Introduction
What Is a Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) Statement?
Core Components of a JTBD Statement
Although formats can vary slightly, an effective JTBD statement often includes these elements:- Action: What is the customer trying to do?
- Context: When or under what circumstances are they doing it?
- Desired Outcome: What result are they hoping for?
An Easy JTBD Statement Template
"When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome]." Here’s a fictional example: “When I’m commuting to work, I want to listen to the news without interruptions, so I can feel informed before I start my day.” This job statement helps product teams understand what a podcast app or media streaming service should deliver. Rather than focusing solely on delivery speed or app design, they now understand the *real job* is helping the customer feel informed efficiently and reliably.JTBD vs. Traditional Product Thinking
Traditional product approaches often ask, “What feature should we build next?” The JTBD approach reframes this to ask, “What job is the customer trying to get done, and how can we help?” By focusing on the job, businesses can: - Spot gaps in the market more easily - Avoid unnecessary features by aligning with customer needs - Build stronger differentiation by solving real problems JTBD statements are a key tool in strategic market research. They ensure that customer insight isn't just an abstract concept but a guide to practical action. At SIVO Insights, we often use this approach to uncover what truly matters to consumers in their everyday lives. In short, JTBD statements translate customer needs into growth opportunities–all while keeping a real-world perspective.Why JTBD Statements Help Businesses Grow
What Makes JTBD Statements So Valuable?
Jobs To Be Done statements offer a foundational lens to guide:- Innovation Strategy: Reveal unmet needs customers didn’t explicitly express.
- Product Development: Design better solutions by clarifying the outcome customers are after.
- Market Research: Go beyond surface-level preferences to understand motivation and behavior.
- Business Strategy: Prioritize growth opportunities based on where your solution fits best in customers’ lives.
Example: Finding Opportunity with JTBD Thinking
Let’s say you run a breakfast food brand. Traditional research might tell you consumers want healthy options. But a JTBD approach digs deeper: “When I’m running late in the morning, I want to grab a filling breakfast I can eat in the car, so I’m not distracted by hunger during my early meetings.” This fictional JTBD statement shows the true opportunity – not just “healthy,” but *portable, convenient, and filling*. That insight could lead to innovations like high-protein smoothie pouches or individually packaged breakfast bars.JTBD Supports Long-Term Growth
JTBD statements also help organizations stay relevant as customer needs evolve. When you understand the fundamental job, you’re better positioned to adapt your solution as technology or behavior changes. For example, customers who once hired physical calendars may now use planning apps to “keep track of important dates and tasks so I don’t miss deadlines.” The job hasn’t changed – the solutions have.Why It Works for All Business Sizes
Whether you're a startup or an established business, JTBD statements create alignment across teams. Marketing, product, sales, and leadership are no longer working from different assumptions – they’re all solving the same job for the same customer outcome. That’s the power of clarity. At SIVO Insights, we guide clients through JTBD-based research approaches to ensure that consumer insights are both understandable and actionable. Whether you’re launching something new or refining an existing offering, a strong JTBD understanding is an investment in relevance, differentiation, and long-term business growth.How Do You Write an Effective JTBD Statement?
Writing an effective Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) statement starts with stepping into your customer’s shoes. The goal is to articulate what the customer is trying to accomplish – not the product they buy, but the progress they seek. Whether you’re launching a new product or refining an existing experience, getting this statement right helps reveal real-world customer needs and unlock opportunities for business growth.
Start with the right customer insight
The first step in writing a JTBD statement is uncovering what motivates your customer. This typically comes from observational research or direct customer interviews – the kinds SIVO often conducts through qualitative and quantitative methods. Pay attention to context, triggers, emotional drivers, and frustrations. You're looking for patterns in behavior, not just one-off anecdotes.
Use a simple template
One commonly used format for JTBD statements looks like this:
“When [Situation], I want to [Motivation], so I can [Expected Outcome].”
This format highlights the circumstances around the job, the task the customer wants to complete, and the goal they are trying to achieve.
Example:
“When I’m commuting to work, I want to listen to news updates, so I can stay informed without reading while driving.”
This doesn’t mention a specific product (like a radio app), but it tells you what the customer values and why.
Tips for writing strong JTBD statements
- Keep it focused on the customer – not your brand or features.
- Make it outcome-driven – what is the value they’re hoping to get?
- Use real-world language – how would a customer describe the situation?
- Be specific – vague statements are less actionable.
Effective job statements are not only clear but also aligned with the human behaviors behind them. They avoid buzzwords and are rooted in observed or expressed customer frustrations and goals. This helps teams across product development and innovation strategy stay aligned around what truly matters to the consumer.
