The Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework is a way to understand what motivates customers to choose one solution over another. Instead of focusing on who your customer is (demographics), it focuses on what your customer is trying to accomplish – the "job" they’re hiring a product or service to do for them.

In other words, JTBD asks: What progress is someone trying to make in a given situation? What outcome are they hoping to achieve? Once you know the answer, you can create offerings that help people reach those goals more effectively than alternatives.

Simple Definition:

Jobs to Be Done is a customer research framework used to identify the underlying reasons why people buy or use a product – what job they’re “hiring” that solution to perform in their lives.

An everyday example:

Imagine someone buying a cordless drill. They don’t really want a drill – what they want is a hole in a wall so they can hang a shelf. The real “job” is not the act of drilling but having a shelf to store things. Seen through this lens, better product opportunities might include easier-to-use anchors, tool-free solutions, or smart shelving kits.

Understanding the “job” helps you go beyond surface-level preferences and uncover deeper customer needs that can drive meaningful innovation.

How JTBD differs from traditional market research:

• Focuses on motivations and outcomes, not just behaviors or demographics
• Uncovers non-obvious competitors and alternative solutions customers may be using
• Leads to stronger product-market fit by identifying real problems to solve

SIVO Insights uses the JTBD framework alongside other consumer insights tools to help brands develop a clear picture of their customers' desired outcomes. By putting the customer’s progress at the center of product development, JTBD can be a foundational part of your innovation strategy.

If you're a business leader looking for a beginner guide to Jobs to Be Done, this is your starting point. It's not about complex theory – it's about practical discovery that leads to better products and stronger customer connections.

In a crowded marketplace, understanding your customer’s true needs is your competitive edge. That’s why the Jobs to Be Done framework is becoming increasingly popular among business leaders, marketers, and product teams. When applied correctly, JTBD doesn’t just help you improve products – it helps you uncover opportunities that drive meaningful business growth.

Shifting focus from features to outcomes

Too often, companies double down on adding new features or optimizing internal processes. But growth rarely comes from simply building “more.” With JTBD, the focus shifts to understanding how your customers define success and progress in their own lives. This insight helps align your innovation strategy with real demand, not assumptions.

3 ways Jobs to Be Done supports business growth:

• Identifies unmet customer needs: JTBD uncovers the “why” behind purchasing decisions – allowing you to spot gaps in the market you didn’t know existed.
• Improves product-market fit: By designing around the job (not the user profile), your offerings become more relevant and appealing.
• Informs smarter innovation: JTBD supports intentional product development rather than reactive efforts based on trends or internal ideas.

Example: A streaming service looking to grow

Let’s say a video streaming service wants to increase subscriptions. Standard market research might focus on content preferences, but a JTBD approach would explore the underlying jobs users want to get done – like relaxing after work, entertaining kids during commute, or learning something new quickly. These insights could lead to targeted offerings (e.g. short-form content, kid-friendly mobile playlists, or offline learning modules) that directly meet specific needs, boosting both engagement and growth.

Why it matters now more than ever

Consumer behavior is changing quicker than ever. To stay ahead, companies need deep consumer insights that go beyond surface-level metrics. That’s where market research using Jobs to Be Done can make the difference. It helps you de-risk product decisions and prioritize innovation that aligns with what people really value.

At SIVO, we often see teams gain clarity and confidence after using a JTBD research approach. From startups looking to validate new ideas to large enterprises aiming to stay relevant, the JTBD framework empowers businesses to solve real problems – and achieve sustainable growth as a result.

If you’ve ever wondered how to use JTBD to grow your business, this is the why. The next step is learning how – and that’s exactly what the rest of this step-by-step guide will explore.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply the JTBD Framework

Using the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework doesn’t require a Ph.D. in marketing strategy. It’s a simple, thoughtful process you can apply to uncover meaningful customer needs and generate product or service innovations that drive business growth. Here's a beginner-friendly, step-by-step guide for business and product leaders ready to explore this powerful customer research method.

Step 1: Mine Insights

Start by observing your customers, not just what they say, but interpreting their underlying needs. This “job” might not be what they say directly—it often hides behind actions and frustrations.

For example, someone buying a new blender might not just want a kitchen appliance—they might want to eat healthier on busy mornings. The true job is the progress they want in their life, not just the product they purchase.

Step 2: Conduct Customer Interviews

This step is essential for uncovering deep consumer insights. Talk to customers who recently bought or switched products or services. Focus on the moment of decision: What triggered their search? What mattered most in their final choice?

During interviews, listen carefully for emotional drivers, unmet needs, and language patterns. These moments offer a goldmine of clues about the job they’re hiring your solution to do.

Step 3: Map the Job Journey

Once you gather insights, chart out the customer journey related to this job. Break it down into phases:

• Trigger: What prompts their need or search?
• Initial options: What existing solutions do they consider?
• Decision factors: What features or benefits weigh most in their choice?
• Desired outcome: What defines success for them?

