---
name: jobs-to-be-done
description: Use when asked to "jobs to be done", "JTBD", "why customers churn", "prep for customer interviews", "hire and fire products", or "find real competitors". Helps discover unmet needs and the context behind purchasing decisions. The Jobs to be Done framework (created by Clayton Christensen and Bob Moesta) explains why customers hire and fire products.
---

# Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD)

## What It Is

Jobs-to-be-Done is a framework for understanding customer motivation. The core insight: **people don't buy products, they hire them to make progress in their lives.**

When someone buys a product, they're not buying features or benefits—they're hiring that product to do a job. Understanding that job unlocks everything: positioning, messaging, feature prioritization, and competitive strategy.

The key shift: Move from asking "What do customers want?" to asking "What progress are customers trying to make?"

## When to Use It

Use JTBD when you need to:

- **Understand why customers buy** (not just what they buy)
- **Discover your true competitive set** (often not who you think)
- **Find product-market fit** for a new product or feature
- **Improve positioning and messaging** that resonates
- **Reduce churn** by understanding why customers leave
- **Prioritize your roadmap** based on real customer progress
- **Identify new market opportunities** through struggling moments

## When Not to Use It

- There's no real customer choice (e.g., employer-mandated software)
- The purchase is pure habit with no conscious decision
- You want to validate a hypothesis you've already decided on

## Resources

**Books:**
- *Demand-Side Sales* by Bob Moesta
- *Competing Against Luck* by Clayton Christensen
- *When Coffee and Kale Compete* by Alan Klement