Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) is a market research framework that helps businesses understand why customers make purchasing decisions. Rather than focusing solely on what customers are buying or who they are demographically, JTBD digs deeper into the motivation behind each decision – the "job" the customer is trying to get done.

Think of it this way: people don’t simply buy products, they hire them to perform a specific job in their lives. For instance, someone buying a cordless vacuum cleaner isn’t just purchasing a device – they’re hiring it to help them clean up quickly without hassle, maybe around kids or pets in a busy home. That underlying need is the true driver of the purchase.

Breaking down the JTBD concept

In market research, the JTBD framework explains consumer behavior by focusing on goals, challenges, and functional or emotional needs. It asks questions like:

• What was going on in the customer’s life when they sought a solution?
• What outcome were they hoping to achieve?
• What trade-offs did they consider (time, money, effort)?

This approach allows businesses to look at the bigger picture of why their product or service fits into a customer’s life – enabling them to make more strategic decisions around product development, marketing, and innovation.

JTBD vs. traditional market research methods

Traditional market research often segments audiences by age, income, or product usage. While these metrics are useful, they don't always reveal why someone makes a decision. JTBD shifts the focus from the customer’s profile to their purpose – uncovering the functional, social, and emotional influences behind a choice.

Here’s an example (fictional for reference): A beverage company notices that sales of a sports drink spike in the afternoon. With JTBD, they might discover that people aren’t buying it because they’ve exercised – they’re using it as a refreshing pick-me-up to get through a tiring workday. That insight might lead to creating a new product line targeting midday energy rather than athletic performance.

Why it matters in research

The Jobs To Be Done theory leads to more actionable customer insights because it reveals unmet needs, friction points, and overlooked opportunities. At SIVO Insights, we often use JTBD alongside other market research methods to deliver well-rounded, strategic guidance. It can be especially useful when launching new products or facing rapidly changing consumer behaviors.

In short, JTBD is about seeing your offerings from your customer’s point of view – not just what they buy, but what they’re trying to achieve. That clarity helps fuel better business growth, innovation, and long-term relevance.

In today’s competitive business landscape, understanding your customers isn’t a luxury – it’s essential. The Jobs To Be Done framework matters for business leaders and decision-makers because it offers a more accurate lens into what truly drives consumer behavior. By uncovering the "why behind the buy," JTBD enables smarter, faster decisions across strategy, marketing, and product development.

Connecting strategy to real customer needs

Too often, companies build products or services based on assumptions: demographic data, competitor comparisons, or internal brainstorming. While these inputs have value, they don't always connect directly to the needs customers are trying to fulfill. JTBD gives business leaders clarity around how their solutions fit into customers’ lives and what obstacles might be preventing adoption or satisfaction.

For example, imagine you're designing a new mobile banking feature. Internal teams might prioritize speed or convenience. But by applying JTBD, you discover that customers are more concerned with clarity – they want to feel in control and understand every step. That insight can completely reshape design and messaging strategies.

What JTBD helps business leaders do better:

• Identify hidden growth areas – Understand overlooked “jobs” customers are trying to complete where your brand could play a role.
• De-risk product innovation – Use JTBD to validate market fit before launching something new.
• Create stronger brand positioning – Align messaging and value propositions with specific customer goals.
• Stay adaptive in changing markets – As customer needs evolve, JTBD keeps insights rooted in purpose, not just patterns.

JTBD helps prioritize what matters most

Business leaders are constantly juggling priorities – margins, timelines, resources. One of the most powerful benefits of using JTBD in market research for growth is its ability to focus investments where they’ll make the most impact. Rather than chasing trends, JTBD aligns offer development around specific jobs your customers are already trying to get done.

And because the framework documents context – when, where, and how people seek solutions – it enables more effective product strategies, marketing campaigns, and customer journeys. Essentially, you’re not guessing what works. You’re acting on real insight.

JTBD is for more than product teams

While JTBD is often discussed within product innovation, its applications can touch nearly every part of a business. Marketing, customer experience, sales, and even operations can benefit from knowing what “jobs” customers are hiring your brand to do. That common language builds alignment across departments and supports better, faster decision-making at every level.

For any leader asking, How can we grow in a way that truly matters to our customers? – Jobs To Be Done offers a reliable, research-based starting point.

One of the most powerful aspects of the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework is its ability to uncover true customer needs – not just what people say they want, but what they’re trying to accomplish in their lives. By focusing on the motivations behind a purchase or a behavior, JTBD moves beyond surface-level preferences and digs into the underlying goals that drive consumer behavior.

Understanding Why Customers Make Decisions

At its core, JTBD helps businesses understand the “why” behind customer actions. Instead of asking, “Why did you buy this product?” JTBD asks, “What were you trying to achieve when you chose this?” This shift in perspective can reveal valuable customer insights that traditional market research methods often miss.

For example, a fictional coffee brand may discover that customers aren’t just buying cold brew because they like the taste – they’re hiring it to give them a quick energy boost before early morning meetings. That insight points to functional needs (staying alert) as well as emotional ones (feeling prepared and professional).

