Jobs to be Done Research

Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) is a framework for understanding the underlying goal someone is trying to achieve in a given situation. The core idea is that people “hire” products and brands to get a Job done, and drop the ones that fall short. It shifts the focus from what a product is to what a customer is trying to accomplish, which tends to surface richer, more durable insight than a product-led view.

Traditional segmentation usually groups people by demographics, attitudes or past behaviour. JTBD segmentation groups them by the Jobs that matter most to them, the things actually driving their choices. The result is fewer “who they are” labels and more “what they're trying to do” territories, which makes the segments far easier to act on across product, marketing and experience.

It depends on the question, but a full programme typically moves through five stages. Discovery uses contextual qualitative methods like moderated diary studies and interviews. Opportunity sizing uses quantitative surveys with MaxDiff and Outcome-Driven Innovation. Segmentation uses cluster analysis and persona work. Growth and retention use Switching Forces interviews and the Value Proposition Canvas. Performance measurement uses brand tracking built around Customer Performance Indicators. Brands rarely need all of it at once, each stage stands on its own.

JTBD is most valuable when you're creating something new, repositioning, or trying to understand why customers choose or leave you. It works well for new proposition and product development, entering a category, sharpening segmentation and messaging, and diagnosing acquisition or retention problems. If the question is “why do people really choose this, and how do we serve them better,” JTBD is a strong fit.

These are the three dimensions of any Job. Functional Jobs are the practical task someone wants to complete. Emotional Jobs are how they want to feel, or avoid feeling, while doing it. Social Jobs are how they want to be seen by others. The functional Job often gets the attention, but the emotional and social dimensions are usually where the most useful insight for messaging and experience sits.

Switching Forces, also known as the Four Forces model, was developed by Bob Moesta and explains what drives or blocks someone from adopting a new solution. It weighs four forces: the push of the current situation, the pull of a new option, the anxiety about switching, and the habit of staying put. Mapping these helps a brand reduce friction and strengthen its appeal at the moments that decide a choice.

In many cases, yes. Once a segmentation model is built, segments can often be assigned to existing customers or survey panels using a short set of questions, sometimes called golden questions. Where needs-based segments are less attributable is mapping to demographic data alone as people with the same demographic profile can often have very different needs.

It varies with scope and the number of stages involved. A focused project can run in 1-2 months, while a full programme spanning needs discovery, quantitative segmentation and persona development typically takes a few months. Because each stage delivers value independently, we can scope to your timeline rather than insisting on the full sequence up front.