The Jobs-To-Be-Done theory states that companies should focus on the "jobs" or tasks customers want done, rather than the products themselves. Understanding the customer's job enables better innovation to meet unmet needs. Companies can also define their markets and products around the jobs they help complete. Focusing on getting the customer's job done better positions a company for long-term success.

1. Jobs-To-Be-Done
Theory
Alex Kehr
Clayton Christensen’s

2. "People don't want a
quarter-inch drill, they
want a quarter-inch hole.”
-Theodore Levitt

3. Innovate or Die
• Companies need to innovate or improve their
existing products (create a better quarter-inch
drill).
• The best innovation happens when you stop
studying the product and instead study the
job that people are trying to get done.
• By focusing on the job, rather than the
product, companies can better predict their
growth and need for their product.
alexkehr.com

4. The Methodology in Practice
• By focusing on the job-to-be-done, you can
understand the customer’s needs and identify
which needs are unmet.
• The desired customer outcome should be
made easier to achieve by your product, and
this will help you get customers.
• You will understand how customers measure
value when you focus on the outcome they
are trying to achieve.
alexkehr.com

5. What the Theory Tells Us
• Using the Jobs-To-Be-Done Theory mindset
and philosophy will tell you more about
customers, strategy, and products–– and how
you need to think about your business and
growth/innovation strategy.
alexkehr.com

6. Define Your Markets Around the
Job-to-Be-Done
• Instead of defining your market by your
product, define your market by the job your
product helps people accomplish. For
example, Uber doesn’t help you get a car,
they help you get to a destination.
• Defining your market with this mentality will
allow you to discover where there is a
struggle and how you can help reduce the
struggle that consumers in that market are
feeling.
alexkehr.com

7. Help Customers Get the Entire
Job Done
• Your customers shouldn’t have to use
multiple products, from multiple companies,
to accomplish their desired outcomes. Give
your customers one product to get the entire
job done.
• By doing this, you’ll have an easier time
creating value for consumers.
alexkehr.com

8. Help Customers Get More Jobs
Done
• Products evolve over time to help people get
more jobs done.
• The Jobs-To-Be-Done Theory tells us that the
more jobs that a product can help a customer
accomplish, the more valuable the product
becomes.
• Think of a Swiss army knife… it gets dozens
of jobs done, which makes it a valuable
product. A smartphone is similar… you can
get thousands of jobs done with a single
smartphone.
alexkehr.com

9. Design A Business Around a
Job-To-Be-Done
• Don’t design your business around a product,
design it around a job-to-be-done.
• This will allow your company to be constantly
focused on creating solutions that get the job
done best.
• Your company will also be better positioned
for long-term success and you’ll be more
likely to disrupt yourself.
alexkehr.com

10. Target People Willing to Pay the
Most
• People who are willing to the pay the most
are most likely part of an underserved
market.
• Targeting an underserved market is the
fastest way to generate revenue.
• Example: Customers were willing to pay 5 times more for the Next
product because it helps people with “achieving personal comfort”
better than competitors.
alexkehr.com

11. Focus on Getting a Customer
Job Done Better
• You should be spending your R&D and M&A
efforts on helping a customer job get done
better.
• By focusing your R&D and M&A efforts on
helping a customer get a job done better, it
will be more likely that your more
experimental business growth efforts will be
successful.
alexkehr.com

12. What is the Jobs-To-Be-Done
Theory?
• The Jobs-To-Be-Done theory says that
people buy products and services to get jobs
done.
• While products come and go, the underlying
job-to-be-done does no go away, and people
need products to complete these jobs.
alexkehr.com

13. Let the Jobs-To-Be-
Done Theory Guide You

14. This Theory Will Help You Be
More Successful
• The products that win focus on helping
people accomplish jobs better, faster, and
stronger.
• Knowing where your customers struggle will
help you formulate better products and a
stronger business.
• This theory will help you win and create a
business positioned for longevity.
alexkehr.com

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