Jobs-to-be-Done Product Design
When This Skill Activates
Claude uses this skill when:
- Designing new features
- Understanding customer needs
- Moving beyond feature requests
- Identifying real jobs to be done
Core Frameworks
1. Jobs Theory (Source: Bob Moesta, JTBD Co-Creator)
Core Principle:
"People don't buy products, they hire them to make progress in their lives."
The Job:
- Functional: What needs to get done?
- Emotional: How do they want to feel?
- Social: How do they want to be perceived?
2. Forces Diagram
Four Forces:
PUSH (away from current):
- Pains with current solution
- Frustrations
PULL (toward new):
- Attraction to new solution
- Expected benefits
ANXIETY (hesitation):
- Fear of new
- "What if it doesn't work?"
HABIT (inertia):
- "Current way works okay"
- Switching costAction Templates
Template: JTBD Analysis
# Feature: [Name]
## The Job
**When** [situation],
**I want to** [motivation],
**So I can** [expected outcome].
### Example:
When I'm planning my week,
I want to see all my commitments in one place,
So I can feel in control and not miss anything.
## Forces Analysis
### Push (Problems with Current)
- [Current pain 1]
- [Current pain 2]
### Pull (Attraction to New)
- [Desired benefit 1]
- [Desired benefit 2]
### Anxiety (Hesitations)
- [Worry 1: "What if..."]
- [Worry 2: "What if..."]
### Habit (Inertia)
- [Current habit 1]
- [Switching cost]
## Design for the Job
### Functional
[How feature helps get job done]
### Emotional
[How feature makes them feel]
### Social
[How it affects their image]
## Address Forces
- **Reduce anxiety:** [how]
- **Overcome habit:** [how]
- **Amplify pull:** [how]Quick Reference
🎯 JTBD Checklist
Understand Job:
- Situation identified
- Motivation clear
- Desired outcome defined
- Job story written
Forces:
- Push forces (current pains)
- Pull forces (desired benefits)
- Anxiety forces (hesitations)
- Habit forces (inertia)
Design:
- Solves functional job
- Addresses emotional job
- Considers social job
- Reduces switching anxiety
Real-World Examples
Example: Milkshake Marketing (Bob Moesta)
Wrong Question: "How do we make better milkshakes?" Right Question: "What job is the milkshake being hired for?"
Discovery:
- Morning commuters: Long, thick shake for entertainment during boring drive
- Parents: Quick, thin shake to feel like good parent ("I got you a treat")
Result: Different products for different jobs
Key Quotes
Bob Moesta:
"People don't want a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole."
Clayton Christensen:
"When we buy a product, we essentially 'hire' something to get a job done."