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Exploring Jobs To Be Done

It should go without saying that successful product people want to know why customers buy their product. One framework that some product people use to build that understanding is jobs to be done (JTBD). It’s a framework for empathy and a tool for uncovering deep insights beyond surface-level needs and desires. And while some people swear by JTBD, others swear at it. This week, we’re looking at the framework from several angles.

Meanwhile, in product news, you guessed it… AI. Companies of all sizes, big and small, are finding new ways to serve or tick their customers off through the creative use of artificial intelligence, or Apple Intelligence.

Jobs to be done for product managers. What if your customers weren’t buying your product simply because of the features and functions? What if they hired your product to do a job for them instead? Guess what? They are. At least, that’s the entire concept behind the Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework. The idea is that people realize they have a specific pain point that they need to solve. When they buy your product, they are essentially “hiring” your product to solve that specific pain point. Mike Belsito follows up his previous article about learning from customers with a deep dive into JTBD.

Personas and Jobs-to-be-Done: which is better?

Using personas has always been controversial amongst designers and professionals within the industry. However, lately, a few practitioners have pushed to replace the persona method with the jobs-to-be-done (JTBD) framework. Beatriz Costa looked at both the persona and JTBD method, along with the insights coming from field practice, and determined that an appropriate approach is to merge personas and JTBD into a hybrid solution.

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This Week’s Interview: Your competitors may not be who you think they are We often think about how to improve the products we're managing. But sometimes, we overlook the one product we'll always manage — our careers in product. In this special video, we learn from Gib Biddle, acclaimed product leader and former VP of Product at Netflix, on how to best: Understand the technical skills required of a product leader, plus the leadership skills required as you grow. See how a highly strategic "hacking" approach builds momentum in your career. Accelerate career progress through your own "personal board of directors." ​ LEARN MORE

This video, and many more just like it, are available on our Member Hub. If you don’t have access to the Member Hub already, you can join the community today for free.

It’s official – you can now check out the (nearly complete) agenda of everything you can expect at INDUSTRY: The Product Conference this September! With topics like AI, Product Strategy, and Product Leadership covered, there’s something for everyone. Registering this month, you’ll save $150 off our day-of-show rate.

Get on the Rocketship

If you’re a Rocketship.FM listener, you may have noticed some changes lately. My partner in crime podcasting, Michael Sacca is on hiatus for the foreseeable future. He recently took on the CEO role at LeadPages, so he is pretty tied up. So it’s just me running the (rocket)ship.

But fear not – because I'm committed to keeping the Rocketship.FM engines are firing on all cylinders! Every week, I'll bring you fresh episodes packed with content you’ll appreciate as a product person. From origin stories, product launches, and deep dives into subjects you care about – I’ll see that you get what you’re looking for.

And on that note… you’ll want to check out the episode that just dropped yesterday…

Our good friend and longtime Google product leader veteran, Ken Norton, shares timeless advice every Product Manager needs to hear. Whether you're wide-eyed and new to product or a battle-tested veteran, Ken's advice is pure gold.

​Check out the episode with Ken Norton here.

So, ensure you've got your subscriptions locked and loaded because you won't want to miss a single episode of Rocketship.FM from here on out. And I can't wait to embark on this journey with all of you.

Mike Belsito
​Co-founder, Product Collective

5 Fascinating Examples Of Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) Framework In Action. If you're a product manager, you've likely heard about the JTBD framework from your colleagues or by reading about it online. You might also have heard fans of the framework rave about its effectiveness. But how can you trust this praise without learning about actual success stories? Suren Karapetyan shares a couple of Jobs To Be Done examples with you, showing just how powerful a framework it is.

Why 'Jobs-to-be-Done' doesn't work and what you should do instead. As a product practitioner, you probably nod when you hear the term jobs to be done. "Customer jobs" are cool to talk about. This is something we hear all the time. "Our customers "hire" our products to help them with something in their lives." Markov Victor explains why he believes nearly no one understands or applies jobs to be done correctly in practice. He shows why it’s hard to apply practically and that even if the business really wanted to do it, they'd have to do a lot of work. Finally, Victor explains that it’s not perfect for new products unless you’re lucky or have a lot of skill and time.

Resources and news curated by Kent J. McDonald.