Job to be Done: Find Out Why!

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In today’s dynamic world of product management and innovation, understanding why customers make decisions is more crucial than ever. That’s where the Job to be Done (JTBD) framework comes in. This framework helps you uncover customer struggles, identify their needs, and build products that address those needs effectively. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the JTBD foundations, explore real-world case studies (like Intercom and a video editing startup), and share valuable lessons you can apply to your product development journey.

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What to Expect from this Article

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This article offers:

• A deep dive into the Job to Be Done (JTBD) framework and its key principles.

• Real-life case studies from Intercom and an AI-powered video editing startup that used JTBD to achieve remarkable growth.

• Expert quotes and takeaways from Bob Moesta’s talk, the co-creator of JTBD, illustrating how JTBD can be applied across industries.

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What is the Job to Be Done Framework?

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The Job to be Done (JTBD) framework is all about understanding the “job” a customer hires your product to do. Customers don’t just buy products; they “hire” products to help them achieve a goal or solve a specific problem. The essence of JTBD is that customer struggles are the seeds of innovation. By identifying these struggles, product managers can develop solutions that deliver real value.

Here’s how Bob Moesta, co-creator of the JTBD framework, defines it:

“People don’t buy products, they hire products to make progress in their lives.”

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JTBD Foundations Explained

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At the heart of JTBD is uncovering the struggling moments of your customers. These moments of frustration, when customers realize their current solution is no longer working, are where innovation begins. According to Bob Moesta:

“The struggling moment is the seed for all innovation.”

This means that the struggle a customer faces is what pushes them to seek change. To solve their problems, we need to understand the context, needs, and desired outcomes of our customers. Here’s how the JTBD process works:

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1. Start with Customer Struggles, Not Features

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When developing products, focus on the underlying struggling moments that cause customers to seek new solutions. Don’t get bogged down in features; instead, think about how the customer is trying to make progress.

“Customers don’t always know what they want. It’s our job to uncover the real problem and understand what’s causing the struggle.” — Bob Moesta

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2. The Push and Pull Forces

JTBD explains customer behavior as a balance of push and pull forces:

• Push Forces: These are the frustrations customers feel in their current situation, driving them to seek a solution.

• Pull Forces: These are the attractions of a new solution or product, drawing customers toward change.

“The push of the situation causes discomfort, and the pull of a better solution pulls the customer forward. But without both, they won’t switch.” — Bob Moesta

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3. Trade-offs Are Inevitable

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Bob Moesta emphasizes the importance of trade-offs when building products:

“Learn what to suck at. A kick-ass half is better than a half-ass whole.”

This insight reflects that no product can do everything perfectly. Prioritize solving the most important customer struggles, even if it means leaving other areas underdeveloped.

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Case Study: How Intercom Used JTBD to Achieve Growth

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Intercom’s journey with JTBD is a perfect example of how focusing on customer struggles can revolutionize a product. In 2013, Intercom realized that their single product was being used in vastly different ways by their customers. They decided to conduct JTBD interviews to get a deeper understanding of their customers’ struggles.

What they discovered was eye-opening:

• Some customers used Intercom to acquire new customers.

• Others used it for customer engagement.

• Some focused on tech support, while others primarily used it for onboarding.

Intercom realized that their product was actually fulfilling four distinct jobs for different customer segments. Instead of trying to be everything for everyone, they decided to break their product into separate packages tailored to each job.

As Bob Moesta explained:

“We realized Intercom didn’t have one product, it had four products. And once they segmented those products, sales exploded.”

This approach led to an astounding 5x increase in customers and 3x growth in revenue in less than a year. By using the JTBD framework, Intercom was able to meet their customers where they were struggling and deliver tailored solutions.

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Case Study: AI Video Editing Startup’s Success with JTBD

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Another excellent example of JTBD in action comes from an AI-powered video editing startup. They initially struggled because they were adding too many features and trying to please all customer segments. As a result, their product was becoming cluttered and inefficient.

The startup hired Bob Moesta to conduct JTBD interviews. The results were striking: they had three very different customer segments:

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1. Small businesses creating TikTok videos to engage customers quickly.

2. Novices who were just learning video editing and needed simple tools.

3. Video experts who wanted advanced features for professional editing.

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By catering to all these groups, the startup was actually diluting their product’s effectiveness. The decision? Focus solely on the first two jobs, ignoring the expert segment entirely. They revamped their product, simplified it, and added AI to help novices and small businesses create impactful videos quickly.

The outcome was remarkable: within six months, they grew from zero to 25 million users, reaching over 190 countries.

As Bob Moesta pointed out:

“Instead of trying to be everything for everyone, they focused on meeting their customers’ key struggles. The result was exponential growth.”

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The Power of JTBD: 10 Key Quotes to Remember

Here are ten significant quotes from Bob Moesta’s JTBD talk, each carrying an essential lesson:

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1. “People don’t buy products, they hire products to make progress in their lives.” — A reminder that your product must solve a real problem for the customer.

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2. “The struggling moment is the seed for all innovation.” — Always start with understanding customer struggles.

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3. “Customers don’t always know what they want. It’s our job to uncover the real problem.” — Focus on uncovering underlying issues.

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4. “Questions create spaces in the brain for solutions to fall into.” — Use questioning to guide your understanding of the customer’s needs.

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5. “Build it, and they will come is a lie. You need to understand customer demand first.” — Stop building blindly; understand the demand before creating products.

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6. “A kick-ass half is better than a half-ass whole.” — Focus on solving the most important problems first.

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7. “Every time you solve one struggling moment, another one will emerge.” — Innovation is an ongoing process of solving new struggles.

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8. “If you’re adding features and creating more anxiety, you’re doing it wrong.” — Keep features aligned with customer needs, not just for the sake of adding them.

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9. “Learn what to suck at.” — Don’t try to make everything perfect; focus on excelling where it counts.

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10. “It’s not random why people buy your product, it’s cause and effect.” — There’s always a reason behind a purchase decision; you just need to discover it.

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Key Takeaways

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At the end of the day, JTBD is about mastering the art of customer struggle. Here are the top three takeaways to apply from Bob Moesta’s talk:

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1. Find your customers’ struggling moments and own them. These moments are the keys to unlocking product innovation.

2. Focus on the progress your customers are trying to make rather than just the features of your product.

3. Learn what to suck at. You can’t be perfect at everything, so prioritize what will deliver the most value.

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Conclusion

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Understanding the Job to Be Done (JTBD) framework is crucial for product managers, marketers, and business leaders who want to drive meaningful innovation. By focusing on the struggling moments of your customers, you can build products that truly make a difference.

If you’re ready to put the JTBD framework into action, start by identifying the key struggles your customers face. Then, design your products to address those struggles, and watch your business grow.

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