Jobs to Be Done
A lens for understanding the progress a customer is trying to make in a particular situation, beyond product categories or demographics.
Last reviewed August 4, 2026What it means in practice
Jobs reveal indirect competition and the real success criteria behind a purchase. They keep competitive strategy grounded in customer progress.
If this term cannot change a decision, sharpen the question or gather better evidence before doing more analysis.
A concrete example
A buyer does not merely need “reporting software”; they need to walk into Monday’s executive review with a defensible answer.
What to watch
Unexpected alternatives
Customers using features in novel ways
Purchase triggers tied to a situation
How to use it well
- Start with the decision.Write down who needs to decide what, and by when.
- Separate evidence from interpretation.Keep the source, date, and observable fact attached to every conclusion.
- Turn the finding into a move.Update the message, battlecard, roadmap question, or watchlist—or explicitly choose not to react.
Common mistakes
Collecting without a question. More information creates more work unless it is tied to a decision.
Treating one signal as a strategy. Look for corroborating evidence and patterns before making a large response.
Losing the source. Unsourced competitive claims become stale, risky, and impossible for sales to defend.
Frequently asked questions
What is Jobs to Be Done?
A lens for understanding the progress a customer is trying to make in a particular situation, beyond product categories or demographics.
Why does Jobs to Be Done matter for product marketing?
Jobs reveal indirect competition and the real success criteria behind a purchase. They keep competitive strategy grounded in customer progress.
What should teams watch when working with Jobs to Be Done?
Unexpected alternatives; Customers using features in novel ways; Purchase triggers tied to a situation.