Different Types of Customer Needs Identified Through JTBD

When used effectively in a market research framework, JTBD can identify several layers of customer needs:

• Functional needs: These are the practical, task-oriented outcomes customers want to achieve.
• Emotional needs: These reflect how customers want to feel before, during, or after using a product or service.
• Social needs: These involve how customers believe others will perceive them as a result of their choices.

By mapping multiple types of needs to a single job, businesses can create more complete personas and more effective value propositions. Rather than developing products based solely on demographics or usage stats, JTBD encourages a rich, human-centered view of customer behavior.

JTBD Helps Reveal Unmet Needs

One of the most exciting outcomes of using JTBD in market research is the discovery of unmet or underserved needs. These are opportunities that businesses can prioritize for product innovation or improved services. Whether it’s simplifying a purchasing process, enhancing portability, or aligning to a lifestyle change, these insights often lead to actionable strategies that fuel business growth.

In this way, JTBD aligns closely with understanding consumer behavior in business. It empowers leaders to ask better questions and see beyond the obvious – opening doors to innovation that directly meets customers where they are, based on what they’re trying to get done.

Using the Jobs To Be Done framework in product development can transform the way businesses design, iterate, and deliver value. Rather than guessing what features people want, JTBD encourages teams to design solutions that help customers successfully complete the “jobs” they’re already trying to do. This results in more relevant, user-centered products with greater market fit.

Start with Jobs, Not Features

Traditional product development often starts with ideas – a new technology, a trendy feature, or competitive pressure. JTBD flips this around, beginning instead with a deep understanding of what the customer needs to accomplish. Product teams can then work backward, asking: “What kind of solution would perfectly support this job?”

For example, let’s say a fictional fitness app company identifies a common job among busy parents: “Fit in quick, energizing workouts during nap time.” Instead of adding broad workout categories, the app team might design short, silent exercise routines that don’t require equipment or loud audio. This insight-led approach directly supports business growth by aligning product design with real-world customer behavior.

Use JTBD to Prioritize Features That Matter

JTBD also helps prioritize development efforts. By ranking jobs based on importance and satisfaction (i.e., how important a job is and how well existing solutions solve it), businesses can identify high-opportunity areas where customers are underserved. This helps focus resources on solving the most impactful problems first.

Real-World Research, Not Assumptions

To apply JTBD effectively, it’s important to gather authentic consumer insights. This often includes qualitative market research methods like in-depth interviews, observational research, or online journaling. Talking with customers about their context, frustrations, and motivations gives a clearer picture of the job they are hiring a product to do – and helps avoid common pitfalls of building based on assumptions.

JTBD Supports Long-Term Product Strategy

Beyond informing immediate product decisions, JTBD provides a consistent lens for innovation over time. Because it focuses on what customers are trying to achieve (rather than shifting trends), JTBD helps businesses build roadmaps, adapt to changes in behavior, and stay relevant in competitive markets. It plays a key role in shaping product strategy that grows with your users.

In short, applying Jobs To Be Done in product development leads to smarter, more customer-aligned decisions. It reduces guesswork, minimizes wasted effort, and creates meaningful value – all while reinforcing a more agile, insight-driven approach to innovation.

If you’re new to Jobs To Be Done and wondering how to begin, the good news is that you don’t have to be an expert to start seeing the value. JTBD is a versatile market research method that can be adapted to businesses of all sizes and industries. It’s about asking better questions and listening carefully to your customers’ real goals.

Begin with Curiosity

Instead of jumping into a new survey or product brainstorm, start by being curious. What are your customers trying to accomplish when they use your product or service? What frustrations do they face? What would success look like from their point of view?

Conversations with customers – even informal ones – can begin to reveal patterns and “job statements” worth exploring further. These might sound like:

• “I use this app when I’m in a hurry and need quick results.”
• “I just needed something to help me feel more confident before a job interview.”
• “It saved me from having to ask for help, which I hate doing.”

Frame Customer Jobs Clearly

A useful job statement often follows a “When... I want to... so I can...” structure. For example: “When I commute to work, I want to pass the time productively so I can start the day feeling accomplished.” These job statements help your team clearly align product ideas or improvements to actual customer needs.

Build into Existing Research

JTBD doesn’t require starting from scratch. If you’re already conducting customer interviews, usability testing, or gathering feedback, you can add JTBD-inspired questions into the mix. Look for themes about situations, goals, and outcomes rather than just satisfaction or ratings.

Collaborate Across Teams

Jobs To Be Done works best when integrated across product, marketing, innovation, and strategy teams. Sharing customer jobs internally helps create alignment and gives everyone a common language for understanding consumer behavior in business. It fosters empathy and collaboration, which are key to building things that truly matter.

Partner with Experts When Needed

While you can begin your JTBD exploration in-house, partnering with a market research firm can add depth and confidence. Research partners like SIVO Insights can help you uncover nuanced insights, conduct rigorous analysis, and translate findings into clear, strategic actions tailored to your business goals.

Starting with JTBD doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on your customer’s desired outcomes, you’ll not only sharpen your product development – you’ll unlock smarter, more sustainable paths to growth.