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 cost
Action Templates
Template: JTBD Analysis
markdown# 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."
