The Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework is a research-based approach that helps businesses understand the underlying motivations behind customer decisions. At its core, JTBD encourages us to ask: What job is the customer trying to get done when they choose this product or service?

Rather than focusing solely on demographics, product features, or brand perception, JTBD zeroes in on the task or outcome the customer is trying to achieve. This could be anything from “stay connected with loved ones while traveling abroad” to “cook a healthy dinner in under 30 minutes.” The idea is that people don’t buy products just for what they are – they buy them for what those products help them achieve.

JTBD Simplified

Think of this framework as a shift from product-centric to customer-centric thinking. Traditional customer research often asks: "What do users like about this feature?" JTBD asks instead: "What outcome did the user hire this solution to deliver?" That small shift makes a big difference when you're aiming to uncover deeper consumer needs and fuel smarter business decisions.

Benefits of Using JTBD in Business

Businesses that use JTBD effectively often report:

• Smoother product development – by building solutions around the job, not just features
• Sharpened marketing messages – grounded in what people are truly trying to achieve
• Clearer innovation strategy – identifying unmet needs in the market
• Deeper customer insights – that go beyond surface-level preferences

For example, imagine a fictional fitness company that initially markets a new at-home workout program as a way to “get stronger.” After applying JTBD research, they learn that the real job customers are hiring the program for is to “stay mentally resilient and energized during long work weeks.” That insight opens up entirely new messaging strategies and product enhancements aligned with customer needs.

By focusing on the job the customer hopes to accomplish – not just who they are or what product they use – businesses can reveal untapped demand and sharpen their choices. It's a methodology that fits naturally into broader market research and consumer insight strategies, making it a valuable tool in any company's toolkit.

One of the most common misunderstandings about JTBD is that it’s only useful for product managers or design teams. While the Jobs To Be Done framework is indeed a powerful tool for product innovation, limiting it to that role overlooks its broader potential.

The reality is, JTBD can inform many functions across an organization – marketing, customer experience, innovation, and even strategic planning. That’s because it focuses on why customers make decisions, which is valuable information for any team aiming to improve the way the business serves its users.

Why JTBD Benefits More Than Just Product Teams

Here’s how various teams can use jobs to be done insights to drive impact:

• Marketing: JTBD uncovers the emotional drivers and outcomes customers care about, helping marketers craft targeted messaging that resonates. Instead of promoting features, marketers can speak directly to the job the solution fulfills.
• Customer Experience: By understanding the job customers are trying to accomplish, CX teams can improve touchpoints and journeys to better support those goals.
• Innovation Strategy: Leadership and innovation teams can identify whitespace or unmet needs, fueling long-term planning grounded in real-world insights.
• Sales: JTBD conversations can help sales teams build trust by focusing on solving customer problems rather than pitching products.

A Broader Approach to Customer-Centric Growth

Let’s take a fictional example: an insurance company sees stagnant engagement with their digital platform. The product team assumes users want faster claims processing. But after applying JTBD research across departments, they discover that users are trying to feel “in control during uncertain times.” That learning reshapes not just the digital features, but also how the brand positions its services in advertising and how the customer service team interacts with clients.

Bottom line? JTBD isn't a framework you put in a product team silo – it's a lens you can apply across your organization to discover emotionally powerful, actionable customer insights. Whether you're shaping a go-to-market plan or designing a loyalty program, understanding the job your customer wants done helps you make more confident decisions that drive business growth.

So if you’ve been wondering how to use Jobs To Be Done for business growth, the answer isn’t limited to product development. It’s about embedding customer motivation into marketing, research, innovation, and more – enabling a business to become truly customer-centric at every level.

One of the most common misunderstandings about the Jobs To Be Done framework is that it replaces traditional tools like customer personas and market segmentation. In reality, JTBD complements these tools rather than competes with them.

Personas and segmentation are helpful for identifying who your customers are – based on demographics, psychographics, or behaviors. The JTBD approach adds a crucial layer by helping you understand why your customers make decisions, what problems they are actively trying to solve, and what outcomes they truly care about. This makes it a powerful lens for interpreting customer behavior within and across segments.

Personas define people. JTBD reveals purpose.

While a persona might tell you that “Emily is a 35-year-old working mother who values convenience and price,” it doesn’t explain why she chooses one grocery delivery service over another. JTBD digs deeper to uncover that Emily “hires” a grocery service when she’s pressed for time after work and needs to get meals on the table quickly – not just because it’s convenient, but because it reduces her mental load during a stressful part of the day.

By focusing on goals and motivations, JTBD maps product or service experiences to real needs. The key isn’t choosing between personas and jobs – it’s knowing when and how to use both. Personas help you humanize your audience. JTBD helps you align your offerings to the progress they seek to make.

How JTBD fits into existing customer research and segmentation work:

• Personas: Describe who your target customer is
• Segmentation: Categorizes marketplace differences (e.g., price sensitivity, behavior)
• JTBD: Explains what customers are trying to accomplish – across segments

For example, two very different demographic groups might “hire” the same product to do the same job. Understanding the shared job creates opportunities to market across segments or design more inclusive innovations.

Rather than replace your existing tools, the JTBD framework strengthens them. It adds dimension to your customer insights and ensures your innovation strategy and product development efforts are customer-centric at the core – defining solutions around meaningful outcomes, not assumptions.

Some business leaders are hesitant to adopt Jobs To Be Done research because it can sound theoretical or complex at first glance. Terms like "functional jobs," "emotional jobs," or "desired outcomes" may give the impression that JTBD is more suited for academic study than day-to-day business decisions.

In practice, the JTBD framework is incredibly pragmatic. It was developed precisely to help businesses understand why customers make the choices they do – and how companies can better align their offerings to real-world needs. When applied correctly, JTBD isn’t abstract – it’s highly actionable.

Turning theory into insight

At its core, the Jobs To Be Done approach helps teams answer a simple, crucial question: What is the customer trying to get done? From there, it becomes much easier to build marketing, product, or service strategies that deliver on those needs. The language sometimes sounds technical, but the process can be made intuitive and practical – especially with the right research partner or facilitation support.

Consider a (fictional) example: A company selling fitness trackers wanted to understand why certain customers weren’t engaging with the app’s advanced features. A JTBD study revealed that many people weren’t trying to become athletes – they just wanted to feel more in control of their health. Their "job" wasn’t tracking metrics – it was reducing the guilt of sitting all day at work. That insight reshaped the company’s messaging and simplified its product experience, resulting in higher retention and broader appeal.

JTBD is already embedded in the best business practices

If you’re creating new offerings, exploring product-market fit, refining your messaging, or entering a new market, you’re already making decisions that JTBD research can clarify. It’s not about adding complexity – it’s about focusing on what truly matters to your customer.

The benefits of Jobs To Be Done research include:

• A clearer understanding of customer motivation and intent
• More confident decision-making in product development and marketing
• Fewer assumptions and wasted resources

When used well, JTBD guides innovation strategy through the lens of what your customers are actually trying to accomplish. And far from being “too academic,” it helps bridge the gap between internal goals and external realities – making it a powerful tool for business growth.

When you understand what your customers are truly trying to accomplish, it becomes much easier to create products, services, and messaging that resonate. That’s the heart of the Jobs To Be Done framework – and why companies across industries are using JTBD to unlock smarter strategies, better innovation, and measurable business growth.

How JTBD supports growth-focused decision-making

The JTBD framework delivers value by grounding your business decisions in customer reality. Instead of relying solely on market trends or internal hypotheses, you learn exactly what matters to your customers – and how they define success in their own terms.

Some common ways businesses use JTBD insights:

• Product development: Identify unmet needs and define features that truly deliver customer value
• Innovation strategy: Spot opportunities outside your current offering or industry category
• Marketing messaging: Craft copy and campaigns that speak to real customer struggles and desired outcomes
• Customer segmentation: Group audiences by the jobs they’re trying to get done – not just demographics

For example, a startup offering meal kits discovered their customers weren’t just trying to “cook at home” – they were trying to “reduce the stress of weeknight dinners.” Framing their product around that job helped them reposition their brand, improve retention, and expand to new segments seeking solutions for busy evenings. (This is a fictional illustration for clarity.)

Why Jobs To Be Done enables long-term innovation

Because JTBD research uncovers both functional and emotional needs, it often points the way to growth opportunities that aren’t obvious from surface-level surveys or transactional data. It helps organizations ask sharper questions – and uncover the "why" behind customer behavior.

Whether you’re launching something new or trying to optimize an existing experience, JTBD creates a clearer line between customer research and action. It’s particularly powerful for cross-functional teams because it aligns everyone – product, marketing, design, strategy – around a shared understanding of the customer’s goals.

In working with partners across industries, we’ve seen how JTBD can be a game-changer when paired with other qualitative and quantitative market research tools. It’s never just data – it’s focused insight that helps organizations design with purpose, communicate with clarity, and innovate with confidence.

Bottom line: customer-centric innovation with JTBD isn’t just possible – it’s proven. When used thoughtfully, it helps uncover and serve the deep consumer needs that traditional approaches often miss.