WORKING PAPER

Quantifying Feelings: Measure Emotional Jobs to be Done

Quantifying Customer Emotions: Learn how to make feelings a durable source of competitive advantage for innovators by:

Turning vague emotional drivers into clearly defined Jobs that reveal why customers choose one product or brand over another

Applying structured survey techniques to quantify emotional priorities and their relationship to functional goals

Using contextual framing and hierarchy mapping to translate feelings into design, messaging, and innovation choices that resonate

OVERVIEW

Why Quantifying Emotional Jobs Matters

In most markets, emotional motivations drive behavior more than functional benefits. People don’t just buy a product — they buy how it makes them feel. Yet many companies treat emotions as intangible or unmeasurable. Quantifying Feelings argues that emotions can be systematically studied and quantified to reveal what truly drives decisions. Emotional jobs — the stable, recurring motivations behind purchases — give organizations a way to link feeling and behavior, replacing guesswork with data-backed insight into loyalty, satisfaction, and growth.

By quantifying emotional jobs, organizations can:

Reveal the hidden emotional logic behind decisions
Identify which feelings most influence buying choices
Translate emotion into measurable business drivers
Design offerings that create both emotional and functional value

Figuring Out Emotions

Quantifying Emotional Jobs

Putting It Together

Figuring Out Emotions

The paper illustrates how emotions can define entire categories — as with Mini Cooper, where customers bought not a car but an identity. People choose products that help them express or reinforce how they want to feel. The challenge is converting vague emotions into structured “emotional jobs,” such as “feeling distinctive” or “feeling in control.” Using the Jobs to Be Done framework, emotions can be reframed as actionable design goals, enabling innovation rooted in human motivation rather than abstract sentiment.

By identifying and structuring emotional jobs, teams can:

Turn fuzzy feelings into clear, actionable insights
Understand the contexts that trigger emotional priorities
Align brand and product design with emotional outcomes
Capture deeper motivations that conventional data misses

Figuring Out Emotions

Quantifying Emotional Jobs

Figuring Out Emotions

By identifying and structuring emotional jobs, teams can:

Turn fuzzy feelings into clear, actionable insights
Understand the contexts that trigger emotional priorities
Align brand and product design with emotional outcomes
Capture deeper motivations that conventional data misses

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Our firm can help your organization uncover your customers' Jobs to be Done and turn that into a strategy. Explore our Jobs to be Done Research service page for more examples, FAQs, and insights into how JTBD drives growth