Demystifying Jobs-to-be-Done: Four Applications

Newcomers to “Jobs-to-be-Done” are getting confused. With all that has been
written on the subject recently, those just getting introduced to the
theory are wondering: Do multiple versions of the theory exist? Why do
those out there who are talking about Jobs-to-be-Done think about it so
differently? Why are there so many different methods being touted as the
best way to apply the theory?

Here is the good news: there is only one Jobs-to-be-Done Theory. I believe that the established thought leaders in this space can all
agree on these 6 basic tenants of the theory:

1. People buy products and services to get a “job” done.
2. Products that win in the marketplace help customers get a job done
   better and/or more cheaply.
3. A job-to-be-done is stable over time, making it an attractive unit of
   analysis.
4. Understanding the job-to-be-done provides a new avenue for
   understanding customer needs.
5. A job-to-be-done is functional and has emotional and social jobs
   associated with it.
6. A job-to-be-done is always a process (to make progress).

Given these basic tenants, Jobs-to-be-Done Theory can be explained as
follows:

Situations arise in people’s lives where they turn to products and
services to help them get a job done. By understanding in detail what
that job is, companies are better informed to create solutions that
will help customers get the job done better and/or more cheaply.

The confusion that surrounds this subject results from the fact that
Jobs-to-be-Done Theory is applicable along many fronts and those using it
have different perspectives depending on the application. Understanding
these applications and the differences between them explains much of the
confusion that surrounds the subject.

To delve into this in more detail, let’s start by asking, “Who are the
users of Jobs-to-be-Done Theory and what are the jobs they are trying to
get done?” Four applications are of particular interest and the cause for
most of the confusion: market selection, innovation, development and
understanding the customer purchase decision.

Market Selection

First, Jobs-to-be-Done Theory is being embraced by entrepreneurs in
startups and managers in corporations and corporate venturing units (the
job executors) who are trying to discover, evaluate and select markets that
are attractive for them to enter/pursue (their job-to-be-done).

As entrepreneurs and managers engage in this process, they start by trying
to discover a number of unique jobs that customers are struggling to get
done. Their goal is to discover and define the jobs at a level of
abstraction that makes the job a uniquely attractive target. To accomplish
this goal practitioners have been creating tools to assist with this
exercise. Strategyn’s Jobs-to-be-Done Market Discovery Template is the tool our
clients use to assist with market discovery and definition (see Figure 1).

Once a number of markets are identified, the next step in the market
selection process is to determine which is the most attractive to pursue. A
job, for example, that is executed by many people, frequently, and is
highly under-served would be a more attractive target than one that is
executed by fewer people, infrequently and is already appropriately served.
Strategyn’s clients use a market evaluation tool that includes 42 criteria
to help make the market selection decision (see Figure 2).

Innovation

Second, Jobs-to-be-Done Theory has been embraced by product, marketing and
innovation managers (job executors) in established companies who are trying
to grow and expand their core markets (their job-to-be-done). Their goals
are to typically (i) create a value proposition that resonates with
customers, (ii) improve existing products, and (iii) conceptualize
altogether new products that will address core or adjacent market
opportunities. These activities comprise the innovation process.

To apply Jobs-to-be-Done Theory to assist in the innovation process,
Strategyn developed Outcome-Driven Innovation® (ODI). The
process originated in 1991 and has been simplified and improved through
hundreds of applications within Fortune 500 companies since. Strategyn
introduced ODI to Clayton Christensen in 1999. Six successes arising from
the process are described in detail in a book recently released,
JOBS TO BE DONE: Theory to Practice (Ulwick, 2016). The original book on the subject,
What Customers Want
(Ulwick, 2005), offers foundational insights into the ODI process and
additional case studies.

The ODI process is comprised of the following 6 steps (Figure 3):

While the first step overlaps a step in the market selection process
(market discovery and definition) the remaining steps in the process are
different and so are the tools required to execute them.

To win at innovation a company must know what a customer need is, what
the customer’s needs are, which are unmet and if segments of customers
exist with unique sets of unmet needs. With the target well defined,
creating a winning solution becomes far more likely.

ODI reveals the required insights using unconventional qualitative and
quantitative market research techniques. The process uniquely employs
predictive data and a sophisticated market segmentation methodology that
helps companies discover and prioritize hidden market opportunities.
Strategyn has developed a comprehensive set of tools to help its clients
execute each step in the process. Additional information on the ODI
innovation process can be found here.

Development

The third application involves developers and UI and UX designers (job
executors) who are trying to develop products that have been approved for
development (their job-to-be-done). These developers may work in lean or
agile environments. Their goal is to ensure that the products they create
and the code they write not only delivers on the product specifications,
but also guarantees a positive user experience.

Those trying to apply Jobs-to-be-Done Theory to the product development
process typically have the benefit of knowing what product they are trying
to create: the product is already conceptualized and defined as part of the
innovation process. What developers and UI and UX designers struggle with
are design issues and understanding the customer’s needs that relate to
what we call consumption chain jobs, such as learning how to use and
interfacing with the product.

As an extension of the ODI process, our clients apply steps 2 and 3 of the
ODI process (outcome gathering and prioritization) to better understand the
outcomes of users as they learn how to use, interface with the product and
engage in the remaining consumption chain jobs that must be considered in
the design phase. We have collected outcomes in all consumption chain jobs
multiple times over the years.

If a company uses ODI for the innovation process, developers will have the
prioritized outcomes associated with the core functional job to be done.
These inputs are needed for design as well.

If a developer does not have access to the customer outcomes associated
with the core functional job-to-be-done, then they tend to want to execute
the innovation process in conjunction with the development
process — learning more about the required product function as they create
the product. Combining the development process with the innovation process
creates confusion when using and implementing Jobs-to-be-Done Theory. A
product concept should be well defined and proven to win in the marketplace before it is approved for development. The ODI process makes this
possible.

Understanding the Customer Purchase Decision.

The forth application of the theory involves marketing team members (job
executors) who are trying to understand the process that customer’s go
through when buying a product so they can enhance the customer’s buying
experience (their job-to-be-done). Confusion over Jobs-to-be-Done theory
results from thinking that understanding the customer purchase decision
will somehow inform the innovation and development processes as well, but
it does not. The purchase “process” is an altogether unique job the
customer is trying to get done, and is best studied as a separate job.

We have studied the purchase “job” on a number of occasions over the years,
most recently with Harte Hanks where we studied customers of retailers who
were engaged in the purchase process. The results of that work can be seen
in this article:
Can Bricks and Mortar Compete With On-Line Retailing.

The article shows that the purchase process involves the customer working
to understand the problem they are trying to solve and then researching and
evaluating possible solutions, selecting the best solution, deciding where
to buy it, and finally, engaging in the physical transaction required to
acquire the product. Gaining customer insights across this job at the
desired outcome level can lead to improvements in the customer’s purchase
experience.

While each of these four jobs is clearly different, they can all benefit
from Jobs-to-be-Done Theory. It’s just a matter of picking the right tool
for the job. You can obtain additional resources at Strategyn.