What is Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)?
The framework behind RoleDream's jobs, solutions, and hiring decisions
Overview
Jobs To Be Done shifts focus from demographics and product features to the underlying "jobs" customers are trying to accomplish. It is one of the two perspectives RoleDream unifies — see How RoleDream Connects Them.
"People don't buy products, they hire them to do a job." — Clayton Christensen
Four Things to Look For
The Job
The task, goal, or objective the customer is trying to accomplish — functional, emotional, or social.
The Customer
The person who has the job. Focus on their struggles and desired outcomes, not their demographics.
The Context
The circumstances in which the job arises. The same person prefers different solutions in different contexts.
The Outcome
The progress the customer wants to make. Outcomes define success from the customer's perspective.
Types of Jobs
Functional
practical tasks to accomplish"Get from point A to point B safely and efficiently" — satisfiable by a car, a bus, or a bike.
Emotional
feelings to achieve or avoid"Feel confident and stylish when I go out" — drives clothing, accessory, and grooming choices.
Social
how customers want to be perceived"Be seen as environmentally conscious" — influences products, brands, and behaviors.
In RoleDream, a job's type field carries this classification — alongside personal, aspirational, and the Service-Design-oriented supporting and operational types for internal work.
The Coffee Shop Study
A coffee shop wanted to increase morning sales…
Traditional Approach
Surveyed customers about coffee preferences: stronger, more flavors, cheaper.
JTBD Approach
Observed when and why people actually bought coffee.
Discovery
Most purchases were at 7:30 AM by professionals heading to work, often alone and tired.
The Job
"Get energized and ready for the work day"
The insight: coffee isn't competing with other coffees — it's competing with tea, energy drinks, smoothies, and even a morning run. All are "hired" for the same job.
Competing Alternatives
| Alternative | Hiring Criteria | Firing Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | Ritual, warmth, sustained energy | Can be bitter, stains teeth |
| Energy drink | Quick, portable | Artificial, sugar crash |
| Morning run | Natural energy, healthy | Requires time, weather dependent |
The Hiring Model
You don't "hire" a job — jobs exist whether you do them or not. You "hire" a solution to accomplish the job.
Job — the stable goal
"Deliver food to customers" is the same job it was a thousand years ago. It doesn't change with technology.
Solution — what gets hired and fired
"Deliver by horse", "by car", "by drone" — competing approaches that evolve and can be compared.
Hiring Decisions record each hire, fire, and switch — building a history of what works for the job.