Guide / Finding the Right Problem
Jobs to Be Done
What it means
Jobs to Be Done focuses on the progress customers are trying to make, not just the feature they request.
The useful version of this topic is not theoretical. It should change something visible: the customer you choose, the words on the page, the offer in the email, the onboarding step you remove, or the metric you watch every week.
A good test is whether a founder could use this page and do something before lunch. If the answer is no, the topic is still too abstract.
Actions
Start with the smallest action that creates contact with reality. For early distribution, reality usually means a buyer, a user, a search result, a conversation, or a payment.
- Ask what the customer was trying to accomplish.
- Capture the situation that created demand.
- Position the product around the desired progress.
Measure
Measure the signal closest to customer progress. Vanity numbers are allowed only if they predict something better later.
- Repeated job statements
- Activation tied to job completion
- Retention by job segment
Template
Assumption: [what we currently believe] Evidence: [what customers have said or done] Action: [one practical thing to try] Owner: [who will do it] Metric: [how we know it worked]