By the end of this lesson you can
- Describe the Jobs to Be Done idea in plain language.
- Write job statements that describe progress people want to make.
- Use jobs to find competitors and opportunities a feature list would miss.
The idea
Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) is a way of thinking about why people use products. The idea is that people "hire" a product to make progress in a particular situation, and "fire" it when something else does the job better.
Jobs are about progress
A job is not a task in your interface. It is the progress someone wants: "When I get home late and tired, I want to eat something decent without effort, so I can rest." A food delivery app, a frozen meal and a sandwich from the corner shop are all candidates for that job.
Job statements
A common format is: When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [outcome]. The situation matters most, because the same person has different jobs in different moments. Jobs also have functional sides (get fed), emotional sides (not feel guilty about it) and social sides (look like a good host).
JTBD and personas
Personas describe types of people; jobs describe situations and goals. They can work together: a persona tells you who, a job tells you what they are trying to achieve right now. JTBD is especially good at revealing unexpected competitors and the real reasons people switch.
Why it matters in real projects
Thinking in jobs stops teams designing features in isolation. It shows what really competes for a person's time and money, explains why people switch products, and keeps the focus on outcomes rather than screens. A clear job statement is a strong foundation for problem statements and success metrics later in this stage.
A realistic example
A meditation app team assumes its competitors are other meditation apps. Switch interviews (asking recent new customers what they used before and why they changed) tell a different story. Many people "hired" the app when they couldn't fall asleep because of work worries. Before, they had used podcasts, scrolling social media or a glass of wine.
The job, "When I'm lying awake worrying about work, I want to calm my mind quickly so I can sleep and cope tomorrow", reshapes the product. The team builds a one-tap night mode with no bright screens and no choices to make, rather than adding more meditation courses.
Step by step
Talk to recent switchers
Interview people who recently started or stopped using a product like yours.
Reconstruct the timeline
Ask what was happening when they first thought about changing, what they tried, and what made them decide.
Identify the situation
Note the moment and context that triggered the need.
Write job statements
Use "When... I want to... so I can..." and include emotional and social aspects.
List all competing solutions
Include non-obvious alternatives, such as doing nothing.
Find gaps
Where do current solutions do the job poorly? That is your opportunity.
Common mistakes
Mistake Writing jobs that name your product or a feature.
Instead Describe progress the person wants independently of any solution.
Mistake Leaving out the situation.
Instead Start every job with "When...". Context is what makes jobs useful.
Mistake Ignoring emotional and social sides.
Instead Ask how people want to feel and be seen, not just what they want done.
Check your understanding
Choose an answer, then check it. There is an explanation either way.
Practice exercise
Exercise · about 40 min
Switch story
Interview someone who recently changed how they do something, such as switching banks, gyms or note-taking apps.
Steps
- Ask about the moment they first thought of changing.
- Map their timeline from first thought to decision.
- Write two job statements with functional and emotional parts.
- List every alternative they considered, including doing nothing.
Deliverable
A timeline, two job statements and a list of competing solutions.
Self-assessment
Tick each item when it is true of your exercise. Be honest; this is for you.
4 items
Summary
- People hire products to make progress in specific situations.
- Job statements use "When... I want to... so I can...".
- Jobs reveal unexpected competitors and reasons for switching.
- Jobs complement personas: one describes situations, the other people.
Further reading
Third-party sources, chosen for reliability. They open in a new tab.
- Personas vs. jobs-to-be-done (opens in a new tab)Nielsen Norman Group
- Know your customers' "jobs to be done" (opens in a new tab)Harvard Business Review
Your notes
Marking complete updates your course and roadmap progress.