|
WE ARE GLOBAL LEADERS IN JOBS TO BE DONE RESEARCH with decades of experienceMany of the greatest innovation successes can be traced back to a thorough understanding of customer needs. We use a theory called Jobs to be Done (JTBD) to precisely and effectively determine the root drivers of customer behavior—those functional and emotional goals that people want to achieve, even if they have not yet articulated them. Using the Jobs to be Done method, it becomes easy to see that people aren’t just buying a movie theater ticket, for example, but also indulgence, bonding, and a couple hours of entertainment for the kids on a rainy Saturday.
We are preeminent specialists in Jobs to be Done research. Our founder, Steve Wunker, was mentored by Clayton Christensen, the Harvard Business School professor who popularized the theory, and spent years working with Clay applying Jobs to be Done to dozens of contexts. Over the past decade, our firm’s leadership has developed and refined a proprietary framework called the Jobs Atlas for turning Jobs to be Done research into strategy, solutions, and actionable business plans (pictured below). This is the subject of our award-winning 2016 book Jobs to be Done: A Roadmap for Customer-Centered Innovation. Click here to read our explainer piece on Jobs to be Done. 
|
What are Jobs to be done?Jobs to be Done are the underlying tasks that consumers are trying to get done in their lives.
Using Jobs to be Done can help understand target markets fully and address the realities of environments where multiple stakeholders make purchasing decisions. |
WHat makes "jobs to be done" Special?Thinking in terms of customer needs helps you find the "what." Jobs to be Done focuses on the "why."
Customers are often willing to pay a premium for offerings that deliver on both functional and emotional jobs. |
OUR TOOLS FOR UNCOVERING JOBS TO BE DONEThere are many ways to identify customer Jobs to be Done, from quick online surveys to longer in-home ethnographic studies. We’ll work closely with you—and draw upon our decades-long research experience—to determine the best tool(s) to suit your target customer, research questions, budget, and timeline. Frequently used research methods include:
Qualitative methods—like in-depth interviews and ethnographies—are best suited for laying out the landscape of Jobs to be Done, including both functional and emotional jobs. Quantitative surveys can be deployed to assess the prevalence of these Jobs to be Done, measure gaps in Job satisfaction, identify groups of customers that are united by similar Jobs to be Done, and link Jobs to be Done to customer characteristics that you can readily target, among other objectives. When we use multiple methods for a project, we often conduct qualitative research—which tends to be expansive and exploratory—before using an online survey to drill in on key questions, prioritize Jobs, and quantify Jobs-based customer segments.
What you can expect from working with usReferrals and repeat clients drive much of our business, and for that we credit our attention to customer service as much as our content expertise. This means taking you along with us as we discover and learn; understanding your context and previous work so that we do not repeat what you already know; ensuring that we are asking the right research questions for your business goals; and understanding your organization’s communication style so that we can express our insights in ways that resonate today and in the future.
Final outputs from a Jobs to be Done project can take many shapes depending on your needs and context. Deliverables may include:
Learn more through our most popular jobs to be done resources
CASE STUDY: COUPLES AND THEIR DINING HABITSA major food company came to us looking for new ways to target couples at mealtimes. The company saw that the marketplace was trending towards convenience, efficiency, and ready-made food -- like meal replacements and upscale convenience stores. But the data showed that couples were less keen to purchase these prepared foods. What would stick with couples?
New Markets Advisors used Jobs to be Done research to help the food company deeply understand its target segment and innovate in ways that were new to its category. What jobs do couples have around dining?
Result: A New Product Line The research was surprising -- even though convenience products were flooding the market, couples were actually willing to spend about 20 minutes together preparing food. Couples were skeptical of all-in-one and ready-made meal solutions, but also were burdened by having to plan a meal from scratch. Rather, they needed a “sous chef” to help them create the meal they envisioned. This led the food company to develop a new line of meal kits where consumers could add their own personal touch to familiar salads and entrées. |
