All termsPRODUCT & MARKET

JTBD

Jobs-to-be-Done

Also known as: Jobs to be Done · Job Story

DEFINITION

A framework that defines products by the job a customer hires them to do, not by the customer's demographics or features.

In depth

JTBD reframes product discovery: customers don't buy drills, they buy holes. Focusing on the job (the progress the customer wants to make) produces sharper product decisions than focusing on personas or features.

Job story format: "When <situation>, I want to <motivation>, so I can <outcome>." Writing every feature against a job keeps scope honest.

Related terms

User Persona

A research-backed composite of a specific user type within your ICP — their role, goals, pain points, tools, and decision triggers.

ICP

The exact description of the customer your product serves best — company size, industry, role, maturity, pain point.

Positioning

The deliberate choice of what your product is, who it's for, and what it's better than — so that the market slots you into a clear mental category.

Sources

Clayton Christensen — Competing Against Luck

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Last reviewed 14 April 2026 by Abhi Verma.