A framework to uncover and unlock value
- for both people & brands.
Jobs-to-be-Done
Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) is a powerful, human-centred framework that helps brands Create, Launch, and Grow compelling propositions, products, and experiences. At Waveform, it’s a key tool we use to uncover and deliver actionable insights that drive success for the brands we support.
In this first instalment of a two-part guide, we explore what JTBD is and how it helps brands build and scale valuable market propositions.
Discover why and how we use Jobs-to-be-Done:
Jobs-to-be-Done is a framework that empowers brands to create highly valued products & services - those that would be missed if they didn’t exist.
INTRODUCTION TO JOBS-TO-BE-DONE (JTBD)
It makes human-centred insight systematic & actionable - fueling ideas, communications and experiences that resonate with audiences.
“New products succeed not because of the features and functionality they offer but because of the experiences they enable”
An Economic model of human progress.
Born out of Harvard Business School.
Used by today’s most human-centred brands.
Supports the discovery of fresh powerful insights
Unlocks human-centred growth opportunities
Unifies strategies for product, marketing & UX/CX.
The Jobs-to-be-Done Framework
What are Jobs-to-be-Done and why do they matter?
THE INSIGHT GAP HOLDING BRANDS BACK
Many brands claim to be customer-centric, yet they begin their search for valuable insight by looking inward - focusing on their existing products, category norms, and competitors.
They ask: What do our products and services need in order to be more competitive?
But this product-first approach rarely leads to truly transformative insights - the kind that propel brands to new levels of growth and audience connection.
The most disruptive brands flip this thinking on its head. They start with people - understanding their motivations, struggles, and aspirations - to uncover the richest, most impactful insights.
HUMAN-CENTRED INSIGHTS DRIVE GROWTH
They ask: Why do people need products and services in the first place? What are they trying to achieve, and how can we help them succeed?.
These fundamental motivations and goals are peoples’ Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) - the key to unlocking more meaningful innovation, messaging and brand growth.
“I want… to be able to download music to my phone so I can listen easily when I’m offline.”
A PRODUCT-CENTRED NEED
= LIMITED INSIGHT, SHORT-TERM VALUE
“I want… to enjoy listening to all the audio content I love whenever and wherever I go”
A HUMAN-CENTRED ‘JOB-TO-BE-DONE’
= RICH INSIGHT, ENDURING VALUE
A HUMAN-CENTRED STRATEGY FRAMEWORK
A Job-to-be-Done is the underlying motivation or goal that shapes peoples’ needs and decision-making - it’s what they seek to accomplish in a given situation.
People hire (choose) brands and products that help them get these Jobs done effectively - and fire (reject) those that don’t.
The better a brand understands, and fulfils, peoples’ Jobs-to-be-Done the greater the likelihood of being chosen and valued.
JOBS-TO-BE-DONE EXAMPLES:
Verb / direction
Object
Situation / clarifier
I want a solution that best enables me to…
Enjoy listening…to all the audio content I love…wherever & whenever I want.
Quench my thirst…with a rewarding drink…that doesn’t damage my health.
Easily watch…TV & video content…that matches my tastes at any given time.
Enhance my……foreign language skills…so I can enjoy travelling more.
Take more …high-quality photos…without needing professional equipment or skills.
THE JOB-TO-BE-DONE DEFINES THE REAL CATEGORY
Most Jobs-to-be-Done are solution-agnostic and enduring. They exist independently of specific products, brands or technologies.
The Job, not the solution, defines the market category.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Enjoy listening to all the audio content I love whenever and wherever I go
Here, the human-centred category isn’t portable music players or Bluetooth headphones - it’s enjoyment of music on the move. While solutions evolve, the underlying Job remains constant, with each new innovation improving how effectively it is fulfilled and reshaping the market in the process.
Evolving solutions fulfil the same enduring Job-to-be-Done:
Jobs-to-be-Done can systematically reveal and highlights the often hidden why behind peoples’ actions in a given situation.
Different types of Jobs-to-be-Done exist
- each offering insight and guidance for brand development:
THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF JOBS
The category is defined by a single ‘Aspirational Job’:
EG Enjoyment of music on the move: I want to hire a product / brand that best enables me to…
‘Enjoy listening to all the audio content I love whenever and wherever I go.’
In a typical category there will be multiple ‘Big Jobs’ that represent human-centred opportunities for growth.
E.G. I want to hire a product / brand that best enables me to…
‘Share my passion for music with my friends’
‘Get the best music audio quality when on the move’
‘Discover
new artists that
match my favourite genres’
‘Manage my favourite music for easy access on all devices’
Each of these Big Jobs will have Emotional, and Social outcomes people are also seeking. These are where the most fertile insights can be found - helping shape propositions, messages and experiences.
