Jobs to be Done Canvas
A Jobs to be Done (JTBD) canvas captures the complete picture of why customers "hire" products to make progress in their lives. Based on Clayton Christensen's framework, JTBD goes beyond features and demographics to understand the underlying motivations.functional, emotional, and social.that drive customer behavior.
When to Use
- When deeply researching customer motivations before building
- To reframe product positioning around customer progress
- When existing personas feel too surface-level or demographic
- During competitive analysis to identify why customers switch
- When designing marketing messages that resonate
- To align team on who the customer really is and what they need
When NOT to Use
- You need a person-shaped artifact (goals, behaviors, quotes) for design or marketing work -> use
foundation-persona; the canvas captures the job, the persona captures the person - You have no customer research yet -> synthesize interviews first with
discover-interview-synthesis; the canvas's insights must trace to research, not assumptions - You are framing one specific problem to solve now -> use
define-problem-statement - You need to map opportunities to a measurable outcome for prioritization -> use
define-opportunity-tree
Instructions
When asked to create a JTBD canvas, follow these steps:
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Identify the Job Performer Define who is doing this job. Go beyond demographics to capture the circumstance they're in. The same person can have different jobs in different situations.
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Articulate the Circumstance Describe when and where this job arises. Jobs are triggered by specific situations. Understanding context helps predict when customers will seek a solution.
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Write the Job Statement Use the format: "When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [desired outcome]." The job statement captures the core progress the customer seeks.
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Define the Functional Job What is the practical task the customer needs to accomplish? This is the tangible, measurable part of the job. Be specific about what "done" looks like.
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Capture the Emotional Job How does the customer want to feel during and after the job? Emotional jobs often drive decisions more than functional ones. Include both desired feelings and feelings to avoid.
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Identify the Social Job How does the customer want to be perceived by others? Social jobs relate to status, identity, and relationships. Not all jobs have strong social dimensions.
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Map Competing Solutions What are customers currently "hiring" to do this job? Include direct competitors, indirect alternatives, and non-consumption (doing nothing). Understanding current solutions reveals what to compete against.
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Define Hiring Criteria What makes customers choose one solution over another? What are the "must haves" vs. "nice to haves"? This informs positioning and prioritization.
Output Format
Use the template in references/TEMPLATE.md to structure the output. A complete canvas fills every template section: Job Overview; Job Performer; The Circumstance; Job Statement; Functional Job; Emotional Job; Social Job; Competing Solutions; Hiring Criteria; Insights and Implications; Supporting Quotes; and Questions for Further Research.
Quality Checklist
Before finalizing, verify:
- Job statement follows "When... I want... so I can..." format
- Circumstance is specific (not just "anytime")
- Functional job describes tangible outcome
- Emotional job includes how customer wants to feel
- Competing solutions include non-obvious alternatives
- Insights are based on research, not assumptions
Examples
See references/EXAMPLE.md for a completed example.
