Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)

Jobs To Be Done, commonly abbreviated as JTBD, is a customer-centered framework that explains purchasing decisions by focusing on the progress customers are trying to achieve rather than on the products they purchase. Instead of asking who the customer is, JTBD asks what the customer is attempting to accomplish and why a particular solution is chosen to complete that task.

The framework assumes that customers do not buy products simply because of their features. They "hire" products or services to solve problems, remove obstacles, reduce uncertainty, save time, improve performance, or create desired outcomes. When a solution no longer performs its intended job effectively, customers begin searching for alternatives regardless of previous loyalty.

Jobs may be functional, emotional, or social. A customer purchasing project management software, for example, may seek not only operational efficiency but also greater confidence, reduced stress, improved collaboration, or professional credibility. Understanding these broader motivations enables organizations to design solutions that address the real drivers of customer behavior.

JTBD encourages organizations to focus on the customer's objective rather than on product categories. Competing solutions often originate from entirely different industries because customers evaluate alternatives according to the job they need completed rather than the products themselves.