers don't buy products.
Customers HIRE products to get a JOB done.
Classic Example: People don't buy a 1/4" drill. They hire it to make a 1/4" hole. But even deeper: they hire it to hang a picture, which helps them feel at home.
Job Dimensions
| Dimension | Description | Example |
|---|
| Functional | The practical task to accomplish | "Hang a picture on the wall" |
| Emotional | How the person wants to feel | "Feel proud of my decorated home" |
| Social | How they want to be perceived | "Be seen as having good taste" |
Job Statement Format
When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome].
Examples:
job_statements:
- context: "When I'm starting a new project"
motivation: "I want to quickly find qualified freelancers"
outcome: "so I can get work done without spending weeks recruiting"
- context: "When I'm cooking dinner for guests"
motivation: "I want a recipe that's impressive but not complex"
outcome: "so I can enjoy the evening without stress"
- context: "When my flight is delayed"
motivation: "I want real-time updates on my phone"
outcome: "so I can plan my connections and notify people waiting"
JTBD Interview Technique
The Switch Interview
Understand why customers switched to your product:
switch_interview_flow:
1. First thought:
"When did you first start thinking you needed [solution]?"
2. Passive looking:
"What did you do about it initially?"
3. Active looking:
"When did you start actively looking for alternatives?"
4. Deciding:
"What made you finally choose [product]?"
5. Consuming:
"What happened after you started using it?"
6. Satisfaction:
"How is it working out? What's still frustrating?"
Push/Pull Forces
PUSH (Away from current situation)
├── Problems with current solution
├── Frustrations and pain points
└── Triggering events
PULL (Toward new solution)
├── Attraction to new way
├── Hoped-for outcomes
└── Perceived improvements
INERTIA (Keeping current behavior)
├── Habits and familiarity
├── Switching costs
└── "Good enough" mentality
ANXIETY (About new solution)
├── Will it actually work?
├── Learning curve
└── Risk of wrong choice
For change to happen: Push + Pull > Inertia + Anxiety
Mapping Jobs to Requirements
Job Map Structure
Break down the main job into stages:
job_map:
main_job: "Prepare a healthy meal for my family"
stages:
1_define:
name: "Define what to make"
sub_jobs:
- "Decide on dietary constraints"
- "Consider what's in the fridge"
- "Find a suitable recipe"
2_prepare:
name: "Prepare ingredients"
sub_jobs:
- "Gather all ingredients"
- "Prep vegetables and proteins"
- "Measure quantities"
3_execute:
name: "Cook the meal"
sub_jobs:
- "Follow recipe steps"
- "Time multiple dishes"
- "Adjust seasoning"
4_complete:
name: "Serve and clean up"
sub_jobs:
- "Plate attractively"
- "Clean as you go"
- "Store leftovers properly"
From Jobs to Features
translation_pattern:
job: "Find a suitable recipe quickly"
requirements:
functional:
- "Search recipes by ingredient"
- "Filter by dietary restrictions"
- "Sort by prep time"
emotional:
- "Show confidence ratings"
- "Display success photos"
- "Offer beginner-friendly options"
social:
- "Enable sharing on social media"
- "Show what friends have made"
- "Community ratings and reviews"
Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI)
Outcome Statements
More precise than job statements:
[Direction] + [measure] + [object of control] + [context]
Examples:
outcome_statements:
- "Minimize the time it takes to find a relevant recipe"
- "Increase the likelihood that ingredients are in stock"
- "Reduce the effort required to clean up after cooking"
- "Minimize the risk of burning or overcooking food"
Importance vs Satisfaction Matrix
HIGH IMPORTANCE
│
OVER-SERVED │ UNDERSERVED
(Don't invest) │ (Opportunity!)
│
──────────────────────────────────────────────
│
APPROPRIATELY │ APPROPRIATELY
SERVED │ SERVED
(Low value area) │ (Maintain)
│
LOW IMPORTANCE
│
LOW SATISFACTION ───────── HIGH SATISFACTION
Opportunity Score = Importance + (Importance - Satisfaction)
Integration with Elicitation
JTBD-Enhanced Interview Questions
Add these to stakeholder interviews:
jtbd_questions:
context:
- "When do you typically need to [activity]?"
- "What triggers you to start this process?"
motivation:
- "What are you ultimately trying to achieve?"
- "Why is this important to you?"
current_solution:
- "How do you handle this today?"
- "What's frustrating about the current approach?"
desired_progress:
- "In an ideal world, how would this work?"
- "What would success look like?"
emotional:
- "How do you feel when this goes wrong?"
- "How would you feel if this was effortless?"
social:
- "Who else is affected by how you do this?"
- "How do others perceive this activity?"
Synthesizing JTBD from Requirements
/requirements-elicitation:discover "inventory management"
Output Format
JTBD Analysis Report
jtbd_analysis:
domain: "inventory management"
date: "2025-12-26"
main_job:
statement: "Keep the right products in stock without excess inventory"
context: "As a retail manager responsible for product availability"
job_dimensions:
functional:
- "Predict demand accurately"
- "Reorder at the right time"
- "Track stock levels"
emotional:
- "Feel confident about stock decisions"
- "Avoid the stress of stockouts"
- "Pride in efficient operations"
social:
- "Be seen as competent by leadership"
- "Maintain customer satisfaction"
- "Demonstrate data-driven decisions"
job_map:
- stage: "Monitor inventory levels"
jobs: [...]
opportunities: [...]
opportunity_scores:
- job: "Predict seasonal demand"
importance: 9
satisfaction: 4
score: 14
Related Commands
/interview - Conduct JTBD-style interviews/simulate - Simulate stakeholders for JTBD exploration/discover - Full elicitation workflow/prioritize - Use JTBD opportunity scores for prioritization
References
For detailed guidance:
External:
- Clayton Christensen's "Competing Against Luck"
- Bob Moesta's "Demand-Side Sales 101"
- JTBD.info
Version History
- v1.0.0 (2025-12-26): Initial release - JTBD Analysis skill
Last Updated: 2025-12-26
