In business, one of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to satisfy customers and create a product or service they want. Even if you have a product that is doing well now, you risk losing customers as new products and services enter the market. This is where the “jobs-to-be-done” theory comes in.
What is Jobs-to-Be-Done Theory?
Jobs-to-be-done theory is a way of thinking about customer behavior that focuses on the result or goal that the customer is trying to achieve. It’s not about what product or service they are using, but why they are using it.
This term was first coined by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen in 2003 in his book “The Innovator’s Dilemma.” Christensen was trying to find a way to explain why some companies are able to stay successful and continually introduce new products that disrupt their industry.
The premise of jobs-to-be-done theory is that customers don’t buy products, they hire them to do a job. For example, someone who buys a drill with a 1/4 inch drillbit does not want to buy a drill. They want a quarter-inch hole and the drill is the tool that can get that job done.
How Does Jobs-to-Be-Done Theory Apply to Business?
Jobs-to-be-done theory can be applied to any business, whether you are a startup or an established company. It can help you to:
- Understand what your customers want and need
- Identify new opportunities for products and services
- Develop strategies to stay competitive in your industry
- Create a culture of innovation within your company
Its main benefit is that it helps companies predictably innovate and develop new products and services. By leading in with market research and defining the market as “a group of people who need job X done”, you can create a product that you know customers will want to use.
Using Jobs-to-Be-Done in Your Business
There are a few different ways to use jobs-to-be-done theory in your business:
Market Research
One of the most important things you can do with this theory is market research. By understanding what job your customer is hiring your product or service to do, you can develop products and services that they actually want and need. This will help you to stay competitive and differentiate yourself from your competitors.
Innovation
Jobs-to-be-done theory can help you to foster a culture of innovation within your company. By understanding the jobs that your target customers need to be done, employees can come up with new ways of doing things and developing products and services that meet those needs.
Competition
Jobs-to-be-done theory can also help you to stay ahead of the competition. By understanding what jobs your customers are hiring your product or service to do, you can develop new products and services that meet those needs before your competitors do.
By effectively conducting this market research, you can also uncover the unmet needs of customers and create new products or services to meet them.
The jobs-to-be-done theory is a powerful way to understand customer behavior and can be applied to any business. By using it, you can create a product that customers will actually want to use. It’s a great way to stay competitive in your industry and foster a culture of innovation within your company.
For more information on the jobs-to-be-done theory, click here: strategyn.com/jobs-to-be-done/
