Jobs to be Done Theory
Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) is a product design theory that focuses on understanding the actual jobs or tasks users are trying to accomplish, instead of just focusing on the surface need.
Breakdown
JTBD is based on the idea that people “hire” products or services to help them achieve specific goals or solve particular problems in their lives. For example, a user isn’t just buying metal water bottle, they’re hiring the water bottle to make it easier to drink water repeatedly. The focus is on the outcome the user wants to achieve, not just the product itself. The goal is to meet the users true needs.
How I use it
JTBD Theory was method I ran into while working on a project and attempting to create user stories. I did not feel that my user stories were providing my design much value (this could have been just that the format wasn’t clicking for me) then I found JTBD and was able to put together a few Job statements that felt like they cut right to heart of what the user was trying to accomplish. I have been hooked since.
For example if the JTBD statement is “I need to quickly reorder my last eye-contacts purchase because my supply is running short” then my design should include a “Reorder Last Purchase” button readily available. Without JTBD, the design might just have been browsing the available eye-contact options again, which doesn’t achieve the user’s real job they are trying to complete in this case.
JTBD helps me ensure that every interaction I design directly supports the user’s goal or the "job" they're trying to get done. By creating these JTBD statements I stay focused on designing interactions that meet the user’s true needs.