This JTBD journey map gives your team a clear understanding of customer behavior and unmet needs.

Step 4: Identify Opportunities for Innovation

Use the journey map to pinpoint friction points, frustrations, or gaps in the current solutions. These are your innovation opportunities. They could inspire new product features, services, messaging tweaks, or even entirely new offerings.

By solving for the job—not just improving your product—you ensure what you’re building addresses real customer priorities.

Step 5: Align Your Team Around the Job

Finally, share the JTBD insights across teams. Product development, marketing, sales, and support should all understand the core job your customer wants to get done. This ensures every customer-facing element works together to deliver on that real want or outcome.

By following this step-by-step guide, companies can move from guessing customer needs to building strategies grounded in actual behavior. Jobs to Be Done turns market research into actionable customer understanding, guiding innovation from the outside in.

Real-World Examples of Jobs to Be Done in Action

Now that we’ve explained the JTBD process, let’s look at how real businesses have applied it to uncover customer needs and drive business growth. These examples show how using Jobs to Be Done in product development and innovation strategy can reveal what people truly value – often in unexpected ways.

Example 1: Streaming Services – Entertainment on the Go

A streaming company wanted to understand what customers were really trying to accomplish when watching content on mobile devices. Initial assumptions centered around watching shows “for fun.” But through Jobs to Be Done research, they discovered another job: “Help me fill idle time with something engaging but not demanding.”

This insight led to developing short-form episodes, offline viewing, and auto-play features – aligned with helping users enjoy meaningful distractions during short stretches of free time.

Example 2: Financial Apps – Peace of Mind, Not Just Budgeting

One fintech brand initially positioned their app as a better way to manage money. But Jobs to Be Done interviews uncovered a different core job: “Help me stop worrying about unexpected bills.”

This reframing inspired features like predictive cash flow alerts, real-time spending categories, and emergency fund suggestions – all aimed at relieving anxiety, not just tracking expenses.

Example 3: Electric Vehicles – Reassurance Over Eco-Consciousness

A startup assumed its early electric vehicle buyers were motivated mainly by environmental impact. But through the JTBD framework, a surprising theme surfaced: “Help me feel confident I won’t get stranded.”

Customers cared more about trust and reliability than green credentials. The company responded by building better charging infrastructure maps, longer-range batteries, and stronger roadside assistance options.

Example 4: Coffee Chains – A Workspace, Not Just a Cup

When a national coffee chain explored customer motivations, they realized many visitors weren’t just buying coffee – they were “hiring” the shop as a temporary creative workspace.

This led to improved Wi-Fi, more power outlets, and quieter zoning – small changes that transformed the store experience and encouraged longer visits.

Across industries, these examples highlight a key shift: solving for the job, not just the product. When teams embrace JTBD thinking, it opens up fresh ways to meet customer needs and unlock new growth opportunities.

When to Use Jobs to Be Done (and How SIVO Can Help)

The JTBD framework is a flexible approach that applies across many moments in the business lifecycle – whether you're launching a new product, refreshing your brand, or trying to deepen customer loyalty. So, when should you consider using Jobs to Be Done research in your strategy?

Ideal Moments to Use JTBD

While JTBD is useful in many situations, it’s especially valuable when:

• Your market is mature or saturated: When competing on features alone isn’t enough, understanding the job customers are trying to do can help you differentiate meaningfully.
• You're developing a new product or service: JTBD helps ensure what you build aligns with real customer needs – not just internal assumptions.
• Sales are flat or declining: A Jobs to Be Done lens may reveal new ways to position your offering or attract different segments.
• You want to prioritize innovation efforts: JTBD helps identify which problems are worth solving and where people feel underserved.

In short, if you’re asking how to grow your business in a way that truly resonates with your audience, Jobs to Be Done is a powerful tool to get there.

How SIVO Helps You Activate JTBD

At SIVO Insights, we support our clients in applying the JTBD framework to uncover real consumer insights and fuel smart business decisions. Depending on where you are in your process, we can help you:

• Design and execute custom customer interviews that surface the core Jobs to Be Done
• Map customer journeys to identify high-impact opportunities
• Uncover unmet needs that fuel product development and marketing strategy
• Prioritize innovation areas based on what truly matters to your customers

And because we understand every business is unique, our approach is always tailored – whether you need full end-to-end market research or just targeted support with one phase of your JTBD initiative. Our combination of human-centric research and actionable strategy ensures that what you learn isn't just interesting – it's useful.

By connecting human motivation to business outcomes, SIVO helps teams make better decisions, faster. Jobs to Be Done isn’t just a framework – it’s a way of seeing the world through your customer’s eyes. And when paired with the right talent and tools, it becomes a growth engine.