Using Job-To-Be-Done framework for innovation
Using Job-To-Be-Done framework for innovation
As a business owner or leader, you’re constantly looking for ways to improve your products and services to better meet your customers’ needs.
But how do you know exactly what your customers need?
How do you go beyond surface-level wants to uncover the deeper motivations driving their behaviour?
That’s where the concept of “Job to be Done” (JTBD) comes in.
Job to be done is a term coined by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen. It focuses on the job that customers are trying to accomplish when they “hire” a product or service. In other words, instead of just looking at what a product or service does, the JTBD framework looks at why people need it in the first place.
For example, a person who buys a drill may not actually want the drill. What they really want is a hole in their wall. The drill is just a means to an end.
The problem with traditional market research
Often traditional market research focuses on what people say they want, rather than what they actually need. This can lead to businesses creating products or services that don’t solve the real problems their customers are facing.
By using the JTBD framework, businesses can focus on the underlying problems their customers are trying to solve and create products or services that truly meet those needs.
How companies have successfully applied the JTBD framework to improve their products and services.
Let’s say you’re a coffee shop owner. Instead of just focusing on the features of your coffee, such as its roast or origin, you can use the JTBD framework to understand why people come to your shop in the first place. Maybe they need a quick caffeine fix on their way to work, or maybe they’re looking for a cosy place to work for a few hours.
Another example is the famous story of how McDonald’s increased its milkshake sales. By using the JTBD framework, they discovered that their milkshakes were being “hired” by people who needed a quick breakfast on their morning commute. So, they made the milkshakes thicker so that they would take longer to consume and keep their customers fuller for longer. This simple change led to a significant increase in milkshake sales.
How to Use the JTBD Framework
To use the JTBD framework, start by asking yourself the following questions:
- Who is your Core Customer?
- What job is my Core Customer trying to accomplish when they use my product or service?
- What are their unmet needs or pain points?
- How can I improve my product or service to better meet those needs?
By answering these questions, you can uncover customer insights that go beyond simple demographics or psychographics. It can help you better target your marketing, improve your products, and ultimately differentiate yourself from competitors by offering unique solutions to customers’ problems.
So, if you want to improve your business and stay competitive in today’s fast-paced world, start focusing on the job to be done. Your customers will thank you for it.
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