Jobs to be Done
The Jobs to be Done lens helps us to see what causes people to bring products/services into their lives. We say that people don’t buy products, they hire them to do jobs for them. The classic way to understand this contrast is that no one goes to the hardware store seeking a 1/4-inch drill bit, they go to the store because they need a ¼”-hole.
Jobs to be Done are not based on customer characteristics and product features. Jobs are discovered by looking at “struggling moments,” times when we’re searching to resolve a problem in our lives, but there isn’t a clear or great solution.
I often use the example of the energy shot. 5-hour energy solves a job many of us have. In the mid-afternoon, our circadian rhythm causes a drop in attentiveness. But we’ve still got work to do now—and later when we get home from work. Options range from workout equipment to coffee to Snickers to pillows for a nap. 5-hour energy addresses the job well: keep you productive through the afternoon and early evening, without a sugar or caffeine crash.
By understanding a place where people struggle, we can better design products and services, so that they fit perfectly in that struggling moment. If we match the solution to the job manifested in the struggling moment, customers will flock to the solution.
