jtbd-building

Claude uses this skill when:

• Designing new features
• Understanding customer needs
• Moving beyond feature requests
• Identifying real jobs to be done

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

```

---

Template: JTBD Analysis

```markdown

# Feature: [Name]

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.

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]

Functional

[How feature helps get job done]

Emotional

[How feature makes them feel]

Social

[How it affects their image]

• Reduce anxiety: [how]
• Overcome habit: [how]
• Amplify pull: [how]

```

---

🎯 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

---

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

---

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."