Alright, let’s dive into the core of truly understanding what makes products successful. This will be the first of two posts on Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD). In this part, we’ll lay the groundwork for what JTBD is and explore the forces that generate demand for a product. In the second part, we’ll delve into the forces that reduce demand, how to understand broader competition, and the critical role of systems thinking in applying JTBD effectively.
Why Your Product Needs to Get Hired: Understanding Jobs-to-be-Done
We hear a lot about being “customer-centric” these days, almost to the point where it becomes a buzzword, losing its real meaning in elevator pitches and executive presentations. But how deeply do we really understand our customers? Are we just building what they say they want, or are we uncovering their true motivations and underlying needs? As product people, our success hinges on grasping these often non-obvious patterns in customer intent and behavior.
Too often, we get excited about how “feature-rich” our product is. We measure our progress in story points or the number of features shipped, proudly announcing how much we’ve accomplished. But as the sources repeatedly ask, “So what?”. If the software isn’t solving customer needs or helping the business, all that “busy work” is, frankly, a moot point. The goal isn’t just to “ship” but to “ship what matters”.
Think about the old adage: “Customers don’t want a quarter-inch drill bit; they want a quarter-inch hole”. That’s a good start, but it doesn’t go far enough. As Seth Godin points out, they don’t just want the hole; they want the shelf that goes on the wall, and more profoundly, they want the feeling of an uncluttered space, the satisfaction of accomplishment, or the peace of mind that comes from a tidy home. People don’t buy products; they “hire” them to make progress in their lives, to transform their current situation into a preferred one.
This is the essence of Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD). It’s a powerful mental model that clarifies why customers truly adopt a product. It recognizes that each of us, including our users and customers, exists in a current “life situation” (let’s call it X) and aspires to move to a better “future state” (Y). The key insight is that often, there are constraints preventing us from making this change on our own. That’s when we look to “hire” a product or service to help us make that progress.
“Markets grow and transform whenever customers have a Job to be Done, and then buy a product to complete it”. This understanding shifts our focus from merely who the customer is (e.g., demographics) to what they are trying to achieve, their motivations, and the circumstances surrounding their choices. It moves us beyond “resume-driven development” or building “cool new things” just because developers want to. Instead, it roots our product efforts in solving real human problems.
So, how do customers decide what to “hire”? Alan Klement, a key figure in JTBD, describes four forces that influence customer demand: two that generate demand (push and pull) and two that reduce demand (inertia and anxiety). Understanding these forces from the customer’s perspective is critical for product strategy.
Let’s focus on the demand generators for now:
1. Push: This force comes from a specific circumstance or dissatisfaction with the status quo. If customers are perfectly content with how things are, there’s no “push” for change. But when they perceive something is lacking, or they’re frustrated with their current situation, it builds the energy that drives them toward seeking a new solution. For example, if your old phone breaks (a circumstance), that creates a push to get a new one.
2. Pull: Once there’s a “push,” the “pull” factor determines where that motivation is directed. The pull comes from the new solution’s perceived ability to transform the customer’s life situation – to help them make progress on their Job to be Done. It’s the attractive vision of the better future state (Y).
Consider the Tesla example: Elon Musk knew he first needed to “pull” customers by demonstrating that an electric car could be attractive, perform well, and be practical. This created desire. But this “pull” only matters if there’s a “push” – if you actually need a car or are dissatisfied with your current one. Push and pull must work in tandem to generate demand. If there’s no push, even the nicest product won’t generate demand, as seen with the ChotuKool refrigerator that failed because it didn’t solve a compelling problem for its target market.
For product managers and engineering leaders, adopting this JTBD lens means shifting from a “delivery mentality” to understanding the deep “why” behind what we build. It’s about knowing the customer’s intent and motivations without applying our own filters. This knowledge directly impacts product strategy, helping us prioritize efforts and ensure we’re always building what truly matters.
In our next post, we’ll explore the “demand reducers”—Inertia and Anxiety—and how these “silent competitors” can derail even the best products. We’ll also connect JTBD to the broader concept of Systems Thinking and how understanding complex interdependencies helps us build more effective solutions.