Jobs To Be Done Statement Examples You Can Use
Now that you understand how to write a JTBD statement, let’s look at a few sample job statements across different industries. These fictional examples are based on customer behavior patterns and are designed to help you see how the JTBD framework can be applied in your own business context.
Retail Example
“When I’m shopping online for a gift, I want to find something meaningful quickly, so I can feel confident the recipient will love it.”
This job statement identifies a common customer friction point – finding a high-quality gift under time pressure – and a desired emotional outcome (confidence and satisfaction).
Healthcare Example
“When I receive a new diagnosis, I want to clearly understand my treatment options, so I can make the right decision for my health.”
Here we see how emotional needs (clarity and confidence) influence decision-making in high-stakes moments. This insight can steer product development or communications strategy for providers and insurers alike.
Financial Services Example
“When I get paid, I want to automatically allocate money to bills and savings, so I can stick to my budget without thinking about it.”
This consumer need highlights a desire for automation and peace of mind – insights financial platforms can use to design smarter experiences.
B2B Technology Example
“When I onboard a new employee, I want them to access tools and resources easily, so they can become productive sooner without constant IT support.”
In B2B settings, job statements help identify pain points in business processes that directly impact customer satisfaction and internal efficiency.
Why these statements work
Each of these jobs to be done examples illustrates a specific context, motivation, and desired result. They’re customer-centric and free of brand bias. Importantly, they can be directly linked to product development choices, communication strategies, or innovation opportunities.
When you practice writing or reviewing JTBD statements, ask yourself: Are we solving the right problem? Are we clear on what success looks like for the customer? These statements are not static either – they evolve as consumer insights deepen and markets shift.
Using JTBD Statements in Market Research and Innovation
Jobs To Be Done statements are more than just helpful thinking tools – they play a powerful role in guiding market research, innovation strategy, and long-term business growth. By translating consumer insights into job statements, businesses can develop products and experiences that meet real needs – not just assumed ones.
Integrating JTBD into your market research methods
Whether you’re conducting qualitative interviews, surveys, or ethnographic studies, JTBD statements provide a lens for analyzing customer behavior. At SIVO, we often use the Jobs To Be Done framework to structure the “why” behind observed actions and emotional decisions. Using this lens helps reveal unmet needs and moments of opportunity across segments.
For example, JTBD insights from interviews and behavioral research can spotlight friction points and moments of high emotion – fertile ground for innovation. It’s not just about what customers are doing, but why they’re doing it. That’s where real differentiation begins.
Driving innovation and product development
Once you’ve built well-defined JTBD statements, they can guide everything from new product concepts to UX design and brand messaging. Instead of brainstorming from scratch, you now have a clear blueprint rooted in what your customers actually want to achieve. This is especially useful for:
- Generating new product ideas that align with customer needs
- Prioritizing features based on urgency and emotional payoff
- Creating value propositions that speak to real customer goals
Good JTBD statements shine a light on underserved or overlooked markets. They help teams avoid “feature creep” and instead focus on meaningful progress from the user’s perspective.
JTBD as a common language across teams
Another key benefit: JTBD statements give teams a consistent language for discussing customer needs. Marketing, design, product, and leadership can use the same wording when aligning on strategy – no more guessing at intent or reading between the lines. This cross-functional alignment improves efficiency and decision-making across the organization.
When paired with robust consumer insight research methods, the Jobs To Be Done framework becomes more than a theory – it's a practical bridge between understanding people and creating solutions that serve them. And when done right, JTBD helps businesses turn empathy into innovation.
Summary
Understanding what a Jobs To Be Done statement is can sharpen your entire business strategy. These simple yet powerful customer-focused statements help uncover why people truly “hire” products or services in their lives. We explored how well-crafted JTBD statements guide product development, highlight unmet needs, fuel innovation, and build alignment across teams. By learning how to write a JTBD statement and reviewing relatable examples of jobs to be done statements, your organization can better respond to real customer motivations – not just assumed ones.
JTBD is more than just a framework – it's a mindset. When applied through thoughtful market research and consumer insights, it becomes a strategic tool for unlocking meaningful business growth through empathy-driven design and development.
Summary
Understanding what a Jobs To Be Done statement is can sharpen your entire business strategy. These simple yet powerful customer-focused statements help uncover why people truly “hire” products or services in their lives. We explored how well-crafted JTBD statements guide product development, highlight unmet needs, fuel innovation, and build alignment across teams. By learning how to write a JTBD statement and reviewing relatable examples of jobs to be done statements, your organization can better respond to real customer motivations – not just assumed ones.
JTBD is more than just a framework – it's a mindset. When applied through thoughtful market research and consumer insights, it becomes a strategic tool for unlocking meaningful business growth through empathy-driven design and development.