E.G. I want to hire a product / brand that best enables me to…
EMOTIONAL JOBS:
How people want to feel or avoid feeling when completing the job
e.g. ‘Boost my mood when I’m feeling stressed / down about things in my life.’
SOCIAL JOBS:
How people want to be seen by others / engaged with others
e.g.‘Get kudos from introducing my friends to new music I know they will enjoy..’
Finally, there are related functional Jobs, which represent specific, actionable needs and pains that brands must address to effectively deliver on a bigger Job. These highlight opportunities for product features, service enhancements, or brand benefits that improve the overall experience.
E.G. When I’m looking to ‘Manage my favourite music for easy access on all devices’,
I want to hire a product / brand that best enables me to…
‘Create and organise playlists effortlessly across devices.’
‘Feel confident that my favourite music is always available when I want it.’
‘Access my playlists offline when I travel without a signal.’
‘Access old favourites that I might have forgotten about.’
‘Easily transfer my saved favourites across any device for easy access.’
‘Easily find similar music that fits my mood and tastes at the time.’
Together these different Job levels provide rich human insights that can be a guiding light for brand strategy.
MAKING HUMAN-CENTRED INSIGHTS ACTIONABLE
From strategic foundations into propositions to optimising the experience and communications of products and services, Jobs-to-be-Done can deliver a rich seam of insight that places audience needs at the heart of an organisation.
I want a solution that best enables me to…
Territories & propositions
Aspirational Job
e.g. Enjoy listening to all the audio content I love whenever and wherever I go
Big jobs
e.g. Manage my favourite music for easy access on all devices
Content, marketing & brand experience
Emotional jobs
e.g. Boost my mood when I’m feeling down about things happening in my life.
Social jobs
e.g. Get kudos from introducing my friends to new content they will enjoy.
Product features
& UX / CX
Functional jobs
e.g. Listen to the content I enjoy without interruption when I am travelling.
Jobs-to-be-Done Applications
So, how can brands use and leverage Jobs-to-be-Done?
JTBD IS FUEL FOR DISRUPTIVE BRANDS
Today’s disruptive brands have thrived by building solutions that help people meet their desired outcomes (Jobs-to-be-Done) better.
By reframing markets around human needs and motivations rather than product categories or competition, they unlock new opportunities—eliminating friction, elevating experiences, and outpacing traditional competitors.
Category insight lens
Offer comfortable rooms to rent in a good location at a fair price.
Provide access a large selection of TV shows & movies to watch.
A bank to securely hold and access money with low fees / good rates.
Deliver the ingredients needed to make home cooked meals.
The option to order take-away food for delivery to your home.
Jobs-to-be-done lens
Be immersed in the experiences that places, locations and cultures can offer.
Be entertained with content I will love whenever and wherever I want.
Access and control my money without worry or effort, anytime
Make delicious and fresh home cooked meals, with less effort and frustration.
Easily enjoy the best of local food options, without the need to plan.
Jobs-to-be-Done has evolved into an ecosystem of insight to support brand growth.
THE KEY APPLICATIONS OF JOBS-TO-BE-DONE
When integrated with exploratory, generative, and evaluative research, Jobs-to-be-Done empowers brands to navigate the growth journey with a human-centred approach, ensuring value is built around real customer needs.
Create
Foundational audience insight
Identify what audiences are really trying to achieve, when, where and for whom different Jobs become relevant.
Opportunities for Innovation
Identify unmet or underserved Jobs to inform innovation and ensure new offerings are built around real customer needs rather than assumed demand.
Launch
Defining audience & category
Define target audiences and segments based on shared priority Jobs, enabling human-centred demand generation strategies and targeting.
Value Proposition Development
Design value propositions with strong Product-Market-Fit - those that align with the functional, emotional, and social Jobs that matter most to your audience.
Growth
Boosting acquisition & retention
Develop acquisition and retention strategies by identifying the ‘Switching forces’ that would make someone choose, stay or switch from a solution when trying to achieve a Job.
Enhancing Brand Experience
Measure brand performance based on how well your proposition, communications, and experience are felt to achieve peoples’ most important Jobs within a category.
By taking a human-centred approach to brand strategy with Jobs-to-be-Done, brands can discover and create value for both people and their own businesses:
FINDING VALUE FOR PEOPLE & BRANDS
Value for people
Activates insights into what people want to achieve (their ‘Jobs’), why and when they are important, and how brands can help them.
Value for brands
Enables brands to discover unifying strategies that will help their products & services be chosen (‘hired’) in more situations.
READ OUR FOLLOW-UP GUIDE:
Research methods for Jobs-to-be-Done
Want to amplify value for your brand using Jobs-to-be-Done?